Blackland TX · ← All the original surveys
William Langston Survey, Abstract 502
- Granted to
- William Langston
- Kind of grant
- Headright, third classLand for later settlers, including the colonists of Mercer’s Colony.
- Land Office file
- Robertson 3rd class, file 3751
- Acres
- 160
- Patented to
- Joseph H. Powell
- Patent
- 29 May 1860 · No. 476, Vol. 29
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What the file shows
William Langston proved before the Hunt County District Court at Greenville on 5 November 1856 that he had been a married resident of Mercer's Colony before 25 October 1848 and had never received land, and the court decreed him a 640-acre colonist certificate. On 10 February 1857 he transferred 160 acres of it to Joseph H. Powell, and J. M. Eliot surveyed those 160 acres on Rush Creek, a tributary of Richland Creek about 11 miles west of Corsicana, adjoining A. Vaughn, on 1 May 1857. After Eliot, then county surveyor, certified in 1859 that the tract lay west and not east of Corsicana, the patent (No. 476, Vol. 29) issued to Powell as assignee in May 1860. The other 480 acres are in file 3814 Robertson 3rd.
The certificate
other - Mercer's Colony colonist certificate by District Court decree (filed Robertson 3rd), No. not stated (blank in field notes and transfer), 640 (160 used here; jacket: 'For balance see file 3814 3 Rob.'), District Court of Hunt County, Fall Term 1856, Judge Todd presiding (signs 'W. S. Todd(?) Dist. Judge'); attest Lewis(?) Moory(?), Clerk District Court, Greenville, Hunt County, 5 Nov 1856.
Proved by his own oath and two respectable witnesses, John Robbins(?) and A. M. Langston, that he emigrated to and was a resident citizen of the territory known as Mercer's Colony and also a citizen of Hunt County previous to 25 October 1848; that he has never received any land from the State of Texas owing to his emigration; and that he was a married man at the time of his emigration. Court decrees a certificate issue to him 'as such colonist'.
Changes of hand
- 10 Feb 1857William Langston → Joseph H. Powell, 'for value received' (unstated), Navarro County. Transfers 160 acres of his Colony certificate granted by Hunt County District Court at the fall/November term, Judge Todd presiding, for 640 acres; empowers Powell to locate, survey and take patent in his own name. Filed Jany 5/58.
The survey
1 May 1857, J. M. Eliot (Elliot).
Navarro County, on Rush Creek, a tributary of Richland Creek, about 11 miles S 85 W from Corsicana (interlined). Begins at a stake on the west bank of said creek N60E 600 vrs from the NW corner of A. Vaughn 640-acre survey; N60E 1100 vrs, N30W 821 vrs, S60W 1100 vrs, S30E 821 vrs to beginning.
Chain carriers: Wm M. Love, Jos. T. Smith.
Book L page 352
The patent
1860-05-2? (May 29?), No. 476, Vol. 29, to Joseph H. Powell, assignee, delivered to J. H. Haden(?), July 5/69 (written sideways on jacket: 'Patent to J. H. Haden July 5/69').
Also in the file
- Map-location confusion: the county surveyor had to certify in 1859 that the tract lies west of Corsicana on Rush Creek, not by the 'Sanborn' east of Corsicana - apparently the GLO had placed it on the wrong side of town.
- Acreage on the decree is overwritten ('Six forty' struck; figure resembles 1440 but other documents say 640).
- Certificate number left blank in both the survey and the transfer.
- Patent apparently not delivered until July 1869, nine years after issue (if the sideways note is a delivery note).
- Mercer's Colony claim adjudicated in Hunt County district court, located in Navarro County, filed under Robertson 3rd class.
Timeline
- 25 Oct 1848Cut-off date: Langston proved residence in Mercer's Colony and Hunt County before this date
- 5 Nov 1856Hunt County District Court at Greenville decrees him a 640-acre colonist certificate as a married man
- 10 Feb 1857Langston transfers 160 acres of the certificate to Joseph H. Powell
- 1 May 1857J. M. Eliot surveys 160 acres on Rush Creek about 11 miles W of Corsicana (carriers Wm M. Love, Jos. T. Smith)
- 29 May 1857Recorded Book L p.352 by Thos. J. Oliver
- 5 Jan 1858Field notes, certificate and transfer filed in GLO
- 5 Dec 1859County Surveyor Eliot certifies the tract lies W of Corsicana, adjoining A. Vaughn
- 13 Dec 1859Correct on map of Navarro County
- May 1860Patent No. 476 Vol. 29 to Joseph H. Powell, assignee
- 5 Jul 1869Patent delivered(?) to J. H. Haden
The papers in the file
Every page of the Land Office file, in the order the Land Office keeps them (9 pages). Tap a page to see it larger.
File jacketFile jacket for William Langston's 160 acres in Navarro County, Robertson 3rd Class, with the 1860 patent entry to Joseph H. Powell.General Land Office, file 3751, page 1 · in the scan
CertificateMercer's Colony certificate ordered for William Langston by the Hunt County District Court at Greenville, 5 November 1856.General Land Office, file 3751, page 2 · in the scan
Back of the certificateBack of the Langston certificate, marked File 3751, Robertson 3rd Class, 640 acres, and filed 5 January 1858.General Land Office, file 3751, page 3 · in the scan
Field notesField notes and sketch of 160 acres on Rush Creek, Navarro County, surveyed for William Langston by deputy surveyor J. M. Eliot, 1 May 1857.General Land Office, file 3751, page 4 · in the scan
Surveyor's certificateDistrict surveyor Thomas J. Oliver's certificate of 29 May 1857 that he examined the Langston field notes and recorded them in Book L, page 352.General Land Office, file 3751, page 5 · in the scan
TransferTransfer of 10 February 1857 in which William Langston gives Joseph H. Powell 160 acres of his colony certificate and the right to patent it, with a notary's acknowledgment.General Land Office, file 3751, page 6 · in the scan
WrapperWrapper for the Langston to Powell transfer, filed 5 January 1858.General Land Office, file 3751, page 7 · in the scan
LetterCounty surveyor J. M. Eliot's certificate of 5 December 1859 with a sketch showing the Langston 160 acres north of the Vaughn survey on Rush Creek.General Land Office, file 3751, page 8 · in the scan
WrapperWrapper for the county surveyor's sketch and certificate, filed 14 December 1859.General Land Office, file 3751, page 9 · 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 502
- 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.