Thompson Land Question

Do you use land records? Do you ever struggle trying to identify the owner(s) of a piece of land?

As I’ve been researching Wapello county Iowa land records for my 3rd great grandfather, William Thompson, I’ve been trying to figure out which records are for him and his wife, Polly Ann and which are for another William Thompson whose wife was Mary Hogle. Based on what I’ve found so far, I believe the Mary Hogle Thompson also went by the name Polly.

There are several deeds where Wm T Thompson buys and sells a tract of land. Since the census records for Wm T Thompson match the family structure for my ancestor, I believe these deeds are for my 3rd great grandfather, William T. Thompson.

I also have an 1854 deed where William T Thompson sells land to Jacob Smith.

Wapello County, Iowa
Book I page 536

FamilySearch
Deeds – Lands, 1844-1928
Deeds, V. H-I 1855-1856 Film 979108 DGS 8532383

William T Thompson
Deed to
Jacob B Smith

For the consideration twenty five dollars we hereby convey to
Jacob B. Smith the following tract of land in the County of
Wapello and State of Iowa to wit Beginning at the North west corner of the northwest
quarter of the North East quarter of Section No. thirty six (36) in Township No seventh three
North of range fourteen West thence East eighty poles, more or less to the North east corner
of said forty acre lot thence South forty rods to Carpenter’s line thence north west to the
Place of beginning containing ten acres be the same more or less and ]warrant the title
thereto against all persons whomsoever Witness our hands this fourth day of March
AD 1854
William T Thompson
Polly Ann (her mark) Thompson
Done in presence of
Joseph Moore
State of Iowa Wapello County ss
I John Moore a justice of the peace in and for
said county do hereby certify that on the fourth day of March 1854 personally appeared
before me William T Thompson and Polly Ann Thompson his wife the above named grantors
who were personally known to me to be the identical persons whose names are affixed to
the above deed as grantors and that they acknowledged the said instrument to be voluntary
act and deed.
John Moore J.P.
This deed was filed for record May 5th 1856 at 1 o’clock P.M. and was recorded
same day
Peter [Knox] Rec
By H B Jones Dep

I believe this deed is also for my ancestor. However, I don’t have a deed or other documentation of his purchasing the land. Thus, I decided to look at History.Geo’s first landowner’s map ($) to see who the original owner was in hopes of finding information to determing which William Thompson sold the land.

Using the land description from the deed

North East quarter of Section No. thirty six (36) in Township No seventh three
North of range fourteen West

I located the land on the first landowner’s map.

And I discovered that John Thompson was the original land owner of both the northeast 1/4 and the southeast 1/4 of section 36,

Armed with this information, I went the the Bureau of Land Management site to search for a land patent for John Thompson. That search resulted in two patents for land in section 36 involving John Thompson. The patent for the northeast quarter was dated in May of 1850.

So, I have John Thompson acquiring the land in 1850 and William Thompson selling a portion of the same land in 1854. So far, I have not found a deed, will or probate record transferring the land from John Thompson to William Thompson.

Since the father of my 3rd great grandfather, William T. Thompson is John Thompson (1797-1857), it is possible that my 4th great granfather, John Thompson is the original owner of this land. Until I find more records involving this land, I still have questions:

• Who is John Thompson?
• How did William Thompson acquire this land?

Thus, the research continues.