Blackland TX · ← All the original surveys
A. J. Phoenix Survey, Abstract 935
- Granted to
- A. J. Phoenix
- Kind of grant
- Headright, third classLand for later settlers, including the colonists of Mercer’s Colony.
- Land Office file
- Robertson 3rd class, file 3167
- Certificate
- No. 0/21
- Acres
- 640
- Patented to
- John E. Cravens
- Patent
- 08 Mar 1858 · No. 390, Vol. 17
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What the file shows
Andrew J. Phoenix proved his citizenship as a Mercer's Colony settler and on 7 (or 9) October 1856 received certificate No. 21 for 640 acres from the Navarro County District Court at Corsicana. In January 1857 he sold the certificate for $300 to John E. Cravens of Anderson County. Deputy surveyor Milton Wright located it on 23 March 1857 on the waters of Mill Creek in south Ellis County, adjoining Sanders Walker's survey and crossing the Springfield-Waxahachie road. The patent issued to Cravens as assignee in March 1858 (No. 390, Vol. 17); the land office later found 235 of its acres lie in Navarro County.
The certificate
other (Mercer's Colony colonist certificate, filed in the GLO as Robertson 3rd Class), No. 21 (written 0/21), 640 acres, District Court of Navarro County, Fall Term 1856; signed by Henry J. Jewett, District Judge; attested by J. M. Riggs(?), Clerk D.C.N.C., Corsicana, 1856-10-07 (day written over, read as 7th; field notes and application say 9th).
Entitles Andrew J. Phoenix to 640 acres on any vacant land within the limits of the colony of Charles Fenton Mercer and his associates, he having taken the oath and made the proof required by law of his citizenship; he may locate, transfer or donate it.
Changes of hand
- 6 Jan 1857A. J. Phoenix, of Anderson County → John E. Cravens, of Anderson County, $300, Anderson County. Sells 'my head right certificate as a colonist in Mercers colony issued to me by the District Court of Navarro County (date and number not recollected)', with warranty. Jacket: 'Transfer A. J. Phoenix to John E. Cravens, Filed Jany 12/57' -- the filing date 1857 sits oddly against the 1858 proof of the deed.
The survey
1857-03-23 (certified 1857-04-09), Milton Wright, Deputy Surveyor for Robertson Land District.
South part of Ellis County on the waters of Mill Creek, 17 1/2 miles S.(?)E. from Waxahachie; begins at the S.E. corner of Sanders Walker's 640-acre survey; squares of 1900 varas on bearings S30E, N60E, N30W, S60W; crosses the road from Springfield to Waxahachie at 1585 varas of the second line
Chain carriers: J. H. Spencer, G. H. Cunningham.
Book L, page 327
The patent
1858-03-04 (wrapper reads March 4th 1858; field-notes jacket reads March 8th 1858 -- one is misread or misdated), No. 390, Vol. 17, to John E. Cravens, assignee, delivered to John E. Cravens (pencil date, possibly '4 Nov 62' or '4 Mar 62' (?)).
Also in the file
- A Mercer's Colony certificate (issued in Navarro County) is filed among Robertson 3rd Class files because the land lay in the Robertson Land District.
- Phoenix sold the certificate while saying he did not remember its date or number, before the land was surveyed.
- The certificate date is written over (7th?) while the field notes and entry application call it 9 October 1856.
- The survey is described as in Ellis County, but the land office later split it: about 405 acres in Ellis and 235 in Navarro.
- The two patent dates on the file differ (March 4 vs March 8, 1858).
Timeline
- 7 Oct 1856Navarro County District Court issues Mercer's Colony certificate No. 21 for 640 acres to Andrew J. Phoenix
- 6 Jan 1857Phoenix, of Anderson County, sells the certificate to John E. Cravens for $300
- Feb 1857G. H. Cunningham applies to enter 640 acres in Ellis County south of Mill Creek on the certificate
- 23 Mar 1857Milton Wright surveys 640 acres on Mill Creek, 17 1/2 miles from Waxahachie
- 28 Apr 1857Field notes examined and recorded by Thos. J. Oliver, Book L p. 327
- 20 May 1857Certificate and field notes filed in the General Land Office
- 6 Jan 1858Witness Mat F. Word proves the transfer deed before the Anderson County clerk at Palestine
- 23 Feb 1858Checked correct on the Ellis County map (Upshur)
- 4 Mar 1858Patent No. 390 Vol. 17 issued to John E. Cravens, assignee
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.
WrapperOuter wrapper for Andrew J. Phoenix's 640-acre Mercer's Colony file, listing four papers, with the patent entry of March 1858 to John E. Cravens.General Land Office, file 3167, page 1 · in the scan
CertificateMercer's Colony certificate No. 21 for 640 acres, issued to Andrew J. Phoenix by the Navarro County District Court at Corsicana in October 1856.General Land Office, file 3167, page 2 · in the scan
DocketJacket for the colony certificate of Andrew J. Phoenix, 640 acres, marked filed 20 May 1857.General Land Office, file 3167, page 3 · in the scan
Field notesField notes and sketch plat for 640 acres on Mill Creek, surveyed for Andrew J. Phoenix by deputy surveyor Milton Wright on 23 March 1857.General Land Office, file 3167, page 4 · in the scan
Surveyor's certificateDistrict surveyor Thomas J. Oliver certifies the field notes correct on 28 April 1857 and records them in Book L, page 327.General Land Office, file 3167, page 5 · in the scan
DocketBack of the field notes, with the docket for Andrew J. Phoenix's survey and the patent entry of 4 March 1858.General Land Office, file 3167, page 6 · in the scan
TransferDeed of 6 January 1857 in which A. J. Phoenix sells his colonist's headright certificate to John E. Cravens of Anderson County for 300 dollars.General Land Office, file 3167, page 7 · in the scan
AffidavitAnderson County clerk's proof at Palestine, 6 January 1858, of the deed from A. J. Phoenix to John E. Cravens, with the file docket.General Land Office, file 3167, page 8 · in the scan
LetterApplication to district surveyor Thomas J. Oliver, February 1857, to enter 640 acres in Ellis County south of Mill Creek on Phoenix's certificate.General Land Office, file 3167, page 9 · in the scan
DocketJacket for the application to enter land, filed with the Andrew J. Phoenix papers, Robertson 3rd Class.General Land Office, file 3167, 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 935
- 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.