You’ve searched your ancestor’s life from the time he was born to the days he died and was buried.  Think you might be done researching him?  Maybe not! Some records may be created or recorded long after a person died! Land records may have been handed down for generations before the original documents were recorded.  [...]

Hopefully by now, you are thinking outside the box.  Rather than a narrow view of looking at one record and then concluding that you cannot solve your problem, you are looking at all possible sources including censuses, land, military, probate, etc., and are expanding your search to include siblings, in-laws, neighbors, and associates. Let me [...]

So now you know how to find a deed, the terminology in it, and the parts of a deed.   You should abstract and transcribe the deed.  Then, plot the location of the parcel along with the neighbors.  You may find the neighbors by reading the boundaries of the parcel in the property description.  Next, overlay [...]

The first time you look at a deed, you may think there’s too much legal language and it’s too confusing, but once you understand how deeds are usually arranged, it will be easy to pick out the information you need. So, hang in there while I explain it to you.  I promise, you’ll feel a [...]

Once you have your hands on your ancestor’s land record, congratulations!  Sometimes finding it is the real challenge!  Now, does the deed look Greek to you or are you able to decipher the document?   If Greek or you need a refresher, here’s a sampling of the terms you should know: Consideration: The amount of money that is given [...]

Once the land had transferred to private hands from the government (whether it was a State Land State or a Public Land State), subsequent transfers were recorded at the county level. After a sale took place, typically the buyer brought the deed to the county courthouse and presented it to the clerk who then copied [...]

If your ancestor was the first to settle a parcel of land, and chances are he may have acquired it from the federal government, you should check for that record. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), General Land Office Records has a free online site for searching some of these records at http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/. You will [...]

Joseph Chaplin obtained a tavern license in Washington, Massachusetts, for every year from 1781 to 1792, except for 1786 the year of Shays’ Rebellion disrupted normal business. During that year, tavern/liquor licenses were not issued because gathering and drinking might ignite the treasonous threats associated with Shays’ Rebellion. After 1792, Chaplin disappeared from the town [...]

My parents had six kids. I’m the only girl with five brothers. I’m third in line, so I usually had two older brothers who beat me in games of speed, or strength, or wits. They also usually beat me in claiming “dibs” on just about everything. For instance, when it was time to get in [...]

Ever wonder how the “Sooners” got their name?  It had to do with the Oklahoma Land Runs from 1889-1895.  You might have caught sight of some “Sooners” in the movie “Far and Away” (with Nicole Kidman as “Shannon” and Tom Cruise as “Joseph”).   This is a great movie about the Oklahoma Land Runs.  Shannon’s parents [...]