County and Town Records

When an individual received the patent or title to his land, he went to a local government office to have his ownership recorded and to obtain a deed. This was not always done immediately, but was usually done before the land was transferred or leased to anyone else. These records and all subsequent exchanges of land through sales, foreclosure, divorce, or inheritance were usually recorded by a county clerk, county recorder, or county register of deeds (except in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont, where town clerks have kept the records). These officials also kept records of mortgages and leases.

Deed and Mortgage Books

When an individual presented a patent, deed, or other evidence of ownership, the clerk usually made a handwritten copy of the complete document in the deed books. In later years, deeds were often recopied, especially if the originals were lost, worn, or destroyed. Mortgage and lease information may have been kept in separate books. The individual retained his copy of the deed and other records. The clerks also added the information to their local plat maps.

Indexes

There are usually indexes with the deed and mortgage books, and some indexes have been published. The indexes generally list the name of the seller (grantor or direct indexes) and the name of the buyer (grantee or indirect indexes). Other names that are found in the records are rarely indexed. Because there may have been many transactions over many years regarding one piece of property, search a wide range of years in the indexes. Some indexes (read more) require special instructions to be able to use.