Blackland TX · ← All the original surveys
William C. Petty Survey, Abstract 653
- Granted to
- William C. Petty
- Kind of grant
- Headright, third classLand for later settlers, including the colonists of Mercer’s Colony.
- Land Office file
- Robertson 3rd class, file 2686
- Certificate
- No. 19
- Acres
- 640
- Patented to
- Thomas R. Kellum
- Patent
- 19 Dec 1856 · No. 796, Vol. 13
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What the file shows
William C. Petty proved his citizenship in the Navarro County District Court on 5 June 1854 and received Mercer's Colony certificate No. 19 for 640 acres, which he sold on 6 June to Thomas R. Kellum for $210. Wm. L. Browning surveyed the land on Chambers Creek about 8 miles northwest of Corsicana in January 1855. The patent issued to Kellum as assignee on 19 December 1856.
The certificate
Mercer's Colony certificate (District Court of Navarro County), No. 19, 640 acres, District Court of Navarro County, John H. Reagan, presiding judge; James M. Riggs, Clerk of the District Court, Navarro County, 1854-06-07 (court term 1854-06-05).
On 5 June 1854, at the Spring Term of the District Court, William C. Petty took the oath and made the proof of citizenship required by law and was adjudged entitled to a certificate for 640 acres to be located on vacant land within the limits of the colony of Charles Fenton Mercer and his associates
Changes of hand
- 6 Jun 1854William Petty (William C. Petty) → Thomas R. Kellum, $210, Navarro County, Texas. Sells and assigns his Mercer's colony certificate for 640 acres issued to him by the district court 'on the (blank) day of June 1854' as a colonist of Charles Fenton Mercer and associates, and authorises a patent to issue to Kellum. Wrapper filed GLO 14 Nov 1856.
The survey
1855-01-16 (reading of year uncertain), Wm. L. Browning, Deputy Surveyor, Robertson Land District.
Navarro County on the waters of Chambers Creek; red-ink addition: about 8 miles N 50 W of Corsicana
Chain carriers: Richard Sanders, Jonathan Sanders.
Book V, page 285
The patent
19 Dec 1856, No. 796, Vol. 13, to Thomas R. Kellum, assignee, delivered to not stated.
Also in the file
- The transfer to Kellum is dated 6 June 1854 and describes a certificate 'issued to me ... on the (blank) day of June 1854'; the certificate is dated 7 June, a day after the sale, though the court entry is 5 June.
- Petty appears as William Petty, William C. Petty and Wm. C. Petty; the index and patent use William C. Petty (grantee) and Thomas R. Kellum (patentee).
- The field notes were returned for renewal and relocation in June 1856 under the act of 10 Feb 1852 on the application of B. D.(?) Gerrell(?), a name that appears nowhere else in the file.
- Survey year (1855) written with a stray stroke after the date, possibly 1855 or 1857.
- Index says certificate 19, 640 acres, patent 19 Dec 1856, No. 796 Vol. 13: matches.
Timeline
- 5 Jun 1854Navarro County District Court (Judge John H. Reagan) adjudges Wm. C. Petty entitled to a 640-acre Mercer's Colony certificate
- 6 Jun 1854Petty sells the certificate to Thomas R. Kellum for $210
- 7 Jun 1854Clerk James M. Riggs signs certificate No. 19
- 9 Jun 1854Notary Jas. Thos. Lee certifies Petty's acknowledgment at Corsicana
- 16 Jan 1855Wm. L. Browning surveys 640 acres on Chambers Creek
- 16 Mar 1855G. H. Cunningham examines and records, Book V p. 285
- 23 Jun 1856Cunningham certifies renewal and relocation applied for under the act of 10 Feb 1852
- 14 Nov 1856Papers filed in the General Land Office
- 12 Dec 1856Marked correct on the map of Navarro County
- 19 Dec 1856Patent No. 796 Vol. 13 to Thomas R. Kellum, assignee
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 C. Petty's 640-acre Mercer's Colony claim, patented to Thomas R. Kellum 19 December 1856, No. 796 Vol. 13.General Land Office, file 2686, page 1 · in the scan
CertificateMercer's Colony certificate No. 19 for 640 acres to William Petty from the Navarro County District Court, 7 June 1854.General Land Office, file 2686, page 2 · in the scan
WrapperWrapper for the colony certificate, labelled 'Wm. C. Petty 640 Mercer Col.'.General Land Office, file 2686, page 3 · in the scan
Field notesWm. L. Browning's field notes and plat for Petty's 640 acres on Chambers Creek, beside Meazell, Sanders and Boyer.General Land Office, file 2686, page 4 · in the scan
Surveyor's certificateG. H. Cunningham records the survey in Book V p. 285 and in 1856 certifies a renewal and relocation of the field notes.General Land Office, file 2686, page 5 · in the scan
WrapperWrapper for the Petty field notes, 'Book V page 285', received for renewal.General Land Office, file 2686, page 6 · in the scan
TransferWilliam Petty sells his Mercer's colony certificate for 640 acres to Thomas R. Kellum for $210 in Navarro County.General Land Office, file 2686, page 7 · in the scan
AffidavitNotary Jas. Thos. Lee certifies at Corsicana that Petty acknowledged the transfer of certificate No. 19 before two witnesses.General Land Office, file 2686, page 8 · in the scan
WrapperWrapper for field notes and Petty-to-Kellum transfer, filed 14 November 1856, patented 19 December 1856.General Land Office, file 2686, 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 653
- 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.