Deed from the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company
I am not sure where to start with what it is that I found. I am hoping someone has information. I was going through my grandmothers things and found a Deed from the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company. My great grandfather bought 160 Acres on November 5th 1901. It is an embossed deed with contract numbers, deed numbers and such. Signed by the Chicago, B & Q President Gro? B Harris and by the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad president J.S. Howland a land commissioner, also notarized by a Notary Public.
I don't know if I hold anything very valuable or if I just hold something old and interesting. I did look online for information and to my surprise there is so much information regarding the railroad company that I don't know where to begin.
If you have any light to shed on this deed I would greatly appreciate it very much.
—Kimber Ingle
posted from CPRR Discussion Group at 7:25 AM
2 Comments:
You seem to be asking a double question: First, does the deed represent current ownership of the land?; and, Second, if not, does the deed have value as ephemera?
As to who owns the land, you could visit the recorder of deeds office where the land is located and do a title search yourself to see if your ancestor sold the land to someone else. Alternatively, a title company could do this search, or more likely whoever owns the land currently already obtained a title search for their title insurance at the time that they bought it (if that is the case) and you could obtain a copy of the title report from them or from the title insurance company. You could also contact a local real estate attorney to arrange this title search for you and to advise you if any title transfer from your ancestor to someone else that is recorded is in fact valid.
It is likely that even if the deed no longer represents current ownership of land, the paper would be desirable to some collector, perhaps due to an interest in the railroad, in deeds, or in the people that signed the deed. Check auctions at eBay.com to find comparable items that have been sold to get an indication of the value. Alternatively, an appraiser who is expert on ephemera of this type could give advice, or you could find a dealer who sells such items.
Better still, if there are any great great grandchildren, etc. descended from your grandmother, hopefully at least one of them would find a deed owned by their great great grandmother to be a fabulous family memento that they would keep and treasure. You never know you might even get someone in your family sufficiently interested in researching the deed to get them started on a lifelong hobby.
Thank you so much for your wonderful knowledge and advice. You have given me the directions I need to take to further research this paper. I have gained such a huge interest in knowing the history behind it. I had never given any thought to the railroad and our family history until I saw this paper and started reading your website.
I admire all those who have researched and taken the time to write your website. It must have taken years to recover such a long history spanned over miles and miles of country!
Thank you again for your help it is much appreciated!
—Kimber Ingle
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