Frederick Briles Purchases Land from Andrew Hoover (1847)
Buried in my BRILES folder is an 1847 deed documenting the purchase of land by Frederick Briles in Randolph County, North Carolina. In this transaction, Frederick acquired 170¾ acres from Andrew Hoover for the sum of $400.
Thanks to FamilySearch’s Full Text Search capabilities, I was able to quickly locate both the original deed images and a searchable transcription—making it far easier to revisit and analyze this record than when it was first tucked away in my files.
Deed Reference:
Randolph County, North Carolina
Deed Book 27, pages 340–341
Images 594–595 of 694
Abstract of the Deed
The deed, dated 8 October 1847, begins:
This Indenture made the Eighth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and forty seven, Between Andrew Hoover of the County of Randolph and State of North Carolina of the one part and Frederick Briles of the other part…
Andrew Hoover acknowledged receipt of four hundred dollars and conveyed the land to Frederick Briles, his heirs, and assigns. The deed includes a lengthy and detailed metes-and-bounds description, referencing numerous natural landmarks and adjoining landowners, including Elliott, Hail, Bishop, and Harris.
The tract is described as containing:
one hundred and seventy and three fourths acres, with all and singular the improvements and appurtenances thereunto belonging…
Andrew Hoover further warranted and defended the title against all claims.
Witnesses and Court Recording
The deed was signed by Andrew Hoover (by mark) and witnessed by Thomas Jones and John Hoover. It was proven in open court at the November 1847 term of the Randolph County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions and ordered to be recorded by B. F. Hoover, Clerk.
Mapping the Land
After transcribing the metes-and-bounds description, I entered the details into DeedMapper (by Direct Line Sofware) to visualize the property. Plotting the land not only confirms the acreage but also provides a clearer picture of the shape of the land—something that’s difficult to grasp from text alone.
This deed adds another important piece to Frederick Briles’s land history in Randolph County and reinforces the value of revisiting older research with modern tools. What once sat quietly in a folder now tells a much richer story when paired with full-text search and mapping software.