Blackland TX · ← All the original surveys
Radford Ellis Survey, Abstract 252
- Granted to
- Radford Ellis
- Kind of grant
- Headright, third classLand for later settlers, including the colonists of Mercer’s Colony.
- Land Office file
- Robertson 3rd class, file 514
- Certificate
- No. 123
- Acres
- 640
- Patented to
- William Hamilton
- Patent
- 30 Jun 1852 · No. 1031, Vol. 6
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What the file shows
Radford Ellis received Mercer's Colony certificate No. 123 for 640 acres at Corsicana on 17 April 1850, had it surveyed on Briar Creek about three miles northwest of Corsicana by David R. Mitchell in June 1850, and sold it to William Hamilton for $67 on 6 January 1851. The patent issued to Hamilton as assignee on 30 June 1852.
The certificate
Mercer's Colony certificate, No. 123, 640 acres, John M. Crockett, Commissioner of Mercer's Colony, Corsicana, Navarro County, 17 Apr 1850.
Printed form: Radford Ellis, having taken the oath and made the proof required by law of his citizenship, is entitled to 640 acres to be located on vacant land within the colony of Charles Fenton Mercer and his associates; he may locate, transfer or donate the certificate
Changes of hand
- 6 Jan 1851Radford Ellis (signs by his mark), of Navarro County → William Hamilton, of Navarro County, $67, Navarro County, Texas. Transfers certificate for 640 acres (No. 123, number overwritten) issued by the Commissioner of Mercer's Colony 17 April 1850, with all right in the land located under it, by reference to David R. Mitchell's field notes. Fee 50 cents.
The survey
1850-06-08(?) (recorded 1850-10-03), David R. Mitchell, Deputy Surveyor, Robertson Land District.
Navarro County on Briar Creek, about three miles N 45(?) W from Corsicana
Chain carriers: Richard Sanders, James Ragan.
Book I, page 68 (Colony)
The patent
30 Jun 1852, No. 1031, Vol. 6, to William Hamilton, assignee, delivered to faint pencil on jacket: 'For D. R. Mitchell(?) 27 July 52'.
Also in the file
- Ellis sold his certificate for $67, about ten cents an acre, nine months after receiving it and seven months after the survey; the district surveyor did not examine the field notes until May 1852.
- Field notes marked 'Not certified' and the surveyor's certificate date '8th' appears overwritten; the District Surveyor's examination is dated 12 May 1852, nearly two years after the survey, and only about six weeks before the patent.
- Philpott's note on the wrapper records the field notes in the Colony Book I p. 68 on 3 Oct 1850, but his certificate that they are correct and 'made according to law' is dated 12 May 1852; a pencil note says 'Not certified' by the district surveyor.
- Transfer gives certificate number 123 with the last digit overwritten.
- Witness spelled Saunders in the deed, Sanders as sworn witness.
- Index says certificate 123, patent 30 Jun 1852, No. 1031 Vol. 6: matches.
Timeline
- 17 Apr 1850John M. Crockett issues Mercer's Colony certificate No. 123 to Radford Ellis at Corsicana
- 8 Jun 1850David R. Mitchell surveys 640 acres on Briar Creek (date reading uncertain)
- 3 Oct 1850Survey recorded in the Colony book, Book I p. 68
- 6 Jan 1851Ellis sells the certificate to William Hamilton for $67; proved before R. N. White
- 12 Mar 1852Marked correct on the map of Navarro County
- 12 May 1852District Surveyor J. P. Philpott(?) examines the field notes
- 30 Jun 1852Patent No. 1031 Vol. 6 to William Hamilton, assignee
The papers in the file
Every page of the Land Office file, in the order the Land Office keeps them (8 pages). Tap a page to see it larger.
File jacketFile jacket for Radford Ellis's 640-acre Mercer's Colony claim, patented to William Hamilton 30 June 1852, No. 1031 Vol. 6.General Land Office, file 514, page 1 · in the scan
CertificatePrinted Mercer's Colony certificate No. 123 for 640 acres to Radford Ellis, signed by Commissioner John M. Crockett at Corsicana.General Land Office, file 514, page 2 · in the scan
Back of the certificateBack of the certificate, endorsed 'Mercer's Col. Cert. Radford Ellis, No. 123, 640'.General Land Office, file 514, page 3 · in the scan
Field notesDavid R. Mitchell's field notes and plat for Ellis's 640 acres on Briar Creek next to Harvy Homan's 1280-acre survey.General Land Office, file 514, page 4 · in the scan
Surveyor's certificateDistrict Surveyor Philpott examines the field notes correct, 12 May 1852; Mitchell's own certificate follows in mirror writing from the verso.General Land Office, file 514, page 5 · in the scan
WrapperWrapper with Philpott's note recording the field notes in Colony Book I p. 68 on 3 October 1850, a pencil 'Not certified', and 'Patented June 30/52', Hotchkiss.General Land Office, file 514, page 6 · in the scan
TransferRadford Ellis, by his mark, sells his 640-acre certificate to William Hamilton for $67, proved at Corsicana 6 January 1851.General Land Office, file 514, page 7 · in the scan
WrapperWrapper for the Ellis-to-Hamilton conveyance, with a 50-cent fee note.General Land Office, file 514, page 8 · in the scan
Scans courtesy of the Texas General Land Office, Austin, from its Land Grant Database.
Neighbouring surveys
Sources
- Texas General Land Office, Land Grant Database: Navarro County, Abstract 252
- The Land Office file, scanned (PDF, at the General Land Office)
- 1924 map: courtesy of the Texas General Land Office, Austin, Map 73249, used under licence. Topo: U.S. Geological Survey, The National Map. Aerial photographs: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agriculture Imagery Program, 2012, 2018 and 2022. Survey outlines: Railroad Commission of Texas, Original Texas Land Survey. Grant records and files: Texas General Land Office.