This is a most interesting deed.  John Linton is my 6 great-grandfather.  He owned land in Stafford County, Virginia, evidently quite a lot.  I found this deed recently.  One of the most interesting parts is that he went to Lord Fairfax to request the land.  There is no mention of book and page number or when the deed was recorded.  Evidently this is a copy – good thing since most records for Stafford County – especially of this time period – are no longer in existence.

Stafford County, Virginia – Deed

The Right Honorable Thomas, Lord Fairfax, of Lords Castle in the County of Kent and Baron of Cameron, in Scotland, and William Cage of Milgate in the Parish of Bear Mead in the said County of Kent, Esq., devisee in trust and sole executors of the last Will and Testament of the Right Honourable Catherine, Lady Fairfax, deceased, proprietors of the Northern Neck of Virginia.  To all to whom this present writing shall come send greeting in our Lord God everlasting.  Whereas John Linton of the County of Stafford, upon his suggestion of a certain quantity of land belonging to us in the said county which is not yet granted, did obtain a warrant from our office for laying out the same and having secured a survey thereof under the hands of Captain Thomas Hooper, deceased, late surveyor, dated the thirtieth day of December last.  Know ye therefore that we, the said proprietors for and in consideration of the composition to us paid and the annual rent hereafter received, have granted, made over and confirmed, and by these presents do grant, makeover and confirm unto the said John Linton three hundred eighty-two acres of land situated, lying and being on the Main Run of Accotink Creek in the County of Stafford aforesaid.  Bounded according to the said survey as followeth.  Beginning at a small corner white oak standing on the lower side of the mouth of a small branch issuing out of the said Main Run, on the Eastward side thereof and opposite to the upper end of the plantation William Goin now lives on, being also the beginning tree of three hundred eighty-eight acres of land surveyed at this time for Captain Charles Broadwater and extending thence up the said small branch, various courses, according to the water course of the said branch which being brought into a right line is South eighty degrees and a half, East one hundred fifty-six poles and a half, dividing this land from the land of the said Broadwater, to a beech standing in the mouth of another small branch falling into the aforesaid small branch being corner tree.  Also to the said Broadwater’s land, thence crossing the said branch North fourteen degrees, East eighteen poles, thence still up the first mincond small branch, North sixty degrees, East forty poles to a white standing in the said branch, thence North fourteen degrees, East two hundred and nine poles to a white oak, thence North sixty-four degrees, West seventy-four poles to a large poplar standing by the side of a branch, thence North one hundred thirty-two poles to a white standing on the said Main Run side at the foot of a steep hill and at adjacent lower end of a piece of low ground, thence down the said Main Run according to the several courses and meanders thereof to the beginning, together with all rights, members and appurtenances thereunto belonging, royal mines excepted and a full third part of all lead, copper, tin, coals, iron mines and iron ore that shall be found thereon, to have and to hold the said three hundred eighty-two acres of land, together with all rights, profits and benefits to the same belonging or in any wise appertaining except before excepted to him, the said John Linton, his heirs and assigns, therefore yielding and paying to us, our heirs and assigns, or to the certain attorney or attorneys of us the said proprietors or to the certain attorney or attorneys of our heirs and assigns, proprietors of the said Northern Neck, yearly and every year on the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, the fee rent of one shilling sterling for every fifty acres of land hereby granted and so proportionalby for a greater or lessor quantity, provided that if the said John Linton, his heirs or assigns shall not pay the before reserved annual rent so that the same or any part thereof shall be behind or unpaid by the space of two whole years, after the same shall become due, if lawfully demanded that then it shall and may be lawfully for us, our heirs, our or their certain attorney or attorney agent or agent, into the above granted premises to reenter and hold the same so as if this grant had never passed.  Given at our office in Lancaster County within our said proprietary, under our seal, witness our agent and attorney fully authorized thereto, dated the twentieth of July in the tenth year of the reign of our Sovereign, Lord George, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King defender of the faith, etc.  Anno Domini 1724.

John Linton Deed for 382 acres of land in Stafford County