Deed
University of North Carolina to Joshua Cozart
Registered April 27, 1825
Madison County Deed Book 1; page 282
In 1871 this area became Crockett County Civil District 1
Tennessee State Library & Archives: Madison County microfilm roll #1
Transcribed by Denise L. Cozart
July 2002
Background:
The following deed from 1825 is the earliest Cozart deed or grant I have found so far for Joshua Cozart. He was born circa 1776 in North Carolina and later migrated to Georgia. According to the U.S. Census the oldest children of wife Elizabeth Marsh and himself were born in Georgia. By 1820 he and his family had moved to West Tennessee where his daughter Malinda was born. In 1825 Joshua was about 49 years old.
This property was north of the South Fork of the Forked Deer River in Madison County. In 1830 Joshua’s son, Gilbert, bought property near-by. (See deed registered December 9, 1830.) Both tracts were in the 10th Surveyor’s District, 9th Civil District, 2nd Range, 9th Section of Madison County. In 1871 this area became Crockett County, Civil District 1.
The land in this deed was measured in poles and acres:
1 pole = 16 1/2 feet
1 mile = 320 poles = 5,280 feet
1 acre = 160 square poles = 43,560 square feet
1 square pole = 272 1/4 feet
640 acres = 1 square mile
282
Trustees of North Carolina
To: Deed
Joshua Cozart
Registered 27 April 1825
This Indenture [deed] entered unto the 1st January 1825 between the Trustees of the University of North Carolina of the one part and Joshua Cozart of the County of Madison and State of Tennessee of the other part witnesseth that the said trustees of the university of North Carolina for and in consideration of the sum of Six hundred and Ninety Six Dollars in hand paid the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged thereof hath given granted bargained and sold and by these presents doth give grant bargain sell and convey unto the said Joshua Cozart his heirs and assigns forever a certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in the said County of Madison containing one hundred & Seventy four acres 10th District 2nd Range 9th Section and bounded as follows (to wit) Beginning at W. Ewings South boundary line of Entry No. 23st two Gums thence East one hundred and thirty poles to his South East corner thence North 38 7/10 poles to a Black Gum at a point Due west of Alexander & Porters South west Corner thence East Sixty Seven and half poles to a stake thence South one hundred and Seventy five poles & 4/10 to the South boundary line of Entry No. 450 then West 197 1/2 poles to a White oak & Hickory then North to the Beginning it being a part of a trace of 274 acres held by Grant No. 15941 issued on sd [said] Entry No. 450 — together with all and singular the appertainances [appurtenances] thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining To Have and to Hold the same with all and singular the rights and privileges thereunto belonging to the only proper use and behoof of him the said Joshua Cozart his heirs and assigns forever and the said Trustees of the university of North Carolina doth covenant to and with the said Joshua Cozart that they will forever warrant and defend the right and title in and to the said one hundred & seventy four acres of land agains[t] the claim or claims of every other person or persons whatsoever to the said Joshua Cozart his heirs & assigns forever In witness whereof the said Trustees have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year given written
The Trustees of the university
of North Carolina by their atto[rney] in fact
Signed Sealed and
Delivered in presence of Samuel Dickens Seal
State of Tennessee
Madison County Court February Term 1825
Then the within Deed of Bargain and Sale from the Trustees of the university of North Carolina was produced in open Court and the execution thereof acknowledged by Samuel Dickens their attorney in fact to be his act and deed and ordered to be certifyed [sic.] for Registration.
R McIver Clk
A very special thank you to Denise Cozart, who transcribed and contributed this document for use on this web site.