Know all men by these presents that I Abel Gregory of
the County of Smith and State of Tennessee doth this day cov-
enant and agree with David Stanford of the County and State
aforesaid to search for and endeavor to find minerals or other
valuable substances in and upon the lands of the said Abel Gregory,
each one to bear an equal proportion of the expense in searching
for minerals or other substances therein or upon said land and
should Abel and David aforesaid find any valuable minerals or
substance they shall afterwards bear a like proportion of the
expense, the one half to belong to the said David together with
the woods ways and water courses necessary to carry on said
mining or procuring such valuable substances he paying for
one half of the timber and I the said Abel Gregory hereby war-
rant and forever defend the right and title thereof unto the said
David Stanford his heirs and assigns for the purpose herein
contained or exempt free from all claims for myself my heirs
and assigns claiming the same by or through me in any ways
whatsoever and the said David on his part doth bind himself to
assist the said Abel in searching for such mines or other
substances bearing as before stated the one half of all expenses.
The said Abel and David doth agree to search for the same for
the space of two years and should there be found in that period
any mines or other valuable substance then this
obligation to be in full force and virtue the said Gregory
to make a good and valuable title of said mines and other
valuable substances agreeable to this obligation to the
said David his heirs and assigns forever otherwise at the
expiration of the said two years this obligation to be
void and of no effect given under our hands and seals this
31st of December 1844.
his
Abel x Gregory (Seal)
mark
David Stanford (Seal)
^ Interlined before signed
Leroy H. Cage
Thomas Carman
State of Tennessee Smith County
Personally appeared before me John J.
Burnett Clerk of Smith County Court, Leroy H. Cage
and Thomas Carman subscribing witnesses to the (within) written?
obligation who being first sworn depose and say
that they are acquainted with Abel Gregory and
David Stanford the within (obligors), and that
they acknowledged the same in their presence to
be their act and deed upon the day it bears date.
Witness my hand at office this 21 April 1845.
Rec'd April 22nd, 1845 at 7 ½ a.m. }
John J. Burnett Clerk
Registered April 24th, 1845
of Smith County Court
Nathan B. Burdin
Register of Smith County
