Nauvoo Registry of Deeds, Deed Record Book A, 1840–1843
Source Note
Nauvoo, Hancock Co., IL, Recorder, Deed Record, Book A, 18 Apr. 1842–2 Sept. 1843; handwriting of and ; 235 pages; CHL. Includes notations.
Commercially produced bound volume measuring 18¼ × 12 × 1½ inches (46 × 30 × 4 cm). The volume contains 246 pages, including pastedowns and flyleaves, each measuring 18⅛ × 11½ inches (46 × 29 cm). The endpaper, including three flyleaves and a pastedown in the front and one flyleaf and pastedown at the back of the volume, are not lined. The interior pages consist of ledger paper ruled horizontally with thirty-four preprinted blue lines and two red double lines, demarcating a row at the top of the page, and ruled vertically with two red double lines, demarcating a column to the right of each page, now faded. The volume is composed of fifteen gatherings, each of which contains eight leaves, except for the fourth gathering, which has ten leaves, and the last, which has six leaves. The recto of the final leaf of the last gathering was glued to the flyleaf. The boards are covered in marbled paper, now faded. The cover has a calfskin spine and corners. The spine bears two labels, the first of which reads: “DEED RECORD | NAUVOO | A”. The title page of the volume has an inscription in graphite: “No 1 or Book of | Entry”.
The first inscribed page was paginated with the numeral 3, and there is consistent pagination in the handwriting of or running to the last page, numbered 237, resulting in 235 inscribed pages. The top of the first inscribed deed was labeled with “No. 1”, and each inscribed deed thereafter was assigned a number in like manner, except that there are two deeds labeled “190”. The volume contains 216 items, mostly deeds, dating from 20 April 1840 to 28 August 1843, recorded between 18 April 1842 and 2 September 1843. Inserted into the book between pages 2 and 3 is a slip of paper inscribed with what looks like material for JS’s multivolume manuscript history; this inserted slip is not included here. The title page and the flyleaves of the volume show significant discoloration and dirt buildup. The wear pattern indicates that a smaller booklet, an index for the volume, was stored in the book. The entire volume shows significant discoloration due to water damage and mold damage, the boards and cover are deteriorated, and several pages have a central vertical tear between 2 and 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) in length from the top of the page.
On 5 March 1842, the Nauvoo City Council appointed JS registrar for the city of , authorizing him to record and certify official deeds for land transactions. JS appointed as recorder for the Nauvoo registrar, and by mid-April 1842 Clayton began recording deeds into this record book. was doing general clerical work for the church beginning in April 1842 and was appointed a private secretary to JS on 11 June 1842. His handwriting also appears in this record book, though it is often difficult to distinguish which handwriting is Whitehead’s and which is Clayton’s. Along with other records, this record book was kept in JS’s Nauvoo office and transported to Utah Territory, where it was kept in the Church Historian’s Office. The spine bears a red-bordered label that reads “02473R | 9 Fo”, likely placed on the record by Church Historian’s Office (now CHL) staff in the 1950s or 1960s.
Deed to Charity Stoddard for North 1/2 of South 1/2 of L 1 in B 126 on the Platt of .
Know all men by these Presents that I of the county of and State of , for and in consideration of the Sum of Five Hundred Dollars, to me in hand paid by Charity Stoddard, of the same place, the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, have bargained sold and Quit claimed, and by these presents do bargain sell and Quit claim, unto the said Charity Stoddard and to her heirs and assigns for ever all my right, title interest, estate, claim, and demand both at law and in equity, and as well in possession as in expectancy, of in and to all that certain lot or piece of land, situate, in the county of and State of , and is known as the North half of the South half of Lot No. one, in Block No. one hundred and twenty six on the Platt of the City of . With all and singular, the hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Tenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty two. L. S In presence of Frederick Kane
State of Illinois County of S.S. I , a Justice of the Peace in said , do hereby certify, that , whose signature appears to the foregoing Deed, is personally known to me to be the person described in and who executed the same, and who acknowledged the same to be her free and voluntary act and Deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned. Given under my hand and seal this Tenth day of September, A. D. 1842. J. P. L. S.
Recorded July 27th. 1843.
No. 194.
Deed
to Joseph Smith for part of L 4 B 121 of the city of .
This Indenture made and entered into this fourteenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty three between and Clarissa [Bostwick] Le Baron his wife of the county of and state of of the first part and Joseph Smith, as sole Trustee in Trust for the of the County of , and State of of the second part Witnesseth the said and Clarissa his wife party of the first part, for and in consideration of the love and good will they bear to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, of which the said Joseph Smith party of the second part is sole Trustee in Trust and also for the sum of one dollar to them in hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, do hereby grant bargain sell convey and confirm unto the said Joseph Smith as sole Trustee in Trust for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, party of the second part his successors in office and assigns forever— all that tract or parcel of land, situate and being on the county of in the state [p. 209]