Nauvoo Registry of Deeds, Deed Record Book A, 1840–1843
Source Note
Nauvoo, Hancock Co., IL, Recorder, Deed Record, Book A, 18 Apr. 1842–2 Sept. 1843; handwriting of and ; 235 pages; CHL. Includes notations.
Commercially produced bound volume measuring 18¼ × 12 × 1½ inches (46 × 30 × 4 cm). The volume contains 246 pages, including pastedowns and flyleaves, each measuring 18⅛ × 11½ inches (46 × 29 cm). The endpaper, including three flyleaves and a pastedown in the front and one flyleaf and pastedown at the back of the volume, are not lined. The interior pages consist of ledger paper ruled horizontally with thirty-four preprinted blue lines and two red double lines, demarcating a row at the top of the page, and ruled vertically with two red double lines, demarcating a column to the right of each page, now faded. The volume is composed of fifteen gatherings, each of which contains eight leaves, except for the fourth gathering, which has ten leaves, and the last, which has six leaves. The recto of the final leaf of the last gathering was glued to the flyleaf. The boards are covered in marbled paper, now faded. The cover has a calfskin spine and corners. The spine bears two labels, the first of which reads: “DEED RECORD | NAUVOO | A”. The title page of the volume has an inscription in graphite: “No 1 or Book of | Entry”.
The first inscribed page was paginated with the numeral 3, and there is consistent pagination in the handwriting of or running to the last page, numbered 237, resulting in 235 inscribed pages. The top of the first inscribed deed was labeled with “No. 1”, and each inscribed deed thereafter was assigned a number in like manner, except that there are two deeds labeled “190”. The volume contains 216 items, mostly deeds, dating from 20 April 1840 to 28 August 1843, recorded between 18 April 1842 and 2 September 1843. Inserted into the book between pages 2 and 3 is a slip of paper inscribed with what looks like material for JS’s multivolume manuscript history; this inserted slip is not included here. The title page and the flyleaves of the volume show significant discoloration and dirt buildup. The wear pattern indicates that a smaller booklet, an index for the volume, was stored in the book. The entire volume shows significant discoloration due to water damage and mold damage, the boards and cover are deteriorated, and several pages have a central vertical tear between 2 and 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) in length from the top of the page.
On 5 March 1842, the Nauvoo City Council appointed JS registrar for the city of , authorizing him to record and certify official deeds for land transactions. JS appointed as recorder for the Nauvoo registrar, and by mid-April 1842 Clayton began recording deeds into this record book. was doing general clerical work for the church beginning in April 1842 and was appointed a private secretary to JS on 11 June 1842. His handwriting also appears in this record book, though it is often difficult to distinguish which handwriting is Whitehead’s and which is Clayton’s. Along with other records, this record book was kept in JS’s Nauvoo office and transported to Utah Territory, where it was kept in the Church Historian’s Office. The spine bears a red-bordered label that reads “02473R | 9 Fo”, likely placed on the record by Church Historian’s Office (now CHL) staff in the 1950s or 1960s.
In Testimony Whereof, the said and Rosana his wife, party of the First part, have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year above written.
seal
Rosannah Marks seal
Signed sealed and delivered)
in presence of)
State of Illinois,)
ss.
,)
I, a Justice of the Peace, in and for the City of , in said , do certify that and Rosana his wife, whose signatures appear to the foregoing deed, and who are personally known to me to be the persons described in, and who executed the same, did severally acknowledge that they had executed the said conveyance for the uses and purposes therein mentioned and the said Rosana Marks haveing been by me made acquainted with the contents of the said Deed, and examined separate and apart from her said , acknowledged that she had executed the same, and relinquished her dower to the premises therein conveyed, voluntarily, freely, and without compulsion of her said .
Given under my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Forty two
J. P. L. S.
Recorded July 28th. 1842
48
s to and Urbin D Stewert and William Stewart For 1 acre in L 25 and in B 6 in s addition to
Know all men by these presents that I of am held and firmley Bound unto and Urbin D Stewart William G Stewart of the County of State of in the penal sum of one hundred dollars to the payment which well and truly to be maid I bind myself my heirs Executors and administrators and to every one of them firmly by these presents sealed with my seal and dated the forth of August Eighteen hundred and forty one. the conditions of the above obligation is such that if the said or his legal Representative shall make or cause to be made to the above named persons a good and sufficient deed in fee simple in and to a certain lot or acre of Land situated in and being a part of Lot number twenty five and in Block six of s addition to the Town of lying on the East side of the first Street East of s land and ad joining s Lot that he purchased of now if the said shall make or cause to be made a good and sufficient Deed within one year or sooner than the above obligation to be nul and void otherwise to remain in full force and virtue witness my hand this forth of August 1841
Seal
Recorded August 4th. 1842
49
Joseph Smiths Deed to for Lot 4 in B 116 of the city of
This Indenture made, and entered into, this Thirtieth day of March— in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and forty-Two between Joseph Smith and his wife of the county of and state of , of the one part, and of the county of and aforesaid, of the other part Witnesseth, that the said Joseph Smith and his wife, for and in consideration of the sum of eight hundred dollars, to them in hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, do hereby grant, bargain, sell, convey, and confirm unto the said his heirs and assigns forever, all that tract or parcel of Land, situate and being in the county of in the State of , viz: Lot Four in Block one hundred Eighteen of the City of . together with all and singular the appurtenances thereunto belonging, or in anywise appertaining. [p. 42]