Have you ever looked thru your old files and been reminded of the help a family member provided to get that document? That was my situation as I was updating sources for my 4th great grandfather, John Briles. While I have quite a few facts regarding the sale and purchase of land, it was the 1819 land entry source that contained some handwritten notes. Since those notes were in my dad’s handwriting, they provided a reminder about how I obtained them.

While traveling around the United States, my parents did some research for me when in the area where an ancestor might have lived. Since my mom’s BRILES line was from Randolph County, North Carolina, my parents did quite a bit of local research for me in North Carolina.

As I review each generation, my goal is to write better citations and to make sure records are transcribed. A secondary goal is to add the source to the FamilySearch tree (unless it has already been added). Thus my new citation for this deed becomes

North Carolina, Randolph County. Record of Deeds, 1779-1963. Film #19633 DGS 7517636. John Briles, 1819; Vol 10: page 474; digitized images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 20 September 2023.

The transcription of the deed is added to the NOTE field of the citation.

Randolph County North Carolina
Record of Deeds, 1779-1963

Deeds, V. 9-10 1796-1822
Film 19633 DGS 7517636

Image 269 – start of book 10
Book 10
Image 513 – page 474

State of North Carolina, No.

TO all to whom these presents shall come greeting:
Know Ye that We, for and in consideration of he
sm of ten Dollars for every hundred acres hereby
granted paid into our treasury by John Briles
have given and granted, and by these presents do give and
grant unto the said John Briles a tract of land
containing forty eight acres lying
and being in the county of Randolph
on the waters of Caraway begining at a pine his
corner and running thence east fifty two poles to a
stake thence south ten poles to a stake thence east
ninty four poles to a post oak thence west twenty
eight degrees south seventy two poles to a post and
then north nineteen west to the beginning
Entered 3rd of August 1819

as by the plat hereunto annexed doth appear ; together with
all woods, waters, mines, minerals, hereditaments, and appur
tenances to the said land belonging or appertaining: to
hold to the said John Briles his heirs
and assigns forever : Yielding and paying to us such sums of
money, yearly, or otherwise, as our General Assembly from
time to time may direct. Provided always, that the said
grantee shall cause this grant to be registered in the Register’s
Office of our said county of Randolph within 12 months from
the date hereof, otherwise the same shall be void & no effect.
In testimony whereof, we have caused these our letters to
be made patent and our great Seals to be hereunto affixed
Witness [?] Esquire, our Governor,
Captain General and Commander in Chief, at Raleigh the
29th day of November in the 46 year of our indepen
dence & in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
twenty one
J Franklin
Wm Hill Sundary

Since the deeds for early Randolph County, North Carolina are available on the FamilySearch site, I was able to locate the original deed on FamilySearch. After locating the deed, I attached the microfilm of the record to John Briles.

After attaching the deed, I edited the entry to add the year of the deed. By having a year, the sources now appear in chronological order. I also copied the transcription in to the details of the deed.

While this particular deed brought back memories of my parents efforts to help me research our family history, I am very thankful for the records they brought back for me.