Those Places Thursday - "On the waters of Meadow Creek"

Monday, I posted the transcription of Bell family history (you can read it here), including mentions of several places bought and sold by Cicero Bell 1900 through 1910 or so.  On vacation this summer, I was able to visit the court houses in Monticello and Somerset Kentucky to look for deeds for these properties.  I give full credit to my husband for finding several and helping me get them. My experience in court house work is limited since they aren’t open on weekends.  Our first stop was the courthouse in Monticello for the Wayne county deeds.

Deed dated August 28, 1901, Deed Book 35 Pg 173-174

The heirs of Berry Rogers were the sellers (E. R. & Mattie VanHoozer, R. & H. A. Meadows, D. B. & Margaret Morris, John & Lizzie Chrisman, H. C. Rogers, David & Diza Rogers, Hettie & Edgar Matchett, John & Martha Rogers, W. B. & Eliza Jane White, G. W. & Mattie Rogers, Lenora & Rilley Correll, Barbara & H. M. Eads, Noah & Catherine Rogers, B. R. & Mollie Creekmore).  They conveyed to Allie (Allie mentioned first) & Cicero Bell, land in Wayne County, Kentucky "on the Monticello & Burnside Pike".  This image shows the confusing mess of compass points that is the metes & bounds system to describe the tract of land.  So different from the square sections we're used to in Nebraska.  To determine the exact location takes much more time, effort and information than I have now.  But the names of their neighbors and some landmarks mentioned are worth noting -  John Simpson's corner on the north side of pike, the old Daugherty line, school house, Tate's corner, J. C. Rogers corner, Dick's line, C. T. Willhite's corner, Tolegate lot, a coal house. Those will help if I ever work more to find the locations. 

So, this matches well with Oren's history: "we moved to a new farm which was located on the turnpike between Monticello and Burnside... and settled near Mill Springs...  This new farm was known as the Rogers farm.  Here we lived for a period of about 4 years.  During that period, Ben and Ed were born." 

We found more deeds than I expected, but later I realized there were two we didn't find.  The sale of the first farm that had belonged to Allie and her first husband.  Also, we didn't find a sale of the Rogers farm, unless the following deeds sold off portions of it and the original description no longer applies.  

Deed dated November 12, 1902, Deed Book 33 Pg 293-294

Cicero and Allie Bell sell to G. M. Muncy and R. F. Sloan "for the purpose of a joint road running from the Pike over the lands of first and second parties hereto to the lands of C. T. Willhite on Meadow Creek".  Some of the description includes:  "Beginning at a cedar on the south side of the Pike, J. C. Rogers corner...", mentioning Roger's corner several times, and "to a Hickory sd Roger's corner on Tate line...".  

Deed dated November 12, 1902, Deed Book 35 Pg 363-364

C. T. & Elzira Willhite sell to Cicero Bell and J. W. Bell (his brother John) "land in the County of Wayne, State of Kentucky, on the waters of Meadow Creek".  The description includes "Beginning at a small Sourwood, Millers corner on Muncy line..."  and "in the middle of Meadow Creek, then down the creek with the meanders thereof..." and it describes every twist and turn of the creek.  Coming to "a stone on north side of sd creek (Shearer's corner), then Shearer's line...", "to a stake on sd line, Miller's corner, then Miller's line...to the beginning".  

Deed dated April 16, 1904, Deed Book 35 Pg 474-475 

J. W. & Lizzie Bell and County of Boyle, State of Kentucky sell to Cicero & Allie Bell their part of the land bought in 1902.  It is the same description of land.  Looks like John and Lizzie were living in Boyle County at this time.

Deed dated November 21, 1904, Deed Book 36 Pg 349-350

Cicero & Allie sell their Wayne County farm to J. W. Simpson "it being the same tract of land conveyed to said Cicero & Allie Bell from J. W. Bell and wife by deed date of April 16, 1904."  

Downtown Monticello, Kentucky

These were all the deeds we found listed in the index for Cicero or Allie Bell.  After we left the courthouse, we went right next door to the Wayne County Historical Society.  Knowing there was a slim chance, I asked a woman there if they could give us an idea where the land was and showed her the deeds and the transcription of Oren's history.  As she was reading, she gasped and told another woman that the deeds were for property on Meadow Creek.  It just so happened that the Willhite's and Muncy's were her family.  She was able to tell us about where the property was - south of Mill Springs if I understood her correctly.

Before we left Monticello, we took a quick tour of the Wayne County Museum, then went on to Mill Springs.  The Brown-Lanier House wasn't open, but we walked down to the Mill.  Then we just drove around that area for a little bit.  

Next I will post the deeds we found in Somerset.