Miscellaneous Land Records
Bedford County deed records are available from 1808. Copies of the microfilmed records may be ordered from the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
– The following published resources are available. Check library catalogs for availability.
– Marsh, Helen Crawford, Land deed genealogy of Bedford County, Tennessee, 1807-1852, c 1988. Sistler and Associates.
– Bedford County, Tennessee, Deed Index, Volumes 1 & 2, 1807-1840.
– Bedford County, Tennessee, Deed Index Searches and copies of Bedford County, Tennessee, Deeds:
| Grantor and Grantee | Book/page | Year |
| William Martin Grant | A 248 | 1808 |
| William Martin from James Adams | G 469 | 1817 |
| William Martin from James Adams | M 476 | 1820 |
| William Martin from John Holms | N 131 | 1820 |
| William B. Martin from James A. McClure | T 285 | 1825 |
| William Martin from Edwin C. Hunter | BB 70 | 1830 |
| W. R. Martin to Thomas B. Jeffries | EE 122 | 1834 |
| William and Nancy Martin to William Young | PP 169 | 1847 |
| William Martin to W. Garrot and P. Martin | QQ 241 | 1848 |
– Some deed microfilmed deed records are available at TSLA.
– The following books containing information on land grants may be ordered from Byron Sistler and Associates.
– John Armstrong’s Entry Book by Irene M. Griffey, 1993. Entries are statewide and is the earliest land record for most of Tennessee. Covers 18th century, over 2600 entries.
– The Preemptors: Middle Tennessee’ First Settlers by Irene M. Griffey, 1989. Exact copy of Middle Tennessee’s first land entry book and 1878 militia payroll.
– North Carolina Land Grants in Tennessee, 1778-1791 by Goldene F. Burgner, 1981, repr. 1990. Contains about 5500 land grants issue by NC for land in Tennessee. Indexed.
Steve Carson Provided information on the Allison Land Deal.
He also provided a tutorials on how to use the deeds and deed indices of Bedford County and the Records of the Second Surveyor’s District of Tennessee.
Margaret Lipscomb provided the following from the Bedford County, TN Deed Book, “PP’ page 73:
22 Sep 1846. Anna Presgrove to James Presgrove and others. Deed, life estate, 260 acres.
Whereas by the dower of Andrew Presgrove, deceased, Anna Presgrove is legally seized of a life estate in land in Bedford County, Tennessee, in District No. 8 and 9. Borders lands of John Rushing, Lander’s land, Widow Allison’s land, and heirs of Robert Allison, deceased. Being the same land that Andrew Presgrove her husband died seized and possessed of, conveys her life estate to the legal heirs of Presgrove, deceased, to wit, James Presgrove, Jno. H. and Nancy Featherston his wife, William Presgrove, Elizabeth Short, Harris S. and Ourcille Wilson his wife, Nathaniel M. and Mary Wheeler his wife, and Jno. Presgrove. Wit: John Rushing and Alexander Landers
Reg: 25 Dec.1846
Transcriptions of several deeds may be found online at the Bedford County TN Gen Web Digital Archives Library.
The Land of Our Ancestors , a TN Gen Web special project, contains a wealth of information on various aspects of early land records, including surveyors districts. Be sure and check it out!