researching real estate resources at the fredericksburg circuit court clerks office and circuit...
TRANSCRIPT
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?
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)
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
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)
• VamaNet and Fredericksburg GIS
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:
– Deeds– Land Tax Records– Court 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
The People• Courthouse / archives resources:
– Deeds
– Estate Records
– Land Tax Records
– Court Records
Other resources: City Directories Newspapers Census
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 DictionaryReturn
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
1857 - 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: 247-7
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: 149-11
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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 hasan excellent brick kitchen upon it and other outbuildings - 26 Apr. 1889
Citation:Record title: James E. Stone vs John Haydon, adr. of Roberta A. Thornton Year recorded: 1889 Collection: CR-CI-H Record ID: 244-7
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