At 11:27 PM 12/4/02 -0600, junomyth wrote: >Dear List > >I need some advise. After reviewing the Madison Township map on the >RootsWeb/Vinton County Ohio Geneology site, I became really, really >curious... There are 2 blocks with numbers 109 & 100 - A. Bryson in section >29 and 40 with A. Bryson Jr. in section 23. (I am assuming this is for the >amount of acres, please correct me if I am wrong.) WHO would have the legal >documents/information on this land ownership in 1875? > >The only document regarding Abraham Bryson from BLM states that Abraham >Bryson bought 81 acres - Section 5, Township 1, Range 3, in Guernsey County >Ohio. > >I would also enjoy a comparison of current Vinton County to this old map. > > Sincerely, >Diana Bryson-Brooks The numbers 109, 100 and 40 are the number of acres in the persons land. Note that some of the sections are preceded by "Fr.". This means Fractional Section and it was just related to the way the land was originally surveyed. The 109 acres is actually located in Fr. 35, or what would normally be Section 28. In Ohio the County Recorder maintains land records and they have all deed descriptions since the beginning of the county. You can contact the recorders at the county courthouse in the county seat of each county. Even if the office might be located in another building, you should still be able to reach them. Nothing I may say necessarily applies to Summit County (although it may). It is the only county in Ohio that has a Charter form of government, instead of the commissioner form. I am not sure how you want a comparison with current Vinton County. If you mean land owners, that probably has little significance for you. If you mean roads, the county and township roads generally follow the old roads that were in existence in 1875. In many cases, the sharp turns that tended to exist along property lines have been smoothed out for automobile traffic. State highways tend to follow more straight lines also and depend less on existing roads when the highway was constructed or upgraded for automobiles. As far as the properties you mentioned, the 40 acre plot is now owned by the State of Ohio as part of the Zaleski State Forest. The 109 and 100 acre plots are located along State Route 278. That is the road that you can see going through the property on the 1875 map. ======================================== Charles R. Weese, 4012 Pardee Rd., Stow, Ohio 44224 See http://web.raex.com/~cweese/weese/ and http://web.raex.com/~cweese/vance/ for my family info. I maintain the following USGenWeb county sites: Gallia County Ohio at http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohgallia/gallia.htm Jackson County Ohio at http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohjackso/jackson.htm Vinton County Ohio at http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohvinton/vinton.htm