This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1300.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: This unsigned letter tells about location of Land Title and who had it. Dear Friend Russell: Connellsville, Fayette, Co PA I received your letter yesterday evening and hasten a reply. I am sorry to learn of your sickness, and am glad you are getting better. I hope that you will get well and that you, and family will prosper in this life, and in the life to come in the future. My health is not best I could desire, but am still going about, injuries when in the Army is the cause, when I was Chaplain 5th New York Vol. Arty., at Baltimore, and Harper's Ferry. The grave will take all our pains out of us, and the resurection day will give us new bodies and I hope a better life. And now about the matters you wish to know in regard to Antie and the House Estate. You doubtless remember first that JOHN VALENTINE HOUSE made a will and that will was probated in open court at the Court House in Bath Co. KY. I sent a copy of that will to a Lawyer, Mr Anderson at Richmond, Indiania and told him what I could think of about the House Estate. JAMES HOUSE of Sherburn, KT has copies of all the papers that were given to John H Ing of Fayette and St Paul Streets, Baltimore the place where Mr Ing had his office. After he was sold out, sometimes after my brother JOSEPH BARNES went to Baltimore and called upon Mr Ing, and he told brother JOSEPH BARNES the same story that you say Mr Anderson told you, that he was sold out and the House Papers, went with the other things, then my brother JOSEPH BARNES said to Mr Ing., "I will give you five dollars if you will let me those papers about the House Estate. Then Mr Ing pulled out a drawer of the table at which he sat and gave the papers to him to read. Brother Joseph read the papers and handed them back to Mr Ing, and gave him five dollars. JOSEPH BARNES said Ing put the papers back in the table drawer and locked it. Now remember this was sometime after Mr Ing was sold out. Mr Ing has doubtless all the papers yet in that drawer of the table in his office, if he has the same office near Fayette and St Paul Strees, Baltimore, Maryland. My brother JOSEPH BARNES will be glad to go with Mr Andreson as soon as he finishes the gas well he is now putting down at Belevernon, Fayette County, PA. The well is now down about one thousand feet and about four hundred feet more will finish it. In about 3 or 4 weeks he will be at leasure to go and get the papers, that Mr Anderson failed to get because he did not know how to bait the hook for such a man as Mr Ing is. Then I can prove the papers by the Supreme Judge of Maryland (Judge named Bond) who saw the papers before Mr Ing got them. You will have to be very careful and not attempt to get the papers till brother JOSEPH BARNES goes to Mr Ing's office. He will get them by bait or by law. The estate is the largest land estate in Maryland. As Judge Bond told me that the Brins & Mc Pherson and in fact all who had to do with property no doubt had tried to cover up all track to it in their day. You will have to find it out by going to England if you can not find out a starting point at some of the places of record in the State of Maryland. Washington , Maryland; Haggerstown County seat----then Washington County was divided and a new county called Frederick was made and Frederick a town in the county, or you might have to go to Upper Marlsbore, north of Washington City. Many of the old records were kept there, and you would have to go to Annapolis, Maryland, and see all the records there. Some of these places have the record of ANDREW HOUSE Estate doubtless under same cover. Ing never tried to find it out and no man can do it without searching the records to find all about the property from the beginning of it. These papers which Mr Ing has have many sworn testimony and affidavits of many people who kn! ew ANDREW HOUSE when he lived at Anteitam and Justice of Peace were qualified that ANDREW HOUSE owned the land on which he built a grist mill. He was the first settler of the land, lived on it, till he was driven off by twelve men who claimed to be sent by the authority of the State of Maryland. Letter unsigned but says he was a Chaplain in Civil War and brother of Joseph Barnes)