My experience is limited to deeds in Sumner County, TN, but the three deeds I have transcribed that include the term "trustee" had to do with individuals acting on behalf of an institution in the early 1800s. One referred to a trustee for a Temperance Hall and two were trustees for property given to churches. The term was not abbreviated in the deeds. Joyce

From my experience as a title examiner, in Henry County it would mean that the property was be transferred by a Trustee. This could be part of a trust, but most likely it meant a trustee under a deed of trust (which is how a mortgage is secured in lein theory states) was conveying property that had been foreclosed upon.

In a message dated 4/12/01 3:44:05 PM, cara@dcdesign.com writes: << Was wondering if someone could help me. I need to send off to the Nottoway County CH for a copy of a marriage license that happened in 1830. Does anyone know how much they charge for marriage licenses and what address do I send my querie to? >> Don't bother. They don't exist. Lost/burned/gone, whatever, much to my dismay, I might add. Craig

All good researchers are VERY careful to note the subtle, yet very important, differences in deeds that bear the name "trust" or "trustee" from other deeds. Though, as the great Justice Holmes once said, "No generalization is worth a damn," the following may help. A "deed" conveys an interest in something - usually land - from one person or persons to another person or persons. A "mortgage deed" is different; it conveys a similar interest with a condition subsequent written into the deed which provides that the buyer or buyers must pay an amount of money to the seller at a later date, usually in installments at regular intervals with interest. When that sum is in fact paid, the "mortgage" is "released" by the mortgagee/seller (in the margin of the recorded deed in early time), after which release the title is entirely vested in the mortgagor/buyer. The "mortgage deed of trust" or simply "trust deed" is still a different animal; here the title to the land is transferred by the seller to a third party - a trustee - which third party holds the title till the buyer pays the agreed payments or sums to the seller, after which the "trust deed" is extinguished and released of record. So, a trust deed (deed in trust) tells us that the grantee in THAT deed was not intended to ever "own" the property ill not the beneficial owner, but rather was simply to "hold" the title till the agreed payments are made. Many states do not use Deeds of Trust, opting legally for the less complex mortgage deed. All that said, remember that trust may exist in many other instances where money, personal property or land is conveyed to some third party to hold until the beneficial interest holder comes "of age" or of some certain age other than majority, or where such as "spendthrift trusts" are needed. BE VERY careful; stating that something is a "trust" or that someone is a "trustee" means almost nothing without gaining complete info from the records about just what that ancestor was trying to accomplish by doinbg that. Paul

In a message dated 4/12/01 1:52:37 PM, martee@citlink.net writes: << Be careful; while such abbreviations frequently appear in indices or clerks' notes, I have rarely seen an original deed where a grantee's trust identity was written with the initials rather than the complete word, "trustee." >> Nor have I. I thought the person who posted this was talking about an index entry. If the letters "TR" appeared in the actual deed in an odd context, I'd be hard pressed to explain what it might mean. Obviously, the deed itself should explain what the transaction is about. If somebody is putting up property for collateral for a loan, there will need to be a trustee who can foreclose on the property if the loan obligations are not met. This happened to a ggg uncle of mine who found himself in the Culpeper County goal and his property sold at auction by the trustee (actually the County Sheriff by order of the county court). It was sold to the noteholder, no less. Craig

I wanted to tell anyone who is/has been researching the Burwell family in Va. whose roots were in Gloucester Co., that an archaeological project is under way on the family plantation called Fairfield. Today, I have uploaded photo's and reports on the project on the Gloucester web site if anyone is interested. We feel very honored to be the one selected to put this outstanding project on the web! http://www.rootsweb.com/~vaglouce/glou_rec2.html Jane Goodsell, CC Gloucester Co. http://www.rootsweb.com/~vaglouce/glouces.html

I am looking for information concerning Luther R. Jeffress and his wife Ann Eliza. Her last name may have began with the letter "C". Luther was born about 1818 in Virginia and died after 1880. Ann was born about 1829 in Virginia and died after 1880. They lived in both Mecklenburg and Charlotte Counties that I know of. I cannot locate their marriage record. I am a descendant of their daughter Malissa who married John Albert Coleman. Kevin Lett ktlett@juno.com

Be careful; while such abbreviations frequently appear in indices or clerks' notes, I have rarely seen an original deed where a grantee's trust identity was written with the initials rather than the complete word, "trustee." That does not mean it did not happen, however I would suggest that if those initials do appear in the actual deeds, then such was but a habit of THAT clerk, lawyer or registrar to so abbreviate in the books of recordations, and should not be considered as wide-spread practice. Paul

Was wondering if someone could help me. I need to send off to the Nottoway County CH for a copy of a marriage license that happened in 1830. Does anyone know how much they charge for marriage licenses and what address do I send my querie to? Thanks, -- Cara Showers Anchorage, Alaska cara@dcdesign.com

