Have you ever tried to track land from one generation to another? This ‘passing down’ of the land is one tool I use to help verify the children in a family. While identifying the children of Zebulon Foster has been fairly easy, tracking his land is proving to be a little more difficult.
The post, Widow’s Deed, discussed the sale of his second wife’s interest in some of the land to his children in 1889. Later the children begin selling their shares of some of his land in Warren County, Indiana.
In November 1889, William Foster sells his share in a parcel to his siblings.
Warren County, Indiana
Deeds Vol. 43 page 113-114This Indenture witnesseth that William Foster and Caroline
E Foster his wife of Warren County in the State of Indiana
Convey and Warrant to Edward Foster, Eliza Bell Hattie
Fleming Rachel Crider & Mary Crawford for the sum of
four thousand six hundred & 44 45/100 Dollars the following
described Real Estate situate in Warren County in the
State of Indiana to wit: The west half of the north east
quarter of section fifteen (15) containing 75 acres more or lesspage 114
Indiana, Warren. Deed Records, 1827-1901. Film #1977704 DGS 8071891. William Foster, 20 Nov 1889 Vol 43: Page 113-114; digitized images, Family Search http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 16 May 2022.
and all that part of the west half of the south east quarter
of section ten (10) lying South of the Illinois Central
RailRoad containing abut 25 acres more or less
& all in township twenty one (21) North range nine (9)
west & containing in all 100 acres more or less
subject to all the rights & franchises held by the Wabash
Railway company on & over the tract first described
and subject also to a judgment & decree of foreclosure
in favor of William C. Smith rendered in the Warren
Circuit Court on the 22nd day of December 1885 against
William Foster and Zebulon Foster (now deceased) which
said judgment and decree of foreclosure the said
grantees above assume & agree to pay said judgment
was rendered for the sum of $4,326.00
In witness whereof the said William Foster and Caroline
Foster his wife have hereunto set their hands and seals this
20 day of November A.D. 1889
William Foster (seal)
Caroline E Foster (seal)
State of Indiana Warren County ss
Before me _ a _ in and
for said County and State personally appeared William
Foster & Caroline E Foster his wife and acknowledged
the execution of the within Warranty deed to be their
voluntary act and deed
Witness my hand and seal this 20th day of November 1889
David James
Recorded Nov 21 1889
Jno C Stephens Recorder Warren Co Ind
Then in 1890, all of the children except Mary Foster Crawford sell their share of another parcel.
Warren County, Indiana
Deeds Vol. 43 page 580This Indenture witnesseth that Edward Foster & Sarah
A Foster his wife of Vermillion County Illinois William B
Crider and Rachel Crider his wife & John J Fleming and Harriet
Fleming his wife of Iroquois County Illinois & George T
Bell & Eliza W Bell his wife & William Foster & Carrie E
Foster his wife of Warren County in the State of Indiana
Convey and warrant to James Goodwine of Warren
County in the state of Indiana for the sum of nine
thousand seven hundred Dollars the following described
Real Estate situate in Warren County in the
State of Indiana to wit:
The undivided five sixths (5/6)
of the North East quarter and the west half of the south
East quarter of section Ten (10) and the west halfpage 581
of the Northeast quarter of section Fifteen (15) except that part of said
last named tract lying south of the right of way of the Wabash
Rail road & except said right of way all of said lands lying and
being in Township Twenty one (21) North Range Nine(9) west
in said County. And also except the right of way heretofore
conveyed by Zebulon Foster Deceased and now owned by the
Illinois Central Rail Road Company through the west
half of said South East quarter of said Section Ten (10)
In witness whereof the said Edward Foster & Sarah Foster William
Crider & Rachel Crider James J Fleming & Harriet Fleming
George T Bell and Eliza W Bell & William Foster & Carrie E Foster
have hereunto set their hands and seals this 17th day o Dec
ember AD. 1890
Edward Foster (seal) John J Fleming (seal)
Sarah A Foster (seal) Harriet Fleming (seal)
William B Crider (seal) Eliza W Bell (seal)
Rachel Crider (seal) Geo T Bell (seal)
State of Indiana Warren County SS:
Before me C W Osburn a Justice of the Peace in and for
said county and state personally appeared Eliza W Bell
