Item 54: Original Land Deed from John W. Geary to James P. Weller, (removed to Grey Box #4) , 1868 July 2
Item — Box: 15, Folder: 109
Dates
- Created: 1868 July 2
Creator
- Geary, John W., 1819-1873 (Person)
Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities
Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Land Deed:
General Condition:
Good.
Measurements:
19 x 18 ¾ in
Description:
The following item dated July 2, 1868, depicts a land deed by John W. Geary to James P. Weller. In the deed, Geary is selling a piece of land in Kingston township for $14.00 to Weller. The land contains 26 acres and 152 and 8/10 perches of land. The contract states that it also contains allowances, which is likely six percent for public roads and other components of the commonwealth, as estimated by the language in similar deeds within the collection, such as 15.88 Item 33: A Photostat of a Survey by Daniel Broadhead for John Cary, 1793 July 2. The tract of land was surveyed on January 28, 1867. At the bottom of the page, the deed hereby transfers all rights and profits from Geary to Weller, with Geary affixing his seal and signature before J. M. Campbell, the surveyor general.
The deed contains a number of field survey notes in laying out the boundaries of the property for sale, including directional coordinates that would have been determined by following the route with a Guntar’s chain, an invention used for surveying the boundary line of a tract. The surveying process was traditionally walked by two surveyors, where the first measured the line and a second would walk it to ensure it was level. The first would survey the land, walking the proposed tract and establish its boundaries and create its corners. They would typically identify “significant landmarks—often trees or large rocks'' for multiple purposes (American Philosophical Society). A first reason would be to create those intended corners of the tract, but another was to lead the second surveyor through the path to ensure that the determined lines were level. A researcher on the American Philosophical Society’s website explained the process, where the surveyors work in tandem. “The two chain carriers would take hold of either end while the surveyor used a compass or theodolite to mark the distance along a particular line of latitude. As they moved along, the leader marked the ground with an “arrow,” or metal pin, and the follower walked in that direction. Upon reaching the leader, the follower picked up the “arrow” and replaced it with a wooden stave. Together, they would determine if their line was straight, and if not, with the help of the surveyor, they would adjust it before moving forward” (American Philosophical Society). When they had reached less than “one chain’s length” from the final corner of the tract, the links within the chain remaining were counted for an “exact measurement” (American Philosophical Society).
Location:
Kingston, PA
Transcription Attempt:
[the page is composed of printed and annotated text. bolded text indicates printed text.]
To all to whom these Presents shall Come, Greeting:
Know You, That in consideration of the money paid by James P. Weller at the granting of the Warrant hereinafter mentioned of the sum of fourteen dollars, in full, now paid by him into the Treasury Office of this Commonwealth, there is granted by the said Commonwealth unto the said James P. Weller a certain part of Land, situate in Kingston township, Luzerne County: BEGINNING at a corner at the Susquehanna River; thence by the Township of Plymouth North thirty four degrees and thirty minutes West, five hundred and Eighty perches , thence by other land North fifty-five degrees and thirty minutes East, two perches; thence by the Third Division of Certified Kingston Township, South thirty=four degrees and thirty minutes East, two hundred and eighty=seven perches; North forty =one degrees and thirty minutes East, five hundred and forty perches: North thirty= five degrees East, fifty =one perches, thence by the First Division of Certified Kingston Township, South, two degrees West, nine and six=tenths perches: thence by the Second Division of Certified Kingston Township, South thirty= five degrees West, forty four perches; South forty= one degrees and thirty minutes West, five hundred and forty=one and forty five one hundreths perches. South thirty = four degrees and thirty minutes East, two hundred and eighty= seven perches; thence : thence by the Susquehanna River, South fifty=five degrees and thirty minutes West, two perches to the beginning : Containing Twenty= six acres, one hundred and fifty= two and eight = tenths perches and allowance— — — Which said tract was surveyed in pursuance of a Warrant dated the twenty=eighth day of January A.D. 1867 granted to the said James P. Weller— To have and to hold The said Tract or Parcel of Land, with the appurtenances, unto the said James P. Weller and his heirs, to the use of him, the said James P. Weller, his heirs and Assigns, forever — … In Testimony Whereof John W. Geary, Governor … hath hereunto set his Hand, and the Seal of the office … the second day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight and of the Commonwealth the ninety second — ATTEST: J.M. Campbell Surveyor General } Enrolled in Patent Book H, Vol. 63 Page 50
Back:
Patent James P. Wller Luzerne County, 26 as [acres] 152 8/10 ps [perches] &c [etcetera]
In pencil:
Esq[uire] J. W. Geary Gov[ernor] of Luzerne
To all to whom these Presents shall Come, Greeting:
Know You, That in consideration of the money paid by James P. Weller at the granting of the Warrant hereinafter mentioned of the sum of fourteen dollars, in full, now paid by him into the Treasury Office of this Commonwealth, there is granted by the said Commonwealth unto the said James P. Weller a certain part of Land, situate in Kingston township, Luzerne County: BEGINNING at a corner at the Susquehanna River; thence by the Township of Plymouth North thirty four degrees and thirty minutes West, five hundred and Eighty perches , thence by other land North fifty-five degrees and thirty minutes East, two perches; thence by the Third Division of Certified Kingston Township, South thirty=four degrees and thirty minutes East, two hundred and eighty=seven perches; North forty =one degrees and thirty minutes East, five hundred and forty perches: North thirty= five degrees East, fifty =one perches, thence by the First Division of Certified Kingston Township, South, two degrees West, nine and six=tenths perches: thence by the Second Division of Certified Kingston Township, South thirty= five degrees West, forty four perches; South forty= one degrees and thirty minutes West, five hundred and forty=one and forty five one hundreths perches. South thirty = four degrees and thirty minutes East, two hundred and eighty= seven perches; thence : thence by the Susquehanna River, South fifty=five degrees and thirty minutes West, two perches to the beginning : Containing Twenty= six acres, one hundred and fifty= two and eight = tenths perches and allowance— — — Which said tract was surveyed in pursuance of a Warrant dated the twenty=eighth day of January A.D. 1867 granted to the said James P. Weller— To have and to hold The said Tract or Parcel of Land, with the appurtenances, unto the said James P. Weller and his heirs, to the use of him, the said James P. Weller, his heirs and Assigns, forever — … In Testimony Whereof John W. Geary, Governor … hath hereunto set his Hand, and the Seal of the office … the second day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight and of the Commonwealth the ninety second — ATTEST: J.M. Campbell Surveyor General } Enrolled in Patent Book H, Vol. 63 Page 50
Back:
Patent James P. Wller Luzerne County, 26 as [acres] 152 8/10 ps [perches] &c [etcetera]
In pencil:
Esq[uire] J. W. Geary Gov[ernor] of Luzerne
Creator
- Geary, John W., 1819-1873 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu