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Gen 203 Deed Indices
How to Find Deeds
Deeds are generally indexed in each county by first letter of the surname and sometimes by given name. In some cases, it is organized by the first three letters in a surname, with common surnames having their own index page. There are generally two indices. Otherwise, they are in one book with Grantor on the left side and Grantee on the right side
Grantor (Direct) Index (Indexed by Sellers and Borrowers)
Grantee (Reverse) Index (Indexed by Buyers and Lenders)
How to Be Organized
Sometimes there are a lot of deeds to abstract. Getting organized is paramount.
*** Learn how to use Tables on your Word Processor
*** Learn How to Sort Table Rows
*** Learn How to Cut, Copy & Paste Rows
1. Build a Table to List Deeds That You Find in the Grantor and Grantee Index. Fill in at least the Book and Page and the name of the person you are seeking. If you have time add the other party to the deed. Save the list as Deed Index.
County Book.Page |
Date |
Grantor |
Grantee |
Acres |
Location |
VA Amelia DB 04.016 |
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Abraham Vaughan |
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|
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VA Amelia DB 03.519 |
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Robert Vaughan |
Gardner Mayes |
|
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VA Amelia DB 03.207 |
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Robert Vaughan |
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|
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VA Amelia DB 05.194 |
|
Robert Vaughan |
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|
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VA Amelia DB 03.428 |
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Isham Vaughan |
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VA Amelia DB 04.016 |
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Thomas Vaughan |
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2. After you have made your list, sort it in Book and Page Order. Print the list and use it to make notes as necessary.
County Book.Page |
Date |
Grantor |
Grantee |
Acres |
Location |
VA Amelia DB 03.207 |
|
Robert Vaughan |
|
|
|
VA Amelia DB 03.428 |
|
|
Isham Vaughan |
|
|
VA Amelia DB 03.519 |
|
Robert Vaughan |
Gardner Mayes |
|
|
VA Amelia DB 04.016 |
|
Abraham Vaughan |
|
|
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VA Amelia DB 04.016 |
|
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Thomas Vaughan |
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VA Amelia DB 05.194 |
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Robert Vaughan |
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3. Print the deeds or make copies of deeds on your hard disk or thumb drive.
4. Make a copy of your deed index file and name that copy Deed Abstracts. Open the Deed Abstract file. Add a full width row below each line. Fill in the information from the deeds you found. Deeds have a Lot of boilerplate language that really is superfluous. After a short time you will get adept at finding what you need. Generally you want the information in the six columns, along with consideration (cash paid), adjacent owners, roads, etc, witnesses and recording date. Sometimes a prior owner, the original grant, the specific legal boundary (metes & bounds), or conditions are listed.
County Book.Page |
Date |
Grantor |
Grantee |
Acres |
Location |
VA Amelia DB 03.207 |
6 Jul 1747 |
Robert Vaughan |
John Turner |
100 |
— |
2 Quarts of Rum Annually Before December 25, If Demanded. For the Lives of John Turner and Mary His Wife, Including the Old Plantation of Robert Vaughan, 100 Acres to Be Laid Off. Witnesses: Henry Farley, Thomas Osborne and John Hendrick. Recorded 19 May 1749. Gibson Jefferson McConnaughey, Deed Book 3 and Deed Book 4 Amelia County, Virginia Deeds 1747-1753, Page 31. |