and George T Bell and acknowledged the execution
of the within warranty Deed to be their voluntary act
and deed. Witness my hand and official seal this 8th
day of January 1891
C W Osburn (seal)
Justice of the Peace
State of Illinois Iroquois Cunty ss:
I Isaac Amerman a Notary Public in and for said
County in the state aforesaid do hereby certify that
William B Crider and Rachel Crider his wife John J Fleming
and Harriet Fleming his wife who are personally known
to me to be the same persons whose names are sub
scribed to the annexed deed appeared before me this
day in person and acknowledged that they had
signed sealed and delivered the said instrument
of writing as their free act and deed for the uses
and purposes therein expressed
Given under my hand and Notarial seal this seventeenth
day of December A.D. 1890
Isaac Amerman (ss)N.P.Page 582
State of Illinois Vermilion County SS
I Lewis A Burd a Notary yPublic in and for said County
in the State aforesaid do hereby certify that Edward Foster
& Sarah A Foster who are personally known to me to be
the same persons whose names are subscribed to the
annexed deed appeared before me this day in person
and acknowledged that they had signed sealed and deliv-
ered the said instrument of writing as their free
act and deed for the uses and purposes therein expressed
Given under my hand and notary seal this 31 day
of December A.D. 1890 Lewis A B[rud] SS
N.P.Recorded Jany 14” 1891
Indiana, Warren. Deed Records, 1827-1901. Film #1977704 DGS 8071890. Edward Foster et al, 17 Dec 1890 43: 580; digitized images, Family Search http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 16 May 2022.
Jno C Stephens Recorder Warren Co Ind
Then on page 582 (image above) of the same volume is another deed involving the parcel of land for which William Foster sold his share to his siblings. This deed of sale does not include Mary Foster Crawford’s share.
Warren County Indiana
Deeds Vol. 43 page 582This Indenture witnesseth that Edward Foster and Sarah A
Foster his wife of Vermillion County Illinois William B
Crider and Rachel Crider his wife John J Fleming and Harriet
Fleming his wife of Iroquois County Illinois and George
T Bell and Eliza W Bell his wife of Warren County in the
State of Indiana Convey and Warrant to James Goodwine
of Warren County in the State of Indiana for the sum
of Twelve hundred Dollars the following Real Estate in
Warren County in the State of Indiana to wit
The undivided
Four fifth 4/5 interest of the West half of the Northeast
quarter of section fifteen (15) except that part of said
tract lying North of the right of way of the Wabash rail
road and except one acre conveyed by Zebulon Foster to
William Goodrick and all of said land lying and
being in township twenty one (21) North Range nine
(9) west in said County
In witness whereof the said Edward Foster and Sarah Foster
his wife of Vermillion County Illinois William B Crider
and Rachel Crider his wife John J Fleming and Harriet
Fleming his wife of Iroquois County Illinois George T
Bell and Eliza W Bell have hereunto set their hand and
seal this second day of January AD 1891page 583
Edward Foster (seal) John J Fleming (seal)
Sarah A Foster (seal) Harriet Fleming (seal)
William B Crider (seal) Eliza W Bell (seal)
Rachel Crider (seal) Geo T Bell (seal)State of Illinois Iroquois County SS
I Isaac Amerman a Notary Public in and for said County
in the State aforesaid do hereby certify that William B
Crider and Rachel Crider his wife who are personally
known to me to be the same persons whose names are
subscribed to the foregoing instrument appeared before me
this day in person and acknowledged that they signed
sealed and delivered the said instrument as their free
and voluntary act for the uses and purposes therein
set forth including the release and waiver of the right
of Homestead. Given under my hand and Notorial
seal this second day of January A.D. 1891
Isaac Amerman (SS) N.P.
State of Illinois Vermilion County SS
I Lewis A Burd a Notary Public in and for said county
in the State aforesaid doe hereby certify that Edward Foster
& Sarah A Foster his wife who are personally known to me
to be the same persons whose names are subscribed
to the annexed deed appeared before me this day in
person and acknowledged that they had signed sealed and
delivered the said instrument of writing as their free
act and deed for the uses and purposes therein expressed
Given under my hand and Notary seal this 12 day of
January A.D. 1891 Lewis A Burd (ss) N.P.
