Blackland TX · ← All the original surveys
Joseph T. Bell Survey, Abstract 43
- Granted to
- Joseph T. Bell
- Kind of grant
- Headright, first classLand for settlers who were in Texas before independence, 2 March 1836.
- Land Office file
- Robertson 1st class, file 121
- Certificate
- No. 169
- Acres
- 4605.50
- Patented to
- Joseph T. Bell
- Patent
- 09 Apr 1845 · No. 592, Vol. 2
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What the file shows
Joseph T. Bell, a married man who came to Texas in August 1830, received first-class headright certificate No. 169 for a league and a labor from the Fort Bend County land board on 17 February 1838. Deputy surveyor Scott laid off the full 26 labors on Richland Creek, west of the Trinity and north of the San Antonio Road, on 20 August 1838, and the Robertson County surveyor recorded it in 1840. James Hughes of Robertson County paid the $31.20 government dues for Bell in December 1840 and was given power of attorney in 1842 to get the patent, which issued to Bell on 8 April 1845 (No. 592, Vol. 2).
The certificate
headright 1st, No. 169, 1 league and 1 labor (26 labors, about 4,605 acres), Board of Land Commissioners for Fort Bend County (R. Jones(?), President; H. M. Thompson, Associate; attest Wm. A. Pool(?), Clerk), Fort Bend County, 17 Feb 1838.
Arrived in the Republic in August 1830 and is a married man; entitled to one league and one labor on condition of paying $1.20(?) per labor of pasture land, $2.50 per labor of temporal (arable) land and $3.50 per labor of irrigable land
The survey
20 Aug 1838, J. E. Scott(?), Deputy Surveyor.
West of the Trinity River and north of the San Antonio Road, on Richland Creek
Chain carriers: John Little, Perry Randolph, Philip B. Scott.
Book 6(?), page 250
The patent
8 Apr 1845, No. 592, Vol. 2, to Joseph T. Bell.
Also in the file
- Bell's certificate came from the Fort Bend County board, but his league was located far north on Richland Creek and filed as a Robertson County grant.
- Bell lived in Fort Bend County; James Hughes of Robertson County handled the dues and the patent for him under a power of attorney.
- The surveyor and one chain carrier were both named Scott, and the survey starts from another Scott survey.
- The survey was made in August 1838 but not patented until April 1845.
Timeline
- Aug 1830Joseph T. Bell arrives in Texas (per certificate), a married man
- 17 Feb 1838Fort Bend County board issues certificate No. 169 for a league and labor
- 20 Aug 183826 labors surveyed on Richland Creek west of the Trinity
- 31 Jan 1839Surveyor certifies the survey
- 4 Sep 1840Robertson County Surveyor Patton examines and records field notes
- 7 Dec 1840James Hughes pays $31.20 government dues at Franklin for Bell
- 13 Jan 1842Bell gives James Hughes power of attorney to obtain the patent
- 8 Apr 1845Patent No. 592 Vol. 2 issued to Joseph T. Bell
The papers in the file
Every page of the Land Office file, in the order the Land Office keeps them (7 pages). Tap a page to see it larger.
File jacketFile jacket for Joseph T. Bell's headright of one league and one labor, listing the certificate, field notes and power of attorney; patented 8 April 1845.General Land Office, file 121, page 1 · in the scan
CertificateHeadright certificate No. 169 issued 17 February 1838 by the Fort Bend County land board to Joseph T. Bell, a married man who arrived in Texas in 1830.General Land Office, file 121, page 2 · in the scan
WrapperWrapper for the headright certificate of Joseph T. Bell, file 121, Robertson County first class.General Land Office, file 121, page 3 · in the scan
Field notesField notes for 26 labors of pasture land on Richland Creek surveyed for Joseph T. Bell on 20 August 1838, with the surveyor's certificate of 31 January 1839.General Land Office, file 121, page 4 · in the scan
WrapperWrapper for Bell's field notes, with the county surveyor's examination, the patent note and a receipt of 7 December 1840 for $31.20 in government dues.General Land Office, file 121, page 5 · in the scan
Power of attorneyPower of attorney of 13 January 1842 in which Joseph T. Bell of Fort Bend County appoints James Hughes to apply for and receive his patent.General Land Office, file 121, page 6 · in the scan
WrapperWrapper for the power of attorney from Joseph T. Bell to James Hughes, with the chief justice's acknowledgment of 13 January 1842 written along the side.General Land Office, file 121, page 7 · in the scan
Scans courtesy of the Texas General Land Office, Austin, from its Land Grant Database.
On this ground today
- Historical markerYounger Cemetery
Places that stand inside this survey’s lines as the state’s survey map draws them.
Neighbouring surveys
Sources
- Texas General Land Office, Land Grant Database: Navarro County, Abstract 43
- 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.