Alleghany Deed Abstracts

Transcriber's Notes
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 Important Tips:
 
•  The Alleghany County Deed Books can be referred to either by letter or number.  Deed Book A is the same as Deed Book 1, Deed Book B is the same as Deed Book 2, etc.
 
•   Unless otherwise noted, you can assume that the deed identifies the grantor and grantee as residents of Alleghany County or (prior to 1859) Ashe County, NC.  You can also assume that the land was located in present-day Alleghany County.
 
•  You can double check the original deed images at the Alleghany County Register of Deeds website.  Many of the deeds are scribbly and difficult to read, so I am sure I have made a few errors.  If you have any corrections, please contact me!
 
•   Spelling was inconsistent during the 19th century, so be sure to search for alternate spellings of the names you are looking for.  I have included some alternative spellings in brackets in the abstracts.
 
•  "X" means the person signed their name with a mark instead of a signature.  This usually means that the person did not know how to write.
 
•   Be aware that land descriptions in deeds are not always completely accurate.  For example, an 1846 deed from Andrew Willey to Chesley Cheek (DB 1, p.325) refers to neighbors Lenoir and Connelly, two early residents who were long gone by 1846.  In this instance, it appears that the legal description of the property was simply copied from the original 1801 land grant to John Overton (DB 7, p.174). 
 
•  I have arranged the abstracts chronologically because that made the most sense to me.  However, the deed books themselves are not in any particular order.  The clerks simply copied the deeds however they received them, which in some cases was years after the original transactions took place.  
 
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 The Alleghany deed books cover the following time periods:
 
 
 Book

 A-1
B-2
C-3
D-4
E-5
F-6
G-7
H-8
I-9
J-10
K-11
L-12
M-13
N-14
O-15
P-16
Q-17
R-18
S-19
T-20 

 
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In Use
 
1859-1872
1872-1881
1875-1883
1878-1882
1879-1886
1885-1886
1885-1888
1888-1892
1892-1894
1894-1896
1896-1898
1898-1899
1899-1900
1900-1901
1901-1902
1902-1903
1903-1904
1904-1905
1905-1905
1905-1906 
 
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Oldest Deed
 
1816
1801
1809
1846
1828
1809
1801
1845
1782
1801
1810
1799
1797
1782
1817
1811
1804
1797
1854
1805 
  
 
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•  In most cases, the deed's effective date is the date of the actual sale or other transaction.  The abstracts also include the date the deed was "proven" (i.e., authenticated in court), and the date it was "registered" (copied into the deed book), if this information appears in the original deed.
 
•  I have omitted the names of government officials who appear repeatedly in deed certifications and registrations.  These officials included:
 
          Allen GENTRY, Clerk of the County Court, 1859-1861
          Horton S. REEVES, Clerk of the County Court, 1862-1868
          Charles G. FOWLKES, Clerk of the County Court, 1866-1868
          William A.J. FOWLKES, Clerk of the Superior Court, 1864-1868
          Berry H. EDWARDS, Probate Judge/Clerk of the Superior Court, 1868-1873
          John J. GAMBILL, Probate Judge/Clerk of the Superior Court, 1873-1882
          R.S. CARSON, Probate Judge/Clerk of the Superior Court, 1882-1890
 
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For the first few years of Alleghany County's existence, the court clerk was responsible for copying the deeds into the deed book.  Later, this job was given to the Register of Deeds, often assisted by various Deputy Registers.
 
          Thomas EDWARDS, Register of Deeds, 1865-1868
          F.M. MITCHELL, Register of Deeds, 1868-1880
          F.G. MCMILLAN, Register of Deeds, 1880-1882
          F.M. MITCHELL, Register of Deeds, 1882-1886
          J.C. ROUP, Register of Deeds, 1886-1892
 
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Can I copy these abstracts?
 
You are welcome to copy, print out, or use these abstracts in any fashion for non-commercial purposes.  Commercial use is not permitted.
 
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This page was last updated August 31, 2007.