Josiah Blackwell to John Endsley (1817)
Bedford County, Tennessee Deed Book H, page 402
THIS INDENTURE made and entered into this Second day of January One thousand eight Hundred & Seventeen between Josiah Blackwell of the County of Bedford & State of Tennessee of the one part & John Endsley of the County & State aforesaid of the other part.
WITNESSETH that for and in consideration of Eight Hundred and Fifty dollars to Me in hand Paid by the said John Endsley, the Receipt which is hereby acknowledged by the said Josiah Blackwell have bargained, sold & conveyed & by these presents do bargain, sell and convey unto the said John Endsley My right, title, and claim in & to a Certain Tract or Parcel of Land lying and being on the Dividing Waters between the Waters of Rock Creek of Duck River and Cain Creek of Elk River in Bedford County and Lincoln County and Entered in Three Separate entry and grants in three Separate Grants one Grant No 4977 to Clement Cannon for Twenty five acres & 30 poles. Grant No 4952 Granted to Robert McCuiston for twenty acres beginning at a Gum & Sugartree the South West Corner of Grant No 4977 on a Section Line Running thence North with the East boundary of No 4977 Forty two Poles [BLURRED ( to a corner?)] Beech and Sugartree, South [Blurred (corner?)] of Grant No 4952 Continuing the same course North, in all one hundred and fifty six poles to a Sugartree, Liscomb’s S East Corner, thence West with Liscomb’s line one hundred and twenty five poles to a beam, White Oak & Ironwood, South West Corner of No 4952, thence West sixteen poles to a Sugartree and buckeye, N West Corner of Grant No 4953, thence South fifty two poles to a Sycamore & a Pawpaw bush, thence East Passing Thomas Ryon Billing’s Corner at sixty one poles and 5/10 to three Beeches, Southwest Corner of Grant No 4977, the same course East, in all one hundred & forty one Poles to the beginning, containing one hundred twenty five acres and thirty poles together with all and singular the rights, Emoluments here thereunto belonging or in any way appertaining to the only proper use & behalf of him, the said John Endsley, his heirs and assigns forever &
The said Josiah Blackwell doth agree to & with the said John Endsley, his heirs and assigns forever that the before tracts of land and premises of 125 acres and thirty poles he will Warrant and forever defend against all Persons Whatever Lawfully Claiming the same.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and Affixed my seal the day and date above mentioned & Signed, Sealed, and delivered in the presence of
JOSIAH BLACKWELL [SEAL]
THOMAS CUMMINGS
JAMES LOWRY
STATE OF TENNESSEE
BEDFORD COUNTY April Term 1818
I, Thomas Moore, Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarterly Sessions of the County aforesaid do Hereby certify that the Execution of the Within Deed from Josiah Blackwell to John Endsley was proven in Open court by the Oaths of Thomas Cummings & James Lowry, subscribing witnesses thereunto and ordered to be certified for Registration [BLURRED]
Given under my hand at office this 13th day of April 1818 THOMAS MOORE, Clk
REGISTERED 30 May 1818 Edw [Blurred]
[Transcriber’s Notes:
The above is the oldest and earliest land transaction by John Endsley in the state of Tennessee that has come to light.
THOMAS CUMMINGS was a half brother to John Endsley.
James Lowry was a brother-in-law to both John Endsley and Thomas Cummings.
John Endsley had married Mary Blair, daughter of James Blair and Sarah Elizabeth Cunningham. James Blair died around 1776 and his widow later remarried to John L. Lowry and had daughters Sarah (who m. John Endsley’s brother, Andrew) and Isabelle “Ibby” who married Thomas Cummings.]
contributed by Dick Wood (September, 2004)