This Indenture, made this the first day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Seventy Seven, between Lyman P. Weeks of Baldwin City in the County of Douglas and State of Kansas of the first part, and Mary Weeks of the second part. Witnesseth, that the said party of the first part, in consideration of the sum of Fifteen hundred $1500.00 Dollars to him duly paid has sold and by these presents does grand and convey to the said party of the second part her heirs and assigns all that tract or parcel of land, situated in the County of Douglas and State of Kansas and described a: follows to wit: the North west quarter (1/4) of the South East quarter (1/4) of Section number fifteen (15) in Township Number Fourteen (14) in Range Number Twenty (20), with the appertenances, and all of the estate, title, and interest of the said party of the first part therein, and the said Lyman P. Weeks does hereby consent and agree that at the delivery hereof he was the lawful owner of the premises above granted and seized of a good and indefeaseble state of inheritance therein  free and clear of all incumbrance and that he will Warrant and Defend the name in the quit and peaceable possession of the said party of the second part her heirs and assigns forever against all persons lawfully claiming the same.

In Witness whereof, the said party of the first part has hereunto set his hand and seal the day and year last above mentioned.  Signed Sealed and Delivered in the presence of S.N. Walker.

Lyman P. Weeks
Addie M. Weeks

State of Kansas, County of Douglas} SS

Be it Remembered that on this first day of January A.D. 1877 , before me, a Notary Public, in and for said County and State came Lyman P. Weeks and Addie M. Weeks to me personally known to be the same person who executed the foregoing instrument and duly acknowledge the execution of the same.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and applied by official seal on the day and year last above mentioned.

S.N. Walker Notary Public

Received May 30, 1877 at 2:20 P.M.

[? his name] Register of Deeds

I think that they must have made a mistake in the date on the deed.  Sarah Weeks didn’t die until 1875 and Samuel married Martha in October of 1876. It would have been a simple mistake to leave the seven off.

This Indenture made this the Twenty six day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Seventy in between Samuel Weeks Peter H. Weeks Mary Weeks only heirs at law of Sarah A. Weeks deceased except the party of the second part, of Baldwin City and State of Kansas of the first part and Lyman P. Weeks of the second part.  Witnesseth, that the said parties of the first part in consideration of the sum of One Thousand ($1000) Dollars to them duly paid have sold and by these presents do _____ ______ and quit claim unto the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns forever.  all that tract or parcel of land situated in the County of Douglas and State of Kansas and described as follows to wit:  The South three and one third (3 1/3) acres of the North Six acres of the South Forty (40) acres of the East Sixty (60) acres of the South West quarter (1/4) of section thirty four (34) Township Fourteen (14) Range Twenty (20) formerly Block Seventy Eight (78) in Baldwin City as shown by the Plot on file in that office of the Register of Deeds of Douglas County Kansas, with the appertunances unto the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns forever.

In witness whereof, the said parties of the first part have hereunto Signed. Sealed and Delivered in the presence of S.N. Walker

Mary Weeks {seal}
P. H. Weeks {seal}
Samuel Weeks
Martha R. Weeks

State of Kansas
County of Douglas}
Be it Remembered that on this first day of January A.D 1877, before me a Notary Public in and for said County and state came Mary Weeks Peter H. Weeks to me personally known to be the same persons who executed the foregoing instrument and duly acknowledged the execution of the same.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my official seal on the day and year last above written. S.N. Walker Notary Public

State of Indiana
Clark County}
Before me William C. Hester a Notary Public in and for said Clark County and State of Indiana personally came Samuel Weeks and Martha R. Weeks and acknowledged the execution of the foregoing deed.
Witness my hand + notarial seal William C. Hester Notary Public
Recorded June 16 1877 at 11 am ? Register of Deeds

I’m still trying to fully understand this document, as the legal mumbo-jumbo is like a foreign language to me.

Some of the facts I know:

Charles Moorman, Sally’s father, died October 23, 1803.

Nancy Moorman, Sally’s mother, received Land to live on after the death of her husband. (I have a document which shows her allotment dated 1804).  I’m not sure when Nancy died.  I have seen some list her death in 1847, but I have nothing to back that up.  Does this document mean that she has died and Sally is getting a portion of her mother’s allotted land?  Is that what “Dower Land” is?  I’m not clear on this.

Lemuel Moorman is Sally’s brother.

From what I understand, Francis & Sally sold their portion of this land to Sally’s brother Lemuel.  Sally wasn’t able to come to town to acknowledge that she wanted to sell the land.  They were either concerned that maybe her husband was selling it without her consent (since it was her mother’s land) or else they wanted to make sure that she was relinquishing her right to dower in the land (and couldn’t get the land back upon her husband’s death).  They sent out 2 Justices to speak with her privately and make sure that this was what she wanted to do.

I’ve transcribed this document to the best of my ability under the images.  (I’m always happy to receive corrections of my mistakes!!)

I would love to know what the full meaning of this document is if you understand it.

