PART I 1. PATENTS OF CRAWFORD COUNTY 2. EARLY CRAWFORD COUNTY TAX LISTS 3. LIST OF EARLY SETTLERS FIRST CONVEYANCE OF TITLE TO VAN BUREN Thomas Martin, "squatter" first owned the present site of Van Buren in the year 1836. Sold to Thomas Phillips. The first person to live on the present site of Van Buren was Thomas Martin, a squatter, he sold to Thomas Phillips and David Phillips who legalized the claim and they in turn sold to David Thompson and John Drennen as the following deed will show. "This indenture made the second day of November in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six between Thos. Phillips and David Phillips of the County of Crawford and the State of Arkansas for the first part and David Thompson and John Drennen of the County and State aforesaid of the second part: Witnesseth: that for and in consideration of the sum of eleven thousand ($11,000) dollars by the said David Thompson and John Drennen in hand paid to the said Thos. Phillips and David Phillips before the sealing and delivering of the presents (the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged) the said Thos. Phillips and David Phillips of the first part hath given, granted, bargained and sold and by these presents doth grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said David Thompson and John Drennen and to their heirs and assigns all their improvements right or preemption right should they succeed in getting a preemption right in their own names and in the name of Martin from whom they bought the improvement right in the year eighteen hundred and thirty. The said David Phillips and Thomas Phillips do bind and oblige themselves to make said title or titles to the said David Thompson and John Drennen if invested in them the said Thomas Phillips and David Phillips, the following described parcel of land to-wit: The northwest fractional quarter of section No. twenty-five in township nine north of range thirty-two 32 west of the fifth principal meridian the number of acres not known as it has not been surveyed by the United States. The said fractional quarter section lays on the river in county aforesaid and better known as the town of Van Buren is laid off on the fractional quarter section this day sold by Thomas Phillips and David Phillips to the said David Thompson and John Drennen, and the said Thomas Phillips and David Phillips bind themselves, their heirs, and executors to invest in the said David Thompson and John Drennen all their title and claim to the said premises and do by these presents grants all the estate right, title interest, property possession, claim and demand and also any rents belonging to the property after the first of January 1837, and then and there the said Thomas Phillips and David Phillips bind themselves, their heirs, executors to the said David Thompson and John and their heirs, executors or administrators in the penal sum of twenty-two thousand dollars to give peaceable possession to the said David Thompson and John Drennen on the first day of January 1837, as witness our hands and seal the day and year above written. THOMAS PHILLIPS (Seal) DAVID PHILLIPS (Seal) Witnesses: D. McClellan, J. M. Randolph. N.B. --The above named parties of their first part of this obligation do further alien and convey all their title and claim that they have should they have fraction lying immediately on the river above the town of Van Buren is situated unto the said parties of the second part, their heirs and legal representatives and do also transfer all buildings and improvements that now appertain to either of the above named factions in fee simple to the said David Thompson and John Drennen the second part. Witness our hands and seals this year and date above written. D.McClellan, Thomas Phillips, J. M. Randolph, David Phillips. Witness present. State of Arkansas, County of Crawford. Clerk's Office to-wit: I, Alexander McLean, clerk of the Circuit Court of Crawford county do certify that the annexed and foregoing instrument in writing from Thomas Phillips and David Phillips to David Thompson and John Drennen was recorded in my office on the 6th day of October, A. D. 1837. Recording 102. Cut and Seal 50. Tax 50 202 A. M. McLEAN, CIk. This is a true copy of the original deed which is now at the Arkansas History Commission. **HUGH PIERCE DEED TO PORTION OF VAN BUREN Here is another of the very oldest deeds conveying a portion of the land on which Van Buren was platted and laid out into town lots and placed on the market. The deed follows: "This indenture, made the twenty-ninth day of Sept. 1837 in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven by and between High Pierce and his wife Prudence Pierce of the county of Crawford in the state of Arkansas, of the first part and David Thompson and John Drennen of the county of Crawford in the state aforesaid of the second part. Witnesseth-That the said party of the first part, for and in consideration of the sum of Five Hundred Dollars current money of the United States, to them in hand paid, by the said party of the second part, at and before the ensealing and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge, and thereof and threfrom do by these presents, acquit and discharge the said party of the second part, their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns have granted, bargained, sold, alien, remissed, released and confirmed, and by these present do fully, freely and absolutely grant, bargain, sell alien, remiss, release and confirm, unto the said party of the second part and to their heirs and assigns, forever the following described tract and parcel of land viz, Fractional section twenty-five and fractional sectional number thirty-six in Township number nine, north of the base line of the range number thirty-two west of the fifth principal meridian north of the Arkansas River containing two hundred and sixty-three acres and twenty-six one hundredths of an acre. Together with all and singular and here Ditaments and Appurtenances whatsoever, to the said tract of land, and premises belonging, or in any wise appertaining, and the revision and remainder and remainders, rents issues and profits thereof, and in every part and parcel thereof and also all the estate right, title, interest, property possession, claim and demand whatsoever of the said