Jean, I think your suggestion on land records may just help solve my problem but may I ask what time period is covered by those Grantor/ Grantee indexes? I am directing this query to the list as I think others may benefit from your reply. Jessie, Calif

These indexes start with the beginning date of the county and go up to the present time. All inclusive. That is why I suggested you set an upper limit to the time you want the index copies to cover. A common name can go on for page after page. Jean

Dear Jessie, I always forget something. If you hope to use deeds to establish relationship, give yourself several years cushion. It may be 25 years or more before the land is sold and all the heirs settle with the buyer or sibling that wants the land. I have one case where it was 14 years later and another where it was 23 years. But both deeds were absolute gold mines as they listed every child of the original owner. Also, if the courthouse burned, do not give up. After a burning, people must establish ownership again of their land. Often they brought in the original deed to be re recorded. So again, I hit pay dirt when I had no idea there was a chance. Found children that I did not know existed. This establishment of ownership will be within a year or two of the burning. And, courthouses had a distressing habit of burning. Other records were not replaced, but, believe you me, where land and property is concerned those records come back. Hope this helps. I have found deeds to be one of the great unexplored areas of research and usually the most believeable. Jean

You all may not know, or may have forgotten, that Heritage Books published Harrison County, WV, Deed Records 1785-1810 by John David Davis a few years back. I just checked their website. The book is currently out of print. We have a copy here at the HCPD Library. . . . I do not have time to do lookups. However, I will pass these on to one of our volunteers to do lookups for you. This person is not computer literate and so sends responses by snail mail. Send your request to me and include your snail mail address. Please be as specific as you can. Joy Stalnaker

Dear Joy, Books about deed records are fine, but do not replace the real deed with signatures, etc. They can help locate what ones you want, but NOTHING replaces the actual deed. I had one out today to help a cousin prove a relationship and I had not had it out in 10 years. Not all persons mentioned in deeds are in the books and until you get the real deeds and read them very very carefully, in many cases you can not tell relationships or even if there is any. Jean