52 Ancestors - SMALL: Small Land Deals

Last week it was all about Amaziah Nathaniel Davis’s LARGE land deals. This week it’s about the SMALL land deals he made.

From his 123-acre purchase in 1892, Nathaniel carved out 30 acres for his younger brother Walter, my great-grandfather. I do not know if Nathaniel needed money or if Walter just wanted land. After all, he and Mary Frances Jollett had been married a few years and a baby was on the way.

Rockingham County, VA Deed Book 50, p 457

This Deed, made this 8 day of March one thousand eight hundred and ninety-four (1894) between A. N. Davis and Anna C. Davis his wife of the County of Rockingham and State of Virginia, party of the first part, and Walter B. Davis of the County of Page and State aforesaid party of the second part. Witnesseth that for and in consideration of one hundred and seventy-five dollars current money of the United States cash in hand paid to the party of the first party by the party of the second party, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have granted, bargained, sold and conveyed, and by these presents do grant, bargain ,sell and convey with General warranty unto the said Walter B. Davis his heirs and assigns a certain tract, piece, or parcel of land and the appurtenances thereunto belonging, situate, lying, and being, in the Eastern part of said County, near the base of the Blue Ridge, adjoining the lands of Jesse Wyant, George M. Shifflett and others, and is bounded as follows, Beginning at  a stone on the west edge of the west side of the Hawksbill, thence N 75° W 19 poles and 13 links to a stone on the east edge of the public Road, thence S 15° W 21 poles and 23 links to a stone, planted on the east side of said Simmons Gap Road, thence crossing said Road and running S 42° W 21 poles and 22 links to a pine on north side of a road, thence N 81° W ~ poles thence with said line in a S. E. direction ~ poles to a stake or white oak, thence East 28.32 poles to a white pine Stump, thence N 7° E 166 poles to a stump formerly a Sycamore on the east side of the Hawksbill, about 20 or 25 Steps above the ford of said Creek, thence with the Jesse Wyant line dower the said Creek to the Beginning, containing thirty acres more or less, to have and to hold the said tract, piece or parcel of land and the appurtenances thereunto belonging to him, the said Walter B. Davis, his heirs and assigns forever, But there is excepted twelve months longer time [ ? ] is mentioned in the article for the grantors to remove their timber as mentioned in the agreement.

And the grantee is allowed the right of ingress and egress to travel over the Wagon Road passing by said property, Witness the following signatures and seals the day and date first above written.

A.Nathaniel Davis

Annie C Davis

State of Virginia,

County of Rockingham to wit

I, J.W. T. Samuels a Notary Public for the County of Rockingham in the State of Virginia, do certify that A. Nathaniel Davis and Annie C. Davis his wife whose names are signed to the above Deed, bearing date on the 8^th day of march 1894, have acknowledged the same before me, in my County  aforesaid.

Given under my hand this 8^th day of March Anus Domini 1894

J. W. T. Samuels, N.P. 

In 1896, Nathaniel Davis made a teensy-weensy sale of land to his neighbor Scott Baugher: $10 for a 10’ strip.

Rockingham County  VA Deed Book 61 p. 416

This Deed made this 23^rd day of November 1896, between A. N. Davis and Annie C. Davis, his wife of the county of Rockingham and State of Virginia parties of the first part, and G. Scott Baugher of the County and State aforesaid, party of the second part, Witnesseth That the said A. N. Davis and Annie C. Davis, his wife, for and in consideration of the sum of Ten Dollars current money of the United States cash to them in hand paid by the said party of the second part, the Receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have granted, bargained, sold, and conveyed, and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell and convey with General Warranty unto the said G. Scott Baugher a certain piece or lot of land situate, lying and being in the eastern part of the said County on the east side of the Simmon’s Gap Road and described as follows. Beginning at the Simmon’s Gap Road thence east running with a road leading to the lands of G. A. Wyant’s and on the South side of said road to G. S. Baugher’s corner, thence south with his line ten feet, thence west to a point on the Simmon’s Gap Road ten feet south of the beginning, containing 1 ½ rods more or less.

The above described strip, piece or lot of land is to be used as an outlet or Roadway from the lands of the said G. Scott Baugher to the Simmon’s Gap Road, the nearest public Road, the said road to be made on this strip piece or lot of land is to be used and be in his, the said G. Scott Baugher’s jurisdiction, and his heirs and assigns forever at all times freely to pass and repass on foot, or with animals, vehicles or otherwise, to and fro, between the lands of the said G. Scott Baugher, and the Simmon’s Gap Road, the Roadway to be ten feet. The said parties of the first part covenant to and with the said party of the second part that they have the right to convey the said strip or lot of land to the said Grantee and that the said grantee shall have quiet and peaceable possession of the same, free from all in-

Rockingham County VA Deed Book 61 p 417

cumbrances, and that they, the said grantors will execute such further assurances as may be necessary to perfect the title hereby conveyed to the said grantee.

It is further agreed as a further consideration for the above conveyance, that the said G. Scott Baugher is to build and keep in repair a bridge at the eastern end of the above described lot, piece or strip of land over the Hawksbill Creek.

Witness the following signatures and seals, the day and date first above written.

A.N.Davis

Annie C. Davis

Scott Baugher then had to build a bridge for his little $10 purchase. So who got the better deal?

Amy Johnson Crow continues to challenge genealogy bloggers and non-bloggers alike to think about our ancestors and share a story or photo about them. The challenge is “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.”

 Wendy

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