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VA Amelia DB 03.428 |
20 Jul 1750 |
Richard Jones, Jr. |
Isham Vaughan |
630 |
BS Deep Cr. and Winningham's Cr. |
Gift. Adjacent Hall Hudson, Philemon Crane, Ambrose Crane, Tanner, Moody, Jefferson, Brown. Witnesses: Peter Jones, John Turner and Peter Jones. Recorded 20 Jul 1750. Gibson Jefferson McConnaughey, Deed Book 3 and Deed Book 4 Amelia County, Virginia Deeds 1747-1753, Page 54. |
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VA Amelia DB 03.519 |
16 Nov 1750 |
Robert Vaughan |
Gardner Mayes |
100 |
Mirey Br. on ES Vaughan's Cr. |
£20. Part of Tract Where Robert Vaughan Lives. His Wife Martha Released Her Dower Rights. Witnesses: None. Recorded 16 Nov 1750. Gibson Jefferson McConnaughey, Deed Book 3 and Deed Book 4 Amelia County, Virginia Deeds 1747-1753, Page 64. |
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VA Amelia DB 04.016 |
21 Dec 1750 |
Abraham Vaughan of Lunenburg County |
Thomas Vaughan |
525 |
LS Saylor Cr. |
£60. Patented to Abraham Vaughan on 12 Jan 1746. His Wife Mary Vaughan Released Her Dower Rights. Witnesses: John Turner, Lewis Vaughan and Martha Vaughan. Gibson Jefferson Mcconnaughey, Deed Book 3 and Deed Book 4 Amelia County, Virginia Deeds 1747-1753, Page 73. Note: Abraham Settled in the Part of Lunenburg County That Is Currently Charlotte County, Where He Died. There Is an Estate for Another Abraham Vaughan in Amelia County in 1764. |
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VA Amelia DB 05.194 |
26 Sep 1754 |
Robert Vaughan and Martha His Wife |
Edmund Booker |
100 |
Vaughans Cr., on LS Flatt Cr. |
£40. Where Robert Vaughan Now Lives, Adjacent George Smith, James Mitchell, Thomas Vaughan, William Bauldwin and John Turner (Formerly Thomas Easley). His Wife Martha Released Her Dower Rights. Witnesses: None. Recorded 26 Sep 1754. Gibson Jefferson McConnaughey, Deed Book 5 and Deed Book 6 Amelia County, Virginia Deeds 1753-1759, Page 29. |
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5. Copy each six column row from your Deed Abstract and overwrite the row initially created when making the list of deeds. Now you have a great index.
County Book.Page |
Date |
Grantor |
Grantee |
Acres |
Location |
VA Amelia DB 03.207 |
6 Jul 1747 |
Robert Vaughan |
John Turner |
100 |
— |
VA Amelia DB 03.428 |
20 Jul 1750 |
Richard Jones, Jr. |
Isham Vaughan |
630 |
BS Deep Cr. and Winningham's Cr. |
VA Amelia DB 03.519 |
16 Nov 1750 |
Robert Vaughan |
Gardner Mayes |
100 |
Mirey Br. on ES Vaughan's Cr. |
VA Amelia DB 04.016 |
21 Dec 1750 |
Abraham Vaughan of Lunenburg County |
Thomas Vaughan |
525 |
LS Saylor Cr. |
VA Amelia DB 05.194 |
26 Sep 1754 |
Robert Vaughan and Martha His Wife |
Edmund Booker |
100 |
Vaughans Cr., on LS Flatt Cr. |
6. Consider Organizing Your Deeds For Each Person Into a Time Line
Samuel Vaughan |
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TN Wilson DB F.242 |
19 Aug 1816 |
William Gray, Sr. |
Molly F. Vaughan |
10 |
Spencer’s Cr. |
$30. Has metes & bounds. Adj. William Gray, Marlow. Witnesses: Samuel Vaughan, William Gray, Jr. Recorded 15 Oct 1816. |
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TN Wilson DB H.175 |
23 Dec 1817 |
Samuel Vaughan |
Nathan Cartmell |
70 |
ss Cumberland R. |
$600. Part of 640 acres granted David Shelton. Has metes & bounds. Witnesses: Thomas Vaughan, Turner Vaughan. Recorded 22 Jun 1820. |
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TN Wilson DB H.056 |
21 Jun 1819 |
Samuel Vaughan, of Cairo, Sumner Co. |
Pleasant Markham |
40 |
ss Cumberland R. |
$200. Adj. Hugh Eagan, Samuel Gray, Jeremiah Hendricks. Witnesses: W. Smith, George Roberts. Recorded 3 Jan 1819. |
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