Let’s talk deeds.  Specifically, Washington County, Kentucky, deeds.  Deeds are a great tool for genealogists – finding where your ancestors lived throughout their lives.  Many lived in one place, others moved frequently.  In the early days of the state not only did the early settlers move to Kentucky for a better life for their families, they also bought land to resell for a profit.  Many Revolutionary War soldiers were given land in Kentucky as payment for their services to our country during the war.  Matthew Walton was one of the biggest landowners in Washington County in those early days.  According to my calculations Walton purchased/received for military service over 54,000 acres of land.  He sold approximately 52,000 acres.  That must have made him a very wealthy man.

I am proud to announce my newest book was published on Amazon.com this morning.  Washington County Kentucky Deeds – Books A & B.   This book includes all the earliest deeds from Washington County from 1792-1803.  Many dates are before 1792 when Kentucky became a state.

Early Washington County, Kentucky, deeds are some of the most valuable in the state of Kentucky!  Three original counties – Fayette, Jefferson and Lincoln, of the Kentucky District of Virginia – were formed in 1780 from what had been Kentucky County, Virginia.  Nelson County, the fourth county in Kentucky, was formed from Jefferson County in 1785.  Five other counties of the Kentucky District of Virginia were formed before statehood – Bourbon in 1786, from Fayette; Mercer and Madison in 1786, from Lincoln; Mason County in 1789 from Bourbon; and Woodford in 1789, from Fayette.

Washington was taken from Nelson County in 1792.  In 1827 a northern portion of Washington County was used to form Anderson County in 1827, along with portions of Franklin and Mercer counties.  And the southern portion of Washington County became Marion County in 1834.  When searching for early deeds from Anderson before 1827, or Marion before 1834, Washington County is your source.

Two alphabetized sections are included – the first for Grantors, or sellers, and the second for Grantees, or buyers.  Included information are names for grantors and grantees, the type of transactions – deed, deposition, bond, dower, sale, power of attorney, apprenticeship, sale, agreement, emancipation, relinquishment, gift, lawsuit, division of land, etc.  One of the most interesting items sold was a billiard table! 

Included in each entry is the grantor and grantee, type of transaction, number of acres, price, location, book, page number and date.  In many entries the wife is named.  If the grantor or grantee lived other than Washington County that information is included.  I must admit I was impressed to see people from Virginia, Delaware, South Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, New York, London, England, etc., and other counties in Kentucky, who purchased and sold land in Washington County.

Sample:

Walton, Matthew & wife Frances to Henry Barton – Deed for 250 acres for 75 lbs.  On Cartwright’s Creek, including the place the said Barton now lives on formerly belonging to Ambrose Barber.  Book A, Page 369, Date 01 Apr 1796.

Walton, Matthew & wife Frances to Rhodum Parrott – Deed for 119 acres for 48 lbs.  Book A, Page 482, Date 04 Apr 1797.

Walton, Matthew & wife Frances to Daniel Bland – Deed for 100 acres for 25 lbs.  South side of Beech Fork of Salt River.  Book A, Page 483, Date 03 Apr 1797.

Walton, Matthew & wife Frances to John Froman – Deed for 138 ¾ acres for 43 lbs. 2 shillings 10 pence.  Cartwright’s Creek.  Book A, Page 484, Date 04 Apr 1797.

Walton, Matthew & wife Frances to William Ford of Lincoln County, Kentucky – Deed for 2,000 acres for 5 shillings.  Both sides of Beech Fork, 1 1/2 miles from the mouth of Pleasant Run.  Book B, Page 41, Date 05 Sep 1797.

Walton, Matthew & wife Frances to Joseph Montgomery – Deed for 93 ½ acres for 43 lbs.  Cartwright’s Creek.  Book B, Page 94, Date 06 Jun 1797.

Walton, Matthew & wife Frances to Robert Craddock of Danville, Mercer County, Kentucky, and John Reed of Lincoln County, Kentucky – Deed for 2,866 acres for 370 lbs.  Three tracts of land – 1st – 1,300 acres; 2nd – 1,122 acres; 3rd – 444 acres in Lincoln County on the waters of Green River.  Book B, Page 121, Date 05 Sep 1797.