James Graham etal to Robert S White - 1848

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

Amanuensis Monday, hosted by John Newmark at Transylvanian Dutch.

I have been trying to transcribe some records in addition to the letters. This deed was found online in the Munice/Delaware County Digital Resource Library. I found this deed confusing in the way it references Margaret Doughty Horner as being under age and the deed won't be executed until she becomes of age.

I believe the land was part of the estate of Littleton Doughty. Susan Clark had been his wife and was now remarried. Elizabeth Graham and Margaret Horner his daughters.


Know all men by there presents that we, James M. Graham, Elizabeth Ann Graham, Joseph Horner, Margaret Sarah Horner and Susan Clark of (Delaware County and State of Indiana), are held and firmly bound unto Robert S. White of said County in the sum of three hundred and thirty dollars lawful money to be paid to the said Robert White his heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns for the payment where of well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators firmly by these presents sealed with our seals and dated this 10th day of February A. D. 1848.
The condition of the above obligation is such, that if the above bound James M. Graham, Elizabeth Ann Graham, Joseph Horner, Margaret Sarah Horner and Susan Clark, shall as soon as Margaret Sarah Horner is of lawful age make, execute, and acknowledge a deed of conveyance such as will be suffient to convey and confirm to the said Robert S. White, his heirs or assigns in fee simple clear of all incumbrances of any kind, the following described Real Estate wits: the North West quarter of the South __st quarter of Section No Twenty eight in Township No Twenty one North of Range No ten, East. Containing forty acres more or less, and until such deed shal be executed do permit and suffer said Robert S. White his heirs or assigns, peaceably and quietly to hold and enjoy the above described tract of land, then the above obligation is to be void and of none effect, otherwise to be and remain in full force and ____ in __.

Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of Josiah Williams

James M. Graham (seal)
Elizabeth A Graham x her mark (seal)
Joseph C Horner (seal)
Margaret S Horner (seal)
Susannah Clark (seal)

For value recieved, I, Robert S. White, do hereby assign over and transfer all my right, title, interest and claim in and to the within title bond to John Williams. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, together with Lovina White, my wife, in testimony that she relinquishes her right and title to Dower in the premises therein named, has also set her hand and seal, this 6th day of March 1848.
Robert S. White (seal)
Lovina White x her mark (seal)

State of Indiana, Delaware County. S.S. I, Job Swain, one of the Justices of the Peace of said County; do hereby certify that the above named Robert S White and Lovina White came personally before me, and acknowledged the forgoing instrument of writing to be their voluntary act and deed for the purposes therein mentioned also, Lovina White the above named wife of the said Robert S White, who being by examined privately, seperate and apart from, and without the hearing of her said husband and the full contents and purport of the foregoing instrument by me made known, she acknowledged that she voluntarily executed the same of her own free will and acord without any coersion and compultion from her husband. In witness of which, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 7th day of March 1848.
Job Swain J.P. (seal)