Researching Real Estate Resources at the Fredericksburg Circuit Court Clerks Office and Circuit Court Archives

Researching Real Estate Basic research—what are we trying to accomplish in documentation of properties? Completing the picture, what information will more completely provide support to our interpretation?

Towns grow, court of record changes

Transferring Ownership Deeds Inheritance Marriage Court Orders

Transfer by Deed Bargain and Sale Gift Estate distribution Assignment Resources Deeds at courthouse Original deeds at archives

Transfer by Inheritance Devise (bequest) - no deed required Intestate estate division –heir(s) at law - no deed(s) required –court order for fiduciary Resources Estate records at courthouse Court records at archives –Most recent indices at courthouse –Older indices at archives and online

Transfer by Marriage no deed required Resources post 1953 records at courthouse pre 1953 records at archives (online index)archives

Transfer by Court Order Estate dispute / court supervised settlement Divorce Creditors’ claim settlement Resources Court records at archives –Most recent record indices at courthouse –Older record indices at archives and online

Property description Right to sell

Chain of Title

Land Tax Records taxpayer tenant building / lot values Resources Post 1996 records at courthouse –Most recent records on computer Earlier at archives (and UMW website)UMW website VamaNet and Fredericksburg GISFredericksburg GIS

Land Book Divided into White and Colored in 1891

Land Tax Record Caution tax payer listed – not necessarily property owner pay attention to property legal description

Completing the Picture  The People: Who were they? Contributions to the community?  The Structure(s): When built / changed? – How? Contractor?

The Structure(s) Courthouse / archives resources: –DeedsDeeds –Land Tax RecordsLand Tax Records –Court RecordsCourt Records Other resources:  Sanborn maps  Mutual Assurance policies  Newspapers

Sanborn Maps All published Sanborn Maps are found under Sanborn Maps in the digital databases of the Simpson Library

Fire Insurance Policies Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia

The People Courthouse / archives resources: –Deeds –Estate Records –Land Tax Records –Court Records Other resources:  City Directories  Newspapers  Census

Questions?

Structure Info in Deed Boilerplate Improvements –Valuable addition made to property Messuage –Dwelling house with the adjacent buildings and curtilage Appurtenance –An outhouse, barn, garden or orchard to a house or messuage Resource Black’s Law Dictionary Return

Year Name Lot Street Improvements 1891 Donahoe, A. B. pt 18 Caroline St. New building. Old one removed 1892 Eastburn & Cole pt 126 Prince Edward St. building burnt – shop built 1894 Beckwith, Franklin pt 130 William St. addition to building Land Tax Records – Sample Entries Return

lot 147 (with dilapidated frame house in sold at auction to William F. Thompson), lot 148, & part of lot 104 – property of Robert Baylor Semple Sr. Citation: Record title: Semple vs Semple Year recorded: 1857 Collection: CR-CI-H Record ID: Return

Brick store house dwelling, parts of lot 17 & lot 18 on opposite the Post Office - formerly used by the Adams Express Co. - part of S. Willis Howard estate Citation: Record title: Howard vs Howard et als Year recorded: 1909 Collection: CR-HU-H Record ID: Return

sale bill for the sale of a brick dwelling house and lot on Main St. opposite the brick house of Charles E. Hunter – property occupied by E.C. Rowe - house two and a half stories high with slate roof - 5 rooms with cellar and garret – the property has an excellent brick kitchen upon it and other out buildings - 26 Apr Citation: Record title: James E. Stone vs John Haydon, adr. of Roberta A. Thornton Year recorded: 1889 Collection: CR-CI-H Record ID: Return