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.
Lettice [Palmer] Bent to James Twist For A part of L 12 B 3. in ’s addition to .
This Indenture made this the thirty first day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty three Between Lettice Bent of the County of and State of of the first part and James Twist of the second part of the County of and State of Witnesseth, That the said Lettice Bent for and in consideration of the sum of three hundred dollars, lawful money of the to her in hand well and truly paid by the said James Twist the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged hath granted bargained sold and by these presents doth grant bargain sell release convey and confirm unto the said James Twist and his heirs and assigns for ever a part of lot twelve Block three in ’s addition to comencing fourteen rods from the North West corner of said lot running south on the west line of the said lot until it comes to the north line of the first street south thereon East five rods thence North till it comes to land Deed by to about twelve rods thence west five rods to the place of begining be the same more or less And all the estate, right, title, interest, claim and demand, both at law and in equity of the same the said Lettice Bent of, in, and to the said premises, and every part thereof: Together with all and singular, the privileges and appurtenances, to the same belonging or in any wise appertaining; and the rents issues and profits thereof: To have and to hold the said premises hereby bargained and sold, or meant or intended so to be, with the appurtenances, to the only proper use and behoof of the said James Twist and his heirs and assigns forever. And the said Lettice Bent for herself and for her heirs executors and administrators doth promise, covenant and agree, to and with the said James Twist and his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns that before the ensealing and delivery hereof she was the true and lawful owner of the premises hereby granted, and had good right, full power and lawful authority to sell and convey the same in manner and form aforesaid: And further that she the said Lettice Bent and her heirs executors and administrators will Warrant and forever defend the aforesaid premises, with their appurtenances, and every part and parcel thereof unto the said James Twist and his heirs and assigns forever against all persons claiming or to claim, by, from or under her them or any of them, or by from or under any other person or persons whomsoever. In Witness whereof the said Lettice Bent hath hereunto set her hand and seal on the day and year first above written. Lettice Bent Seal Signed and sealed in the presence of . The State of Illinois SS Before me a Justice of the peace within and for said , personally came personally appeared at my office the above named grantor [p. 179]