I spent a little time earlier this year traipsing through the Wake County Register of Deeds records, trying to find out more about the history of my community. I traced the ownership of my property back to the mid-1800s, including this deed for 109 acres for what became known as the Christmas property, filed in January 1899. Bridges was the owner of the Oak City Dairy Farm, if I recall correctly.
The property was sold for $2,616. According to one inflation calculator, $2,616 in 1899 dollars is equivalent to $80,731. An acre of land here appraises today for $43,200. You could say we’ve seen some growth. 🙂
Below is the deed as transcribed by me. Here’s a scanned PDF of the original handwritten version at the Wake County Register of Deeds.
North Carolina
Wake CountyThis deed made by Mary M. Christmas Executrix of the late Thomas B. Bridges to Lewis J. Christmas of Charleston, West Virginia. Witnesseth:
That whereas by his last will and testament the said Thomas B. Bridges directed that all his real estate be sold for cash after giving thirty days notice and appointed Mary. M. Christmas his Executrix, which will was duly admitted to probate in the Superior Court of Wake County before the clerk and said Mary M. Christmas duly qualified as executrix and letters testamentary were duly issued to her as such and whereas it being necessary to sell the lands hereinafter conveyed in order to pay the debts of said T. B. Bridges the said Mary M. Christmas as Executrix as aforesaid after advertisement for thirty days in the Times Visitor a newspaper published in Raleigh, N.C. and the court house door in Raleigh, N.C. did on the 27th day of December 1898 expose the lands hereinafter conveyed to public sale to the highest bidder at the court house door in Raleigh, N.C. for cash and at said sale said lands were purchased by said Lewis T. Christmas be being the last and highest bidder for said lands and whereas said Lewis T. Christmas has paid the purchase money for said lands in cash to wit the sum of $2616.00 for the tract of 109 acres known as the Home Place and the sum of $150 for the tract of about 58 acres known as the Brown tract:
Now therefore in consideration of the promises and the payment to her by said Lewis T. Christmas of said aggregate sum of Twenty Seven hundred and sixty six Dollars the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged and by virtue of deed in execution of the powers conferred upon her by said last will and testament of said T. B. Bridges the said Mary M. Christmas executrix of said T. B. Bridges has bargained and sold and does hereby bargain sell said T. B. Bridges Home Place lying about one half mile North east of Raleigh, and adjoining the lands of William Taylor and others and bounded and described as follows:
Beginning at a stone on the east side of a small branch in Taylor’s line; running thence N. 82 W 19.20 1267′ chains to a stone in a lane leading from The Tarboro road by and Through the property of St. Augustine School; thence N. 8″ E 29.85 1972′ chains to a stone thence N 59 1/2 ” E 11.92 787′ chains to a stone Taylor’s corner: thence S. 80 1/2 ” E. 2.1 1782′ chains to Taylor’s branch thence up said branch 49.95 3295′ chains to the beginning, _____
Second a tract of land containing about 58 acres lying about five miles North Eastward of Raleigh adjoining the lands of R. G. [Dunn] [Porter] & others and bounded as follows: Beginning at a stake in Porters line and running thence S. 86 1/2 ” E 15.85 chains to a [pine] tree, thence N. 3″ E 13.15 chains to a stake on the South side of path, thence S. 88″ E with the South line of the path 7.75 chains to a stone thence N 3 1/2″ E fifty links to a stone thence N 87 1/2 ” E 7.05 chains to a stake on the south side of the path thence S 23″ W 36.90 chains to a stake in R G. [Dennard] line thence N 79″ W 18.25 chains to a stake thence N 3 1/2 ” E 18.60 chains to the beginning.
Being the 45 acres allotted to T. B. Bridges and the 13 acres allotted to Nancy Ferguson or Nancy [Kinston] in the division of the land of S___ Brown: said 45 and 13 acres bring fully described in the report of the commissioners and judgment of the court in the special proceedings entitiled Smith v. Bridges recorded in the Book 7 Records of [Partition] A. at Page 421 [A Sey] of the office of the clerk Superior Court of Wake County see also Book No 89 at pages 186-187 and 277 for said Bridges letter to said land.
To have and hold all and singular the aforesaid described lands and premises with all privileges and appurtenances thereto in anywise appertaining or belonging unto him the said Lewis J. Christmas his heirs and assigns in fee simple forever in as full and ample a manner as said Mary M. Christmas Executrix as aforesaid is empowered to convey the same.
State of West Virginia
Kanawha CountyI Grant P. Hall Clerk of the circuit court in and for the state and county abovewritten, do hereby certify that Mary M. Christmas Executrix of T. B. Bridges personally appeared before me this day and acknowledged the due execution of the foregoing deed of conveyance.
Witness my hand and official seal this 2nd day of January 1899.
(seal) Grant P. Hall Clerk circuit court
Kanawha Co West Va.State of North Carolina
Wake CountyThe foregoing certificate of Grant P. Hall Clerk circuit court Kanawha Co. W. Va. is adjudged to be [earnest.] Let this instrument with the certificate by registered. Witness my hand this 4th day of January 1899.
W. M. Russ Clerk Superior CourtFiled for registration 5 1/2 o’clock P.M. January 4th 1899 and registered in the office of Register of Deeds for Wake County in Book No, 151 Page 679 Jan 6th 1899.
W. H. [Havel] Register of Deeds