The CommonWealth of Virginia to David Pegram and Richard Hobson Gent. Justices of Bedford County _____ whereas Francis L. Lee + Sally his wife by their certain Indenture of bargain  + Sale bearing Date the 23rd Nov. 1813. have sold and conveyed unto Lemuel Moorman the fee simple Estate of their portion of Dower Land of Nancy Moorman widow ___ of Charles Moorman Dec’d lying and being in the County of Bedford and State of Virginia whereas the said Sally cannot conveniently travel to our Court of our said County of Bedford and State of Virginia to make acknowledgement of the same. Therefore we give you or any two or more of you power to receive such acknowledgement as the said Sally shall be willing to make before you of the conveyance aforesaid contained in the said Indenture which is hereto annexed and we do require you that you do personally go to the said Sally and examine her privately and apart from the said Francis L her husband, and whether she be willing the said Indenture together with this acknowledgement should be recorded in our said County Court and when you have received her acknowledgement + examine her as afors’d that you distinctly + openly certify us thereof in an ___ Court under your Seals sending then there the s’d Intenture and this ____ Witness James Steptoe Clerk of our said Court the 28th day of Nov’r 1813.

In the 38th Year of our Independence.

J Steptoe [signed]

Bedfort County to wit

In obedience to the within Commiss. to us directed we did go to the within named Sally Lee and examined her privily and apart from her husband whether she freely and voluntarily relinquished her right to the within mentioned Land and she saith she doth freely and willingly relinquish her right to the same in fee simple without the threats or persuasions of her husband and is willing that the same should be recorded in the County Court of Bedford.  Given under our hands and Seals this 30th day of November 1813.

Dan’l Pegram {seal}

Rich’d Hobson {seal}

At a Court held for Bedford County at the Courthouse the 27th day of December 1813.  This Commission was returned executed + Ordered to be recorded.

Teste  J Steptoe CBC

This is a deed I found during my trip to Sigourney, IA earlier this year.  The transcription follows the images.

Know all men by these presents that we Dorothea Henrietta Helena Francy and Louiza Sanchez Teresa the two last is husband + wife all lawful heirs of Nicholas Sanchez Teresa decd of the county of Keokuk and State of Iowa for the Consideration of two hundred + fifty dollars do hereby Convey to Frederick Peter + Philip Sanchez Teresa of Keokuk County State of Iowa all our interest and claim in the following described Real Estate Situate lying and being in the State of Iowa Keokuk County to wit the South half (1/2) of the north East quarter (1/4) and the west half (1/2) of the South East quarter (1/4) of Section twenty five (25) in township Seventy four (74) north of Range eleven west containing one hundred and sixty (160) acres more or less and the said above mentioned heirs of Nicholas Sanchez Teresa will warrant the title of the same against all persons whomsoever in witness where of we have hereunto subscribed our names this fourteenth (14) day of January AD 1854

Henrietta Sanchez Teresa
Helena Sanchez Teresa
Dorothea Sanchez Teresa
Francis Sanchez
Louise Sanchez

in presence of
Horatio J. Yapp
Meshack? Davis

State of Iowa
Keokuk County

On the 14th day of January AD 1854 before me the undersigned a justice of the peace in and for said County appeared Dorothea Henrietta, Helena Francy + Louiza Sanchez Teresa who are personally known to me to be the identical persons whose names are affixed to the foregoing deed of consequence as grantors and acknowledged the same to be their voluntary act and deed in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.
Horatio J. Yapp
Justice of the Peace

The foregoing deed was filed in this office for Record January 24th 1854 at 12 o’clock
H. L Smith Recorder
Pr MM Crocker

The transcription follows the image.

This indenture made this twenty second day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and forty nine between Milton Brittian + Nancy Brittian of the county Keokuk and state of Iowa of the one part and Levi Frisler of the state county and state aforesaid of the other part Witnesseth that the said party of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of forty three dollars lawfull money of the United States to them in hand paid by the said party of second part the Receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged  by the said party of the first part have Granted bargained and sold by these presents do grant bargain and sell unto the said party of the second part and his heirs and assigns forever all that tract or parcel of Land lying and being in the County of Keokuk and state of Iowa. To wit,

Seven acres of Land Running parrellel with west line running north and south in the North half of the East half of the South West Quarter of Section No. Seven (7) Township 74 North of Range (12) West. To have and to hold the above described premises hereby sold and conveyed unto the said Levi Frisler his heirs and assigns forever to gether with all and singular the appartenances thereunto belonging , or in any wise appertaining to his own proper use and behoof and Milton Brittain + Nancy Brittain his wife for their loirs executors  and administrators. The aforesaid track or parcel of Land and appertenances to the Levi Frisler his heirs Executors and administrators against the claims of all and every person whatever will Warrant and forever Defend In Testimony whereof the said Milton Brittian and Nancy Brittian his wife have hereunto set their hands and affixed their Seal the day and year bove written

Signed sealed and deliverd in the preasence of William S Day and Charles P Lyon

Milton P Brittian {seal}

Nancy Brittian {seal}

State of Iowa Keokuk County}

Personally appeared before me the ___ signed Justice of the Keokuk County and acknowledge the deed of conveyance to which this is affixed to be their act and deed for purposes therein mentioned and also Nancy Brittian the wife of Milton Brittian being seperately examined seperately apart from her husband freely and volintarly Relinquish all and Every species of Right of Dower.

Given under my hand this 11th day of January 1850.  William L. Day JP KC

The above Deed was Filed for record November the 18th 1850 at 1 o’clock PM

B P Showhan Recorder

Here is a Google map of the entire town:

View Larger Map

I find it interesting that Sally is the first one listed on the deed, instead of her husband.

I wonder why they decided to sell their land in town.  Ari was a blacksmith and would have been about 68 in 1922. Perhaps he sold the land, because he retired and was passing his shop onto another person.  Just a guess.  In the 1925 and 1930 census, Ari and Sally were still living in Delphos, so it doesn’t look like they moved far.