Ransom Frederick (c.1815-1888) Land Grant

 Ransom Frederick Land Grant

North Carolina Land Grants

File No. 99 (No. 176), Ransom Frederick, 19.80 acres on the waters of Storys and Richland Creek

State of North Carolina

Know ye that we have granted unto Ransom Frederick nineteen and eight tenths acres of land in Person County on the waters of Story's and Richland Creek. Beginning at an Ash and pointers [at] Reuben Walton's corner in Tapp's line running thence east with said Walton's line eight chains and twenty five links to a pine stump and pointers said to by Byasees corner then south twenty four chains to a stake in Charles S. Winstead's line thence west eight chains and twenty five links to a rock, thence north on Tapp's line twenty four chains to the beginning. Entered 21st Febry 1856. To hold to the said Ransom Frederick his heirs and assigns forever. Dated 22nd Sept 1856.

Wm Hill Secretary          Th. Bragg

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1856

Land Grant

99 Frederick, Ransom  19 8/10  Feb. 21, 1856  Story's & Richland Cr. adj Land of George Tapp, dec., Charles G. Winstead, cc John Long, Robt. Westbrook

Source: Person County North Carolina Compilations (Land Grants, 1794, 1805, 1823 Tax Lists, Record Books Abstracts 1792-1820, Letters of Attorney, Katharine Kerr Kendall (1978) at 21.

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It appears that the property began at an ash tree where the land of Rebuben Walton and George Tapp came together, with the Walton land being to the north and the Tapp land to the west. From the ash tree the line proceeded east along Walton's line to a pine stump at the corner of land owned by what appears to be "Byasees." Thus, this Byasees owned the land to the east. From the pine stump the line proceeded south to a stake in Charles Winstead's line, thus indicating that Winstead owned the property to the south adjacent to the Byasees land. The line then ran west to a rock, presumably at the interesection of the Winstead and Tapp lands. The final leg was north from this rock along Tapp's line back to the beginning ash tree. The chain carriers apparently were John Long and Robert Westbrook.

If the land grant was on both Story's Creek and Richland Creek it must have been where these two streams are close. Does one run into the other? Apparently not. Both run generally to the north, with Richland Creek being to the west of Story's Creek. Did the Ransom Frederick land grant extend from one creek to the other? We know that Ransom Frederick lived in Olive Hill Township, Person County, North Carolina. Richland Creek runs within that township, Story's Creek does not. The closest Richland Creek comes to Story's Creek is about a mile.

At the time of the 1860 United States Federal Census Ransom Frederick (Fedrick) was shown living in that part of Person County associated with the Hurdle Mills Post Office. This is substantially south of both Richland Creek and Story's Creek. However, the following 1870 United States Federal Census suggests that Ransom Frederick had moved his family to Olive Hill Township, through which flows Richland Creek.

Reuben Walton is the father-in-law of Ransom Frederick, being the father of Joanna Walton, wife of Ransom Frederick.

The 1850 United States Federal census shows Reuben Walton living adjacent to George Tapp, but no location within Person County is provided. Both men were in their 70s. A few doors away is an entry for what appears to be Thomas Byape.