State of Illinois Iroquois County SS
I S F Swinford a Notary Public in and for said
County in the state aforesaid do hereby certify that John
J Fleming and Harriet Fleming his wife personally
known to me to be the same persons whose names
are subscribed to the foregoing instrument appeared
before me this day in person and acknowledged
that they signed sealed and delivered the said instrument
as their free and voluntary act for the uses and purposes
therein set forth including the release and waiver of the rights
of Homestead. given under my hand and Notary seal
this second day of January AD 1891 S F Swinford (ss)
Notary Publicpage 584
Indiana, Warren. Deed Records, 1827-1901. Film #1977704 DGS 8071890. Edward Foster et al, 2 Jan 1891 Vol 43: page 582; digitized images, Family Search http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 16 May 2022.
State of Indiana Warren County ss
Before me C W Osburn a Justice of the Peace in and
for said County this 12th day of January 1891 personally
appeared Eliza W Bell and George T Bell her husband
and acknowledged the execution of hte annexed deed
Witness my hand and official seal
C W Osburn JP (seal)
Recorded Jany 14 1891
Jno Stephens Recorder Warren Co Inda
Then in December 1890, Mary Foster Crawford begins selling her share in two parcels of land. The first deed is recorded on page 584 of volume 43 in Warren County, Indiana. This particular deed identifies Mary Crawford’s father, Zebulon. Although the deed refers to Mary Crawford as ‘unmarried’ the statement by the Probate Judge acknowledges that she is a widow.
Warren County Indiana
Deeds Vol. 43 page 584This Indenture witnesseth that Mary Crawford (un-
married) of Ford County in the State of Kansas Convey
and warrant to James Goodwine of Warren County
in the State of Indiana for the sum of nineteen
hundred dollars the following described Real Estate
situate in Warren County in the State of Indiana
to wit:
The undivided one sixth 1/6 interest to the
North East quarter and the West half of the South east
quarter of section Ten (10) and the west half of the North
east quarter of section fifteen (15) except that part
of said last named tract lying south of the right of
way of the Wabash Rail road and except said right
of way, and all of said lands lying and being in
Township Twenty one (21) North Range nine (9) west
in said County and also except the right of way
heretofore conveyed by Zebulon Foster (my Father)
and owned by the Illinois Central Rail Road crossing
through the west half of the South East quarter of
said section Ten (10)
In Witness whereof the said Mary Crawford (unmarried)
has hereunto set her hand and seal this 26th day of
December A.D. 1890
Mary Crawford (seal)
State of Kansas Ford County ss
Before me D W Moffitt a Probate Judge and Ex officio
Clerk in and for said county and state personally
appeared Mary Crawford a widow and acknowled
ged the execution of the within warranty deed to be
her voluntary act and deedpage 585
Indiana, Warren. Deed Records, 1827-1901. Film #1977704 DGS 8071890. Mary Crawford, 26 Dec 1890 vol. 43: page 584; digitized images, Family Search http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 16 May 2022.
Witness my hand and official seal this 26” day of December
1890
D W Moffitt (ss)
Probate Judge and Ex Officio Clerk
Recorded Jany 14 1891
Jno C Stephens Recorder Warren Co Ind
Then on page 585 of the same volume is a deed for Mary Crawford’s sale of the second parcel of land.
Warren County Indiana
Deeds Vol. 43 page 585This Indenture witnesseth that Mary Crawford unmarried
Indiana, Warren. Deed Records, 1827-1901. Film #1977704 DGS 8071890. Mary Crawford, 6 Jan 1891 vol 43: page 585; digitized images, Family Search http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 16 May 2022.
of Ford County in the State of Kansas Convey and Warrant
to James Goodwine of Warren County in the State of
Indiana for the sum of Three hundred Dollars the
following Real Estate in Warren County in the state
of Indiana to wit
The undivided one fifth (1/5) interest
of the west half of the north east quarter of section fifteen
(15) except that part of said tract lying North of the right
of way of the Wabash Rail Road and except one acre
conveyed by Zebulon Foster to Wm Goodrick and all
of said land lying and being in Township Twenty
one (21) North Range Nine (9) west in said County
In witness whereof the said Mary Crawford has hereunto
set her hand and seal this 6” day of January A.D. 1891
Mrs Mary Crawford (seal)
State of Kansas Ford County ss
Before me D W Moffit a Probate Judge and Ex Officio
Clerk in and for said County this 6” day of January 1891
Mrs Mary Crawford a widow acknowledged the
execution of the annexed deed
Witness my hand and official seal
D W Moffitt Probate Judge (ss)
and Ex Officio Clerk
Recorded Jany 14 1891
Jno C Stephens
Recorder Warren Co Inda
Not only do these deeds identify the children in the family, but they identify most of the spouses along with where they were living in 1890.