John England and Vesta Zipporah (Zipporah) Choate were my fifth great grandparents. This is one of a series of deeds where John and Zipporah's children sold their shares of their inheritance of John's land. The series of deeds provide the best evidence for the identities of the children.
By this deed, the siblings Joseph England and Jane England sold their shares of the land to Spencer Keith. The deed uses the phrase "undivided moiety" to indicate that Joseph and Jane were not the sole owners of the land and that they were only selling their respective shares.
The most salient portion of the deed is where it states that "all the Right title Claim and demand that the said Joseph England and Jane England Hath of in and so as may have to two hundred acres of Land Being in the county aforesaid being the place where John England, Father to the said Joseph England and Jane England lived & Deceased"
The deed does not say so explicitly, but we know that Spencer Keith married Jane (Jincy) England. So Jane was selling the land to her future husband and Joseph was selling the land to his future brother-in-law.
The deed does not say so explicitly, but we know that Joseph England married Melinda Lankford in 1817 in Roane County. So he was probably living in Roane County at the time of the sale.
I have not yet identified the exact location of the land. We know that Spencer Keith paid taxes in District 9 of Anderson County, Tennessee and these were the only taxes he paid. So District 9 is where the land must have been located. District 9 is in the southwest corner of the county, bounded to the west by Roane County, to the south by the Clinch River, to the east by the Clinch River, and to the north by Pine Ridge. It is Pine Ridge that separates the Y-12 reservation from downtown Oak Ridge. The Y-12 reservation is in District 9, and the District 9 area was commonly known as the Scarbrough community.
Anderson County, Tennessee deed book B1, page 162 This Indenture this Eighteenth day of August one thousand Eight hundred and Eighteen Between Joseph England and Jane England of this county of Anderson and State of Tennessee of the one part and Spencer Keith of the County and State aforesaid of the Other part Witnesseth that the said Joseph England and Jane England for and In consideration of the sum of to them and Each of them paid by the said Spencer Keith the Right whereof is hereby acknowledged hath and by these presents doth, grant, Bargain sell alien enfeoff and confirm unto The said Spencer Keith his heirs and assigns forever all the Right title Claim and demand that the said Joseph England and Jane England Hath of in and so as may have to two hundred acres of Land Being in the county aforesaid being the place where John England, Father to the said Joseph England and Jane England lived & Deceased which tract of land is Bounded as follows, to wit Beginning on the South Side of Ridge and Black Oak and white Oak thence South fifty Degrees West one hundred and Seventy Eight poles to a small gum corner to a tract of land conveyed by James Russell to William Wyatt thence on a Dividing line formerly Run By James & Brice Russell Being the Closing line of Wyatt's conveyance one hundred and Eighty poles to a Stake
Anderson County, Tennessee deed book B1, page 163
Thence North fifty degrees East One hundred and
Seventy Eight poles to Stake thence a Direct
Course to the Beginning.
With all and Singular the woods profits
hereditaments and appurtenances unto the said tract
of land Belonging or appertaining so far as Relates
to the part or parts of them the said Joseph
England and Jane England as then undivided
moiety to the same unto the said Spencer
Keith his heirs and assigns forever Against the claim
of them the said Joseph England and Jane
England their heirs and assignees Whatsoever
claim under them will warrant and
forever defend and witness whereof the said
Joseph England and Jane England
hath hereunto set their hands and seals
the day and year above written.
Test.
Zipporah England | Joseph England (seal)
James Scarbrough | Jane England (seal)
Abraham Hagler |
State of Tennessee | July session 1819
Anderson County | The with deed of
Conveyance was Proved in open Court
By James Scarbrough and Abraham
W. Hagler let it be Registered.
April 16th, 18223 | H. Barton C.A.C.
Regt.
