Blackland TX · ← All the original surveys
John C. Jeffers Survey, Abstract 439
- Granted to
- John C. Jeffers
- Kind of grant
- Headright, third classLand for later settlers, including the colonists of Mercer’s Colony.
- Land Office file
- Robertson 3rd class, file 838
- Certificate
- No. 226
- Acres
- 93.50
- Patented to
- William L. Browning
- Patent
- 25 Oct 1854 · No. 666, Vol. 11
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What the file shows
John C. Jeffers held Mercer's Colony certificate No. 226 for 320 acres, issued at Corsicana on 18 April 1850. He located 226 1/2 acres southwest of the Trinity River (surveyed by David R. Mitchell, 1850) and sold the remaining 93 1/2 acres to surveyor Wm. L. Browning, who had surveyed them on Briar Creek in January 1853. Because Browning lost the first deed, Jeffers wrote a second in January 1854, and both tracts were patented on 25 October 1854.
The certificate
Mercer's Colony headright certificate (3rd class), No. 226, 320 (226.5 located by Jeffers and 93.5 transferred to Browning), John M. Crockett, Commissioner of Mercer's Colony, Corsicana, 18 Apr 1850.
Printed form: John C. Jeffers entitled to 320 acres to be located on vacant land within the limits of the colony of Charles Fenton Mercer and his Associates, having taken the oath and made the proof required by law of his citizenship; he may locate, transfer or donate the certificate.
Changes of hand
- 30 Jan 1854John C. Jeffers, of Navarro County → Wm. L. Browning, for value received (amount not stated), Navarro County, Texas. Assigns the remainder of the colony certificate: 93 1/2 acres. Jeffers had already located 226 1/2 acres for himself, in the prairie about 12 miles N E of Corsicana. Browning had lost or mislaid an earlier transfer for 93 1/2 acres, so Jeffers makes a new one and authorizes the Commissioner to issue the patent to Browning.
The survey
1850-04-19 (certified 1850-06-05), David R. Mitchell, Deputy Surveyor, Robertson Land District.
Navarro County, southwest of Trinity River, about eleven miles N 42 E from Corsicana ('42' inserted in red ink)
Chain carriers: E. W. Brown, E. Jeffers.
Colony Book I, page 37
The survey
1853-01-24 (dated 26 Jan 1853), Wm. L. Browning, Deputy Surveyor, Robertson Land District.
Navarro County (red-ink insert), about 5 miles N 32 W from Corsicana ('32' in red ink) on the north side of Briar Creek
Chain carriers: Uriah Roberson, Shelton Roberson.
Back of notes: 'Colony', 'Book V(?) page' with the page left blank
The patent
1854-10-25 (both surveys), No. 581 Vol. 10 (Abst 438, to original grantee); No. 666 Vol. 11 (Abst 439, to Wm L. Browning), to John C. Jeffers (226.5 acres); William L. Browning, assignee (93.5 acres), delivered to not stated.
Also in the file
- The 93.5-acre piece was surveyed in January 1853 by Wm. L. Browning, the same man who later received it as assignee; the survey is in Jeffers' name.
- Jeffers had already transferred 93.5 acres to Browning but Browning said he lost the paper, so Jeffers wrote a second transfer on 30 Jan 1854 for the same land.
- The certificate is dated 18 April 1850, but the 226.5-acre field notes call it 19 April 1850 and say the survey was made on 19 April, one day after issue.
- Jeffers' own transfer says his 226.5 acres lie in the prairie about 12 miles N E of Corsicana; the field notes say about eleven miles N 42 E, which roughly agrees. The 93.5-acre piece is about 5 miles N 32 W.
- The two tracts lie in different parts of the county, one on Briar Creek and one southwest of the Trinity River near the Fr. del Toro and McKinney surveys.
- Index says patent date 25 Oct 1854 for both: 438 No. 581 Vol. 10, 226.50 acres; 439 No. 666 Vol. 11, 93.50 acres, which agrees with the jacket.
Timeline
- 18 Apr 1850John M. Crockett issues Mercer's Colony certificate No. 226 for 320 acres to John C. Jeffers at Corsicana
- 19 Apr 1850David R. Mitchell surveys 226 1/2 acres for Jeffers
- 5 Jun 1850Mitchell certifies the survey
- 2 Oct 1850Survey recorded in Colony Book I page 37
- 24 Jan 1853Wm. L. Browning surveys 93 1/2 acres on Briar Creek for Jeffers
- 4 Jun 1853Certificate and 93 1/2-acre field notes filed in the General Land Office
- 30 Jan 1854Jeffers executes a new transfer of 93 1/2 acres to Wm. L. Browning
- 31 Jan 1854Notary Geo. M. Hogan certifies the acknowledgement
- 17 Mar 1854Both surveys marked correct on map of Navarro County
- 19 Apr 1854District Surveyor certifies the 226.5-acre notes correct
- 25 Oct 1854Both surveys patented: No. 581 Vol. 10 to Jeffers and No. 666 Vol. 11 to Browning
The papers in the file
Every page of the Land Office file, in the order the Land Office keeps them (10 pages). Tap a page to see it larger.
File jacketFile jacket 838 for John C. Jeffers' two surveys of 93 1/2 and 226 1/2 acres, both patented 25 October 1854.General Land Office, file 838, page 1 · in the scan
Field notesWm. L. Browning's field notes for 93 1/2 acres for John C. Jeffers on the north side of Briar Creek, part of certificate 226.General Land Office, file 838, page 2 · in the scan
WrapperWrapper for the 93 1/2-acre field notes, filed 4 June 1853, patent to William L. Browning, assignee, 25 October 1854.General Land Office, file 838, page 3 · in the scan
CertificateMercer's Colony certificate No. 226 for 320 acres to John C. Jeffers, signed by John M. Crockett at Corsicana, 18 April 1850.General Land Office, file 838, page 4 · in the scan
Back of the certificateBack of the certificate, endorsed file 838 Robertson 3rd Class, Mercer's Colony certificate, John C. Jeffers, filed 4 June 1853.General Land Office, file 838, page 5 · in the scan
Field notesDavid R. Mitchell's field notes and plat for 226 1/2 acres for Jeffers southwest of the Trinity River, about eleven miles N 42 E of Corsicana, surveyed 19 April 1850.General Land Office, file 838, page 6 · in the scan
Surveyor's certificateJ. P. Philpott records the 226 1/2-acre notes in Colony Book I page 37 on 2 October 1850; Chambers finds them correct 19 April 1854.General Land Office, file 838, page 7 · in the scan
TransferJohn C. Jeffers assigns the remaining 93 1/2 acres of his colony certificate to Wm. L. Browning, replacing a lost earlier transfer.General Land Office, file 838, page 8 · in the scan
TransferNotary Geo. M. Hogan certifies that Jeffers acknowledged the 93 1/2-acre transfer to Browning on 31 January 1854.General Land Office, file 838, page 9 · in the scan
WrapperWrapper for John C. Jeffers' transfer of 93 1/2 acres of certificate to Wm. L. Browning.General Land Office, file 838, page 10 · 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 439
- 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.