The metion of "TR" was on the index. I don't have copies of the deeds yet. Still waiting to get them back from the CH. And the "TR" was typed with the rest of the text in the index, it wasn't hand written. -- Cara Showers Anchorage, Alaska cara@dcdesign.com ---------- From: CASHKILBY@aol.com Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2001 18:24:21 EDT To: VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] "TR" on land deeds Resent-From: VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com Resent-Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2001 15:24:29 -0700 In a message dated 4/12/01 1:52:37 PM, martee@citlink.net writes: << Be careful; while such abbreviations frequently appear in indices or clerks' notes, I have rarely seen an original deed where a grantee's trust identity was written with the initials rather than the complete word, "trustee." >> Nor have I. I thought the person who posted this was talking about an index entry. If the letters "TR" appeared in the actual deed in an odd context, I'd be hard pressed to explain what it might mean. Obviously, the deed itself should explain what the transaction is about. If somebody is putting up property for collateral for a loan, there will need to be a trustee who can foreclose on the property if the loan obligations are not met. This happened to a ggg uncle of mine who found himself in the Culpeper County goal and his property sold at auction by the trustee (actually the County Sheriff by order of the county court). It was sold to the noteholder, no less. Craig ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== USGenWeb Archives http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb ============================== Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 Source for Family History Online. Go to: http://www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11HB

Commissioner refers to having the authority to act in behalf of another. I may have missed the time frame, but what date are you talking about?

Think of trustee as a person to whom another's property is entrusted.

COMR = Commissioner SPL COMR= Special Commissioner TR = Trustee Trd. = Registered Trustee?

Southside List Members: I'm sorry that I've lost the name of the person who submitteda query about the Summerlin family, but I have some imformation on that family in VA and Craven Co. NC, and they may be related to my Phillips family. I'd be very grateful if someone could provide that name again. Thank you. Mary Jane Phillips-Matz

Time frame was 1878-1892. -- Cara Showers Anchorage, Alaska cara@dcdesign.com From: "Margaret Driskill" <mdriskill@worldnet.att.net> Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2001 14:13:37 -0500 To: VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] Re: Land Deeds Resent-From: VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com Resent-Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2001 12:15:41 -0700 Commissioner refers to having the authority to act in behalf of another. I may have missed the time frame, but what date are you talking about? ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== USGenWeb Archives Digital Maps Project http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/maps/ ============================== Search over 1 Billion names at Ancestry.com! http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp

I would think TR stands for trustee.

Thanks for all your responses. Here's how I've seen TR used: In the grantee & grantor indexes here are some examples: Gibson, Robert TR Gregory, Sarah E. By TR Galligher, P.H. et al By TR Gibson, Stanley & Wf By TR Gibson, George S. By TR Miller, Samuel A. TR ETAL Stump, Wilbur TR The TR is typed into the index with the original text. It wasn't added later. If the TR stands for trustee, what would that mean? Would that make the land deed a trust deed? I'm not that knowledgable about such things, but I believe a trust deed is land sold to a 2nd party who makes payments on the land to the 1st party and the 1st party holds the land in his name as collateral until the land is paid for. Sort of like owner financing. Is that correct? I don't yet have copies of any of the actual deeds that are specified with the TR in the index. ---------------------- One land deed I have a copy of, doesn't have mention of TR in the index, but the top of the deed looks like this: A.M. Gregory to 4 A. Bakers Fk. of Elk 2 Mi. Charleston Dist. Harry A. Gregory Trd. Now I don't know if this "Trd." has anything at all to do with the TR in the indexes. Like I mentioned, in the index where the Bakers Fork land is listed, there's no TR or Trd. They might be unrelated. Also in the Bakers Fork land deed I thought, originally, that the "Trd." stood for trade, but in the deed it says "...Witnesseth that for and in consideration of Twenty Dollars Paid in hand..." So it does appear to be a cash transaction and not a trade. ---------------------- One more thing. In the grantee and grantor indexes, I've also seen "BY COMR" or "BY SPL COMR": Galligher, P.H. ETAL BY COMR Gregory, Mary Jane BY COMR Courtney, John ET AL BY SPL COMR Does this "COMR" have anything to do with "TR"? What does it mean? Thanks again for your help. I knew you guys would come through for me. The other list didn't even touch it. I guess it's not as straight forward of an abbreviation as I thought it was. -- Cara Showers Anchorage, Alaska cara@dcdesign.com

It could mean Deed of Trust, but without seeing the deed it's hard to know.

Cara, I haven't seen a response to Paul's question to you but I'm guessing you are looking at an index. Another suggestion is that the "TR" mean Trustee. Carol ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cara Showers" <cara@dcdesign.com> To: <VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2001 1:23 AM Subject: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] "TR" on land deeds > I've posted this same question on another list I belong to - twice - and > have not gotten response one from either of my inquiries. So I thought I'd > try this VERY knowledgable board. You guys always amaze me with the stuff > you know. > > I'm doing land deed research right now in Kanawha Co., WV. On several of the > land deeds, beside the person's name who's buying the land, it will have > "TR" or "by TR". Can anyone tell me what this stands for and what it means? > > Thanks guys, > -- > Cara Showers > Anchorage, Alaska > cara@dcdesign.com > > > > ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== > The USGenWeb Project http://www.usgenweb.org > > > ============================== > Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: > Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time. > http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com >

Amen. ----- Original Message ----- From: <CGMAXWELL@aol.com> To: <VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2001 8:15 AM Subject: Re: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] "TR" on land deeds | It could mean Deed of Trust, but without seeing the deed it's hard to know. | | | ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== | VAGenWeb | http://www.rootsweb.com/~vagenweb | | | ============================== | Search over 1 Billion names at Ancestry.com! | http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp |