Partition Deed: Morrow County, Ohio 1884

With the death of Amarilla’s grandmother Mary Anne Delano Keller (3 August 1882)  the land and estate of John and Mary was divided up and partitioned among the children and heirs.  Amarilla and George Barclay were the Grantor’s along with others in the following partition deed.   This is one of several deeds dividing up the land among the heirs of John and Mary Keller.  It is the most significant to me because George and Amarilla Barclay (Barkley) are signees. 

The partition deed was dated December 14, 1883.  It was recorded in the Index for Morrow County, Ohio deeds under the name of Charles P. Groves et. al. as Grantor and W.F. Keller et. al. the Grantee.  The clerk’s copy was recorded in Vol. 37, pg. 594, FHL#388692.  Below is a transcription of that deed and my best effort at reading the handwriting of the clerk.

Charles T. Groves et. al.          

Quit Claim Deed   to

Wm. F. & Ida C. Keller

Received: June 18, 1884                     

Know all men by the presents that Mr. Charles T. Groves & Mary E. Groves, his wife of Johnson County and State of Kansas, George Barkley & Amarilia Barkley, his wife of [Twin Grove], State of Minnesota & Henry F. Spracklin and Elizabeth Spracklin, his wife of the County of Muscatine and State of Iowa in consideration of the sum of thirty one hundred and fifty dollars to them paid by William F. Keller and Ida C. Keller of Morrow Co., Ohio in receipt  ____is hereby acknowledged do hereby revise, release and forever quit claim to the said William F. Keller and Ida C. Keller their heirs and assigns forever, the following real estate situated in the County of Morrow in the State of Ohio and in the Township of South Bloomfield and bounded and described as follows viz:  

The East half of the North half of the North East Quarter of Section No. Eleven (11) Township No. Six (6) Range No. Fifteen (15). Also Twenty Three (23) acres of land of the East end of the South Half of the North East Quarter of Section No. Eleven (11) Township No. Six (6) Range No. Fifteen (15) Containing in all about sixty three (63) acres of land, more or less. 

To have and to hold said premises with all the _____ and appurtenances hereto belonging to the said William F. Keller and Ida C. Keller their heirs and assigns forever.  In Witness Whereof, the said Charles T. Groves, Mary E. Groves, George Barkley, Amarilia Barkley, Henry F. Spracklin and Elizabeth Spracklin wife of said Henry F. Spracklin, who hereby relinquishes all their right of dower in the premises have hereunto set their hands and seals this 26^th day of March in the year of our Lord one Thousand eight hundred and eighty four.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered   

Henry F. Spracklin (seal),  Elizabeth Spracklin (seal), George A. Barkley (seal) Amarilia Barkley, (seal),   Charles F. Groves (seal), Elizabeth Groves

In the presents of us  ___Brown,  J.R. Hanley  Witness to signature of George Barkley and Amarilia Barkley – W.H. [Oelmahan], Rachel [Haileny], H.O. Danley.                                                                                              

State of Iowa Muscatine County  ss.

Be it remembered that on this 26^th day of March A.D. 1884 before me the subscriber Notary Public in and for said County personally came the hereinafter named Henry F. Spracklin and Elizabeth Spracklin his wife the Grantors in the above conveyance and acknowledge the Execution signing and sealing of the same to be their voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes herein mentioned and the said Elizabeth Spracklin wife of the said Henry F. Spracklin being at the same time examined by me separate and apart from her said husband and the contents of said instrument being by me made known and explained to her then declared that she did voluntarily sign seal and acknowledge the same and that she is still satisfied herewith as her voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned.  In Testimony thereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my Notarized Seal on the day and year last aforesaid.

                                                                                    (Seal ) Thomas Larson, Notary Public

State of Minnesota County of Crow Wing ss.

Be it Remembered that on the 11^th day of April A.D. 1884 before me the subscriber a Notary Public in and for said County, personally appeared George Barkley,  Amarilia Barkley his wife the Grantors in the above Conveyance and acknowledged the Execution Signing and Sealing of the same, to be their voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned and the Said Amarilia Barkley wife of the Said George Barkley being at the same time examined by me Separate and apart from her said husband and the contents of said instrument being by me made known and explained to her then declared that she did voluntarily sign seal and acknowledge the same that she is still satisfied therewith is her voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned.

In Testimony thereof I have herewith subscribed my name and affirmed my seal on this day and year last aforesaid.

                                                            (Seal)  W. M. [Clinaban], Notary Public

State of Kansas,C ounty of Johnson   ss.

Be it Remembered that on this 28^th day of April 1884 before me the subscriber a Notary Public in and for said County came the herein before named Charles T. Groves and Elizabeth Groves his wife the Grantors in the above conveyance and acknowledges the Execution Signing and Sealing of the same to be their voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned and that the said Elizabeth Groves wife of the said Charles T. Groves being at the same time examined by me separate and apart from her said husband and the contents of said instrument being by me made known and explained to her then declared that she did voluntarily sign seal and acknowledge the same and that she is still satisfied therewith as her voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned.

In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my Notarial seal on the day and year aforesaid.

                                                            Seal  S.H. Barnard, Notary Public

 (Commission Expires June 26, 1887)  Recorded this 8 day of July 1884, By C. ? Han Bri….. Recorder

Deeds can be very helpful in pinpointing the residence of a person and their relationships.   Henry Spracklin  is the full brother of Amarilla.  This deed is significant because it places Henry in Muscatine County, Iowa in 1884 with his wife Elizabeth.  My cousin and I, were finding it difficult to track Henry once he left home after 1870.  So this was great news to find this deed and discover where Henry was living. My cousin descends from this man so it was a great find.

Amarilla and George Barclay are my great grandparents.  This deed connects Amarilla to the Keller and Delano family.  The Delano family is very old and goes back to Philip Delano of the 2nd boat to Plymouth 1620, the Fortune. 

Charles T. Groves and Elizabeth (Mary Elizabeth Helt) are descendants of Lovina Lavinia (Keller) Helt, daughter of Mary and John, and sister to Elizabeth Keller Spracklin.  It places them in Johnson County, Kansas at this date. 

William F. Keller is the Grantee and Executor of his father John’s will.  He is the younger brother to Lovina and Elizabeth and it places him in Morrow County, Ohio at this date.

Recently I traveled to both Massachusetts and Ohio to dig into the research on Amarilla’s forebears and created another blog that will in more depth the Delano, Keller, Spracklin and Goss connections in Amarilla’s ancestral past.  It is too complicated and large for this Barclay blog.  This blog’s focus was on Amarilla’s and George’s life with references to her connections to these families.   That blog is titled “Solomon Goss of Fearing Township in Ohio.”   http://sgossfamily.wordpress.com/  I have placed a link under “Blogs I Like” to my other blogs.

The Death of Amarilla’s Grandfather, John Keller

On 4 May, 1880 John Keller, Amarilla’s grandfather, passed away from stomach cancer.  John Keller was the father of Amarilla’s mother Elizabeth Keller Spracklin and the husband of Mary Anne Delano Keller.  How this death affected Amarilla is unknown and whether she even knew her grandfather is also unknown.  Amarilla was 21 years old at his death or about that age.

The grandparents had settled in South Bloomfield Twp., Morrow County, Ohio.  Morrow County, Ohio was a composite of several counties: Knox, Richland, Marion and Delaware Counties.  It was established in 1848.  Birth and death records were not recorded till 1867, marriage started 1848 by the county.   Apparently there was a great deal of protest about the formation of Morrow County at the time.

John and Mary Keller had eleven (11) children.  Elizabeth Keller was their oldest and first-born.

1. Elizabeth Keller born 4 Aug 1831, probably Sparta, Knox Co., Ohio married Daniel D. Spracklin (license issued 31 Dec, 1852) and marriage solemized on 1 January, 1853 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio and died in Benson Co., Iowa near Blairstown/Marengo 1859.  Buried in Titler Cemetery northwest of Marengo. This is Amarilla’s mother.

2. Susan Keller born 3 Nov. 1832, Sparta, Knox Co., Ohio d. 20 June 1834, Sparta, Knox Co., Ohio, burial unknown.

3.  Peter Keller born 28 Nov. 1834, Sparta, Knox Co., Ohio married Eliza Ann Everts 6 July 1957 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio.  Peter died 22 May 1869 in So. Bloomfield Twp., Morrow Co., Ohio and is buried with his parents in the Hedding M.E. Cemetery in that location.  His information is listed on the left side of the parents tombstone.   Peter and Eliza had 5 children.  It is possible she remarried to a Mr. Denzer.  Peter served in the Civil War and I believe he died because of his wounds.  I have not obtained his Civil War service or pension record at this time but might when I visit Washington D.C. in June 2011.

NOTE:  The History of Morrow County in various versions is online at Google Books.

4.  Lovinia Lavinia Keller was born 17 Feb 1837 in Sparta, Morrow Co., married William Golf Helt on 17 Feb 1855 in Morrow Co., Ohio and died 22 Dec 1837 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio.  They had 8 children.  I believe William died before 1883.

5.  Amarilla Keller born 28 Mar 1839 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio and married Harrison Barr on 12 Sep 1858 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio.  They had about 9 children.  Amarilla died 12 May 1915 in Galion, Crawford Co., Ohio and Harrison was before 1910 in Polk, Crawford Co., Ohio.

6.  Caroline Keller born 28 Nov 1841 in Sparta, Knox Co., Ohio married Joseph Higgs Van Houten on 1 Dec 1857 in Morrow Co., Ohio.  They had 5 children.  Caroline died 2 Jun 1902 in Washington Twp. Hardin Co., Ohio and Joseph followed in 29 Jan 1903 in the same location.

7.  John Delano Keller Jr. was born 22 May 1844 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio and he probably married Mary L. Carson about 6 Dec 1868 in Morrow Co., Ohio.  He died 4 Jun 1876 in Fredericktown, Knox Co., Ohio.

8.  Mary Ann Keller was born 16 Dec 1846 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio and died sometime after 1900.  She married an Alexander Shaffer on 24 Jun 1866 in Morrow Co., Ohio.  They had about 9 children.   I have reason to believe they moved to Richland Co., Ohio to live.

9.  Henry Keller was born 29 Mar 1849 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio and married Martha Kees (Keyes) 28 Oct 1871 in Morrow Co., Ohio.  Henry died after Aug 1909 in Morrow Co. and Martha followed in about 1927.  They had 2 children.

10.  Harriet Ellen Keller was born 15 Mar 1852 in Morrow Co., Ohio and married 3 Jan 1875 in Morrow Co. to John Lacy.  She died 22 Mar 1920 in Dresden, Muskingum Co., Ohio and he followed after 1930 in the same location.

11.  William Franklin Keller was born 15 Sep 1855 in Fredericktown, Knox Co., Ohio and married on 22 Dec 1880 in Galion, Crawford Co., Ohio to Ida Catherine Riblet.  They had 3 children.  He died 2 Feb 1911 in Morrow Co., Ohio and she followed on 16 Nov. 1930.

Sources for these children have been the U.S. Federal Census 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910 etc for Knox and Morrow Co., visiting cemeteries and tombstones –  Book:  Cemetery Inscriptions for Morrow Co., Ohio Vols 1-6.  A book: The Genealogical History and Alliances of the American House of Delano 1621 to 1899, pg. 426. (This book gives Sparta as the birth place of many of the children), Deeds from Morrow Co., and Knox Co., Ohio., on-line family trees, message boards, marriages – Marriage Records, 1848-1951, Morrow Co., Ohio.  Repositories have been the Family History library, Morrow Co. Genealogical Society and more.  Death records for Hardin Co., Ohio. and Probate/Estate Records for Morrow, Knox and other counties.  These are the highlights of the sources I have consulted for this family. 

Note:  If you are particularly interested in one of these family lines please contact me for more specific source details and family links.   Place a message in the comments to me and I will respond.  I am still trying to learn more about each sibling so the reseach is ongoing. 

I plan to travel again to Ohio in August/September 2011 and hopefully I will learn more about Elizabeth Keller’s siblings, parents and Amarilla’s aunts and uncles.

The most important search will be to see if I cannot figure out the parentage of John Keller the grandfather and father of these children who have been listed.  He is said to have been born in Washington Co., Pennsylvania and his death record with Morrow Co. states the same but gives no parents names.  So far I have not been able to make a connection.  Washington County, PA was like a pass through to other parts of the country so they could have just stopped to have the baby and then moved on.  At least this is my theory and the real parentage of John Keller is somewhere in the records in Ohio in Knox, Morrow, or one of the nearby counties?  There were lots of Keller families living in Ohio.

John did have a will and estate that was probated in Morrow Co.  Usually the clerks are very careful but some of the documents from the clerk books for John’s estate are very difficult to read.  Amarilla is not mentioned in any of these estate documents.

Source:  Probate Records of Morrow Co., Ohio 1848-1926, and General Index 1848-1950 #388711, No. 1376, FHL#388711 for Index, Record of Wills FHL#288713 Vol 3, pg. 297, proof of will pg. 297.  page 298 not titled but probably Proving of the Will.  Pg. 445 FHL#388724 Affidavit (hard to read) probably filing of the will.  Note:  More needs to be done on this estate in the books and packets.

A search of the newspapers in the area did not reveal an obituary on John Keller but the announcement about the estate was found

Mt. Gilead – Morrow Co. Sentinel Newspaper 1/1/1879 to 4/28/1881 Thurs, June, 10, 1880 Under New Advertisements: Executor’s Notice – Notice is hereby given that the undersigned have been appointed Executors of the last Will and Testament of JOHN KELLER, late of Morrow County, Ohio dec’d. All person indebted to the estate are requested to make immediate settlement. MARY A. HENRY, WM. T. KELLER (Ex’rs. June 10, 1880 (40-3w).

NOTE:  I do not know who Mary A. Henry is?  Did Mary his wife remarry or do we have another error?

Back in 2007 the Federation of Genealogical Societies and Association of Professional Genealogists held their conferences and Ohio was not that far from Fort Wayne, Indiana.  So I visited the counties of Hardin, Knox, and Morrow in Ohio and spent some enjoyable time there.  I will return in 2011 and see if I cannot find more treasures.

I also found and visited the Hedding M.E. Cemetery in Morrow Co.

John Keller and Mary Ann Delano with Son Peter

As you can see the bush is trying to topple the arched stone and when I visit again I will make sure that things are okay.  The stone also has a lot of mold on it and Peter’s information is on the left side next to me but covered in this mold and hard to read.  The stone is near a big tree so it is shrouded in shade.  A cousin had sent me a copy of the tombstone years ago (a descendant of William Franklin Keller) and I thought it was huge but you can see that is about my size and rather unique.  Just click on the photo and you can enlarge it to read it and make a copy.  John is on the left and Mary is listed on the right front columns.