This deed of sale is for coal under the property Robert and Jane Nelson owned.
[ledger page] 354
Know all Men by these Presents, That Robert Nelson Sr and Jane C. Nelson his
wife, of the County of Jefferson, and State of Ohio, for and in consideration of the sum
of Two hundred & Eighty Eight & 75/100 Dollars to them in hand paid, the receipt wh-
ereof is hereby acknowledged have granted bargained and sold and by these presents
do Grant, Bargain, Sell, Convey and Confirm unto, John Fisher Sr of the County
of Jefferson and State of Ohio, his Heirs, or Assigns, all the Coal underlying
the following described Land, Excepting therefrom the upper vein, situate in
Steubenville Township, Jefferson County Ohio, Being a part of the Red house
farm in Range No one and section No 34, and described as following, towit
Beginning at the Stake in Odbert's run, where, a beach tree 10 inches in diam-
eter bears S. 63 1/2o E. 88. links, the same being the North west corner of said
Nicholson's tract of land, Running thence S 8 1/2o, 19 perches to a rock, in the run
Thence N 75 1/4o E, 40 perches to a Stone top of the hill, Thence N. 31o W. 5 7/10
perches to a Hickory tree, Thence N. 17o W, 10 4/10 perches to a small white oak
in Aleaus & Scotts South line, Thence S. 79 1/4o W, 36 3/10 perches to the place of
Beginning, Containing Four Acres, and one Eighth, be the same more or less
[ledger page] 355
said Coal thus conveyed being what is known as the Shaft vein, To have and to hold, The Coal
underlying the above described Tract of Land, Except the upper veign [sic] with the privilege of
removing the same by approaches from other lands, unto the said John Fisher Sr his Heirs,
and Assigns Forever. And the said Robert Nelson Sr. for himself his Heirs, Executors,
and Administrators, hereby covenants with the said John Fisher Sr, his Heirs and Assigns
that he is lawfully seized of the premises aforesaid, that they are Free and Clear from all
incumbrances whatsoever, and that he will Forever Warrant and Defend the privilege
of removing the said Coal unto the said John Fisher Sr his Heirs and Assigns against
all lawful claims whatsoever, to said Coal, In Testimony whereof, the aforesaid Robert
Nelson Sr. and Jane C. Nelson, have hereunto set their hands and seals this 29th day
of April A.D. 1869. Before signing all the interlineations are approved of,
Signed, Sealed and Delivered in Presence of,
{Circled, on three lines:] 50 cts / Rev[enue] Stamps / Cancelled
M. O. Junkin Robert -his X mark- Nelson Sr. [seal]
John Lyle Jane C. Nelson [seal]
The State of Ohio, Jefferson County, S.S. On the 29th day of April, in the year of our
Lord, One thousand Eight hundred and sixty nine before the subscriber a justice of
the Peace within and for said County personally appeared the said Robert Nelson Sr
and Jane C. Nelson who signed and sealed the foregoing deed, and acknowledged the
signing and sealing thereof to be their act and deed for the purpose therein Exp-
ressed, And the said Jane C. Nelson wife of the said Robert Nelson Sr being by
me Examined, separate and apart from her said husband, and the contents of the said
Deed being made known to her by reading the same in her presence she did de-
clare upon such separate Examination, that she did voluntarily sign, seal and
acknowledged the same, and that she is still satisfied therewith.
State of Ohio, Jefferson County, S.S.
Recorded May 26, 1869 M J Urquhart, Recorder B. H. M. O. Junkin J. P.
Information garnered from this record
- Robert Nelson was referred to as Robert Nelson Sr in this document. Does this differentiate him from Robert Nelson or Robert W. Nelson? My guess is that Robert Nelson and Robert Nelson Sr are the same person and Robert W. Nelson is his son. More work to do here....
- Robert Nelson Sr.'s wife is named as Jane C. Nelson. This supports other documents.
- Robert and Jane C. owned property in the Red House Farm tract, Range One, Section 34 (in Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, Ohio).
- Robert and Jane sold the right to "all the Coal underlying the following described Land, Excepting therefrom the upper vein..." to John Fisher, Sr., in 1869.
- The new owner could retrieve the coal by approaches from other lands.
- Robert Nelson signed his name with an X, so not able to read and write. Jane did not sign with an X which, I assume, means she could read and write.
Thoughts, Comments, Observations
- Robert Nelson would have been about 69 years old at the time of this sale.
- He was identified as a coal miner or coal digger in census records so it doesn't surprise me that he was involved with coal in this way, too.
- This is not my first ancestor who had a coal mine under his property, but it is the first ancestor I know of who sold the coal for someone else to dig and retained ownership of the land above.
- Revenue stamps (also known as deed stamps or tax stamps) looked similar to postage stamps and were used to indicate payment of the taxes or fees for the transfer of property. Many thanks to Paulette and Linda for commenting on a previous post to clarify "Rev Stamps." (I originally read it as "Reo Stamps.")
- The value of 50 cents in 1869 for the revenue stamps would now be worth about $12.00.
- The value of $288.75 (or about $72.00/acre) in 1869 would now be worth about $7,027.00 (or about $1,757.00/acre). (This information comes from Measuring Worth.)
- About Red House Farm in Steubenville Township.
From an 1862 deed at FamilySearch I learned that it was "... formerly the property of Alexander Wells, lying immediately below the town of Steubenville, it being the land heretofore known as the pasture ground on the North side of said place..." Alexander Wells was the son of Bazaleel Wells, founder of the city of Steubenville. I've made a request to the Steubenville Public Library to have copies of a map and newspaper advertisement which I hope will clarify the location of Red House Farm.
For anyone who wonders how I'm related to Robert and Jane Nelson: my mom, Audrey Meinzen Doyle --> Emma Bickerstaff Meinzen --> Edward Jesse Bickerstaff --> Ellis Bickerstaff + Emma Nelson --> Robert and Jane Nelson.
—Nancy.
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