of the first part of in and to the same or any part parcel thereof. To HAVE AND TO HOLD. The said above described tract of land premises, with their, and every one of their rights, member and appurtenances, unto the said party the second part, their heirs and assigns forever to the proper use, benefit and behoof of the said party of the second part, their heirs and assigns forever. And the said party of the first part, for themselves, their heirs, executors, administrators, do covenant, promise grant and agree, to and with the said party of the part, their heirs and assigns, by these presents that they the said party of the first part and their heirs, the said above mentioned tract of land, hereditaments and premuses, hereby granted or mentioned or intended so to be with with the appurtenances into the said party of the art, their heirs and assigns against them the said the first part, and their heirs and against all other person and persons whomsoever lawfully claiming shall and will warrant and forever defend by these present. In Witness whereof the said Hugh Pierce and Prudence have hereunto set their hand and seal, the above written, signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of us. Chas. G. Scott, Thomas Waldren State of Arkansas County of Crawford,ss: Hugh Pierce, Prudence Pierce Be it remembered that on the twenty-ninth day of Sept. in the year of our Lord one thousand and eight hundred and thirty-seven personally appeared before me an acting justice in and for the county aforesaid the hereinbefore named Hugh Pierce and Prudence Pierce, his wife, to me personally known and severally acknowledged the foregoing instrument of writing as and for their act and deed and the lands and premises therein mentioned and bargained and sold to be the right and estate of David Thompson and John Drennen therein mentioned, their heirs and assigns forever. She, the said Prudence Pierce, being by me first made acquainted with the contents thereof and by me privately examined "apart from her said husband whether she executed the same voluntarily, and without compulsion or undue influence of her said husband" acknowledged and declares that she executed the same voluntarily and without compulsion or undue influence of her husband. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand as justice of the peace, the day and year last aforesaid acknowledged before me, THOMAS WALDREN, J. P. State of Arkansas, County of Crawford, ss: Clerk Office to-wit: I, Alexander McLean, Clerk of the circuit court of Crawford county do certify that the annexed and foregoing deed of bargain and sale from Hugh Pierce and Prudence Pierce, his wife, to David Thompson and John Drennen was duly recorded in my office the sixth day of October, A. D., 1837. ****************************** ORIGINAL TITLE TO KNOX ADDITION Below will be found the first deed to the Knox addition to Van Buren as shown by the records in the Land Department in Washington, D. C., and old plots and field notes on record here. The following are the land office receipt county record and patent for Knox's addition to the town of Van Buren, Arkansas: Receiver's office at Fayetteville, Arkansas, 4th February, 1838. No. 2292. Received from George Washington Knox of Crawford county the sum of two hundred dollars, being in full payment for the southeast quarter of section No.24 in township No.9, N. of range 32 W., containing one hundred and sixty acres at $1.25 per acre. $200.00 Mathew Leeper, Rec. State of Arkansas, County of Crawford Clerk's Office, to-wit: I, Alexander McLean, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Crawford county and ex-officio recorder of said county, certify that the annexed and foregoing of the receiver the land office at Fayetteville, Arkansas, No. 2295 recorded in my office on the 27th day of Sept. A. D., 1838. Book D, page 188. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my seal as clerk of said court and affix the seal of office this the 27th of Sept. A. D., 1839. A. McLEAN, Clerk. On the reverse side of this paper is written: "On this lies my Van Buren tract of land." G. W. Knox... the above was copied from papers in the possession Knox heirs. A patent never having been issued for the land known as the Knox Addition to the town of Van Buren, it is applied for by the heirs of G. W. Knox and a photograph made from the patent, on file in the general land office at Washington, D. C., which is now in the possession of the family. The following is a copy of the patent: 239 Pre-emption. The United States of America. Certificate No.2295. come: Greeting: Whereas, George Washington Knox of Crawford county, Arkansas, has deposited in the General Land Office of the United States, a certificate of the register of the Land Office at Fayetteville whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said George Washington Knox, according to the provisions of the Act of Congress of the 24th of April, 1820, Entitled "Making Further Provision for the Sale of Land" for the southeast quarter of section 24 in Township 9, N. of range 32 W. in the district of lands subject to sale at Fayetteville, Arkansas, containing one hundred and sixty acres, according to the official plat of the survey of the said lands, returned to the general land office by the survey general, which said tract has been purchased by the said George Washington Knox. Now, know ye, That the United States of America,in consideration of the premises, and in the conformity with the several acts of congress, in such case made and provided, have given and granted, and by these presents give and grant unto the said George Washington Knox and to his heirs, the said tract above described: To have and to hold the same, together with all the rights, privileges, immunities, and appurtenances of whatsoever nature thereunto belonging to the said George Washington Knox, his heirs and assigns forever. In testimony whereof, I, Martin Van Buren, President of the United States of America have caused these letters to be made patent and the seal of the general land office to be hereunto affixed. Given under my hand, at the city of Washington, the 20th day of Sept., in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine, and of the Independence of the United States the sixty-fourth. By the President. MARTIN VAN BUREN,