Deeds

 

Communities wanting to construct a schoolhouse were often required to provide copies of a deed to the Freedmen's Bureau, indicating that the townspeople had secured land for the building. These documents contain the names of school trustees at the time the deed was made.

  • Deed to land from Trustees of Mt. Zion AME Church to Trustees of the Anderson Institute, Dec 3, 1867
    Deed made October 26, 1867, recorded by circuit court for Harford County December 3, 1867. Purchased for $1. Anderson Trustees: Isaiah DeCoursey, Daniel J. Ross, David Thomas. Samuel White, Isaac Bishop, George A. Johnson. Mt. Zion Trustees: James Peaco Sr, Joseph J. Christy, Benjamin Smith, James Peaco Jr, Sidney H. Skinner, Jesse Johnson, Jesse White.
  • Deed to land for school Hendon Hill (Bel Air), 2 Feb. 1869
    Deed to property for the school at Hendon Hill, near Bel Air. For the sum of $50, Benjamin Hendon transfers the rights to approximately 1/2 acre of land to school trustees George Daugherty, Edward Hall, William A. Ruff, William Morgan, and Lee Preston, "for the use, benefit and education of the colored people of Harford County, forever." Describes the property as touching on those of Benjamin Hendon, Joshua Hooker, and "Bealls Camp."
  • Deed to land for school at Darlington, Jan. 8, 1868
    Joseph Peaco and Sarah A. Peaco grant Jerome B. Armstrong, Alexander Berry, Joseph Haines, Stephen Jameson, and Henry Prigg land for $5. Land is situated about one mile north of Darlington and is part of a tract of land called "Philips Purchase."
  • Deed to land for McComas School, Sept. 10, 1867
    George W. Johnson and Mary Ann Johnson grant, Charles Waters, Abraham Waters, Peter Bishop, Joseph Henry, and John H. Butler land for $30.
  • Deed to land for school at "Marshall and Bel Air District Forest Hill" (Forest Hill), Dec. 8, 1867
    Hager Gover grants the lot to the following trustees: George Turner, William Bond, Abram Evans, Thomas More, and Henry Brown. Deeded to the trustees for the erection of a schoolhouse for the benefit and education of the colored people of Marshalls and Bel Air districts of Harford County. Also signed by John P. Spicer, and Thomas Alderson. Notation at bottom of deed indicates that this copy was forwarded to Van Derlip by John Core on February 17, 1870.