Deeds,  Mortgages,  Indentures
  and
Land Records

  Index of  Original Land Purchases  in Shelby County, Indiana
Reading deeds/ patents/ land records:  an explanation of sections, townships and ranges.
The Official Land Patent Site or  Bureau of Land Management:  early government land sales, including scans of documents
Rootsweb Land Records Database

Deeds are handled by the Recorder's Office.  Index books are available for all years, and the individual deeds have been microfilmed.  You can reach the Recorder at 317-392-6370.  However, they are not staffed to search.  If you will mail your request and a check to 25 West Polk Street, Shelbyville, Indiana  46176, I am sure they will pass it along to me.  Phyllis Fleming

Fred Amos, chattel mortgage

July Ann Badger,  indenture to  Elijah F. Fleming
Ira Bailey, deed for "Bailey's Mill"
Transfer of  James Baker's Steam Saw Mill
Indenture of  John Taylor Ballard  to  Joseph L. Worland, 1867
John W. and Rachel Ballard, to  Sarah Crail, Washington Street in the Town of Shelbyville.
Indenture of  Lucy Barngrover  to  James Babb
Miranda L. Burr  Bill of Sale  from Joseph Bush, 1839
Indenture of  Mary Butler  to  Abraham Ogden, 1859

Levi Cagley, indenture to Elizabeth and Isaac Hildebrand, 1846
Keziah Caughey and Thomas S. Caughey  deed to  Harry Whitcomb, 1871
Thomas Creighton  deed from Keziah Caughey, 1867
Frances Wilmeretta Crosby,  indenture to David Weeks

Andrew Ensminger, T12N  R8E  Sec 15,  Rush Co IN
Andrew and Virginia Ensminger of Rush Co, 1874.
Martha E and Elzy Ensminger, to John Lower
Mary Ensminger, Ann White, Jane VanPelt and Sarah E Hendricks, to Andrew Ensminger of KY

Elijah Franklin Fleming  Deed from  Edward Miller heirs
Elijah F. Fleming  Indenture from  Robert Badger
Samuel Fleming  Deed from  John Johnson
Indenture of  Rhoda Foster  to  Sylvester Kinney, 1869
Franklin County, Indiana, residents who purchased original land in Shelby Co

Indenture of  John Grimes  to  John Morrison, 1836.

Samuel Hahn, from Michael, John B. and Hannah, his wife, 23 Aug 1851
Byrum Harrell patent (image)
Louisa Houser  indenture to  Lewis Cook, 1856

Imhoff, Frederic, from the estate of John Blakeman, dec'd; William Cox, administrator

William Ellis Jackson  indentured to  David Montgomery, 1857.
Division of John Joyce's land, 1845
James Judge, from Absalom and Mary Green, 1866

Kendall deeds in Decatur and Shelby counties
Kuhn deeds in Hancock and Henry counties (our north and northeast neighbors).

Indenture of  Mary Landen  to  John Laughlin, 1852
Lemmons, Joshua K., from  John B. Michael, 29 Aug 1851
Love, Benjamin, quit claim from Eli Moore and Martha Ann Love Moore, 1850.
Lucas, Eber, transer to Abraham Hall, 1823

Maple, Jackson, to William Moore
Odd Fellows Lease from Royal Mayhew, 1848
McCarty & Fletcher to William A. Moore
Amos and Mildred Merrill  to  John F. Ballard, 1856
Sylan Buel Miller indentured to Augustus E. Kinsley, 1852
Mincks, Jacob. Of Adams Co OH, 12 Aug 1834.
Mincks, Jacob, Jr.  Of Rush Co IN, two parcels purchased 1834, recorded 1848
Maryetta Minton  indentured to  Tunis Spurling, 1852
Montgomery abstract.  Land originally purchased by Shearer (1821).

Newspaper reports "Late Dealings in Real Estate"
Norris, James E., conveyance deed to Woodville B. Kirk (part of an estate settlement)

Andrew Jackson Pitcher  indentured to  John Means, 1845

Indenture of  Henry Rathburn   to  William Mitchell, 1841
Land Patent image of deed to Thomas Ray, April, 1824
Indenture of  John Rothburn  to  George Rothburn, 1841
Roy C. Rutherford, Petition for partition and sale of real estate

Sanford, George, transferred from Benjamin Rue, 1822
Indenture of  Samuel Baxter Scull  to  John Scull, 1841
Shaw, Jesse, about 1837
Richard (Mary) and John Shipp, chattel mortgage
Lafayette Simmons  indentured to  Christopher M. Allen, 1839
Lafayette Simmons  indentured to  Nathaniel Albee, 1841
Indenture of  James Stewart  to  John F. Ballard, 1841
Indenture of  Martha Stewart  to  Robert B. Peak, 1841
Jacob Surber, 1838

General George Wayne Thornberry  indentured to  Isaac Hurst, 1845
Affidavit of  Harriet A. Thornburg, 1919

Union County, Indiana, residents who purchased original land in Shelby Co

Various abstracts, compliments of Judy Tillison Wright
Jacob and Sarah Vernon  to  John M. Ballard

James R. Walker  indentured to  Brightwell Thompson, 1850
Catharine Wheler [Wheeler]  indentured to  Wrighten Shiplet
Wilkins deeds, Moral Township
John Wilkinson deed to William Hacker; trust to pay creditors, 1847
William W. Willson  indentured to  Reuben Barnard
Sarah Ensminger; James, Noble, Lydia & Catharine Wilson, to Susan and Ann Maria Wilson
Wilson, William and Delila, to William Moore
Lucy A. Wingate  Deed from  Thomas S. Caughey, 1867

James G. Yelton  indentured  to Abner and Susan Mariah Kelsay
John M. & Nancy Young to Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Shelbyville
William E. Young  indentured  to  James Bearmore/Bearmon


Deed Book D,  Index,  1833-1834

Early Deed Books,  Index only,  various years
" B "  Surnames
" C "  Surnames
" D "  Surnames
" F "  Surnames
" G "  Surnames
" H "  Surnames
" J "  Surnames
" K "  Surnames
" L "  Surnames
"Mc"  Surnames
" R "  Surnames
" S "  Surnames
" T "  Surnames
" V "  Surnames
" Y "  Surnames

Records of  the School Commission Lands
Plat Maps of Land Purchases
T14N  R5E
Moral Twp

T14N  R6E
Moral,
VanBuren Twps
T14N  R7E
VanBuren,
Hanover Twps
T14N  R8E
Hanover Twp

T13N  R5E
Sugar Creek Twp
T13N  R6E
Sugar Creek,
Brandywine,
Addison Twps
T13N  R7E
Marion,
Union,
Addison Twps
T13N  R8E
Union Twp
T12N  R5E
Hendricks Twp
T12N  R6E
Hendricks,
Shelby,
Addison Twps
T12N  R7E
Addison,
Shelby,
Liberty Twps
T12N  R8E
Liberty Twp
T11N  R5E
Jackson Twp
T11  R6E
Washington,
Jackson Twps
T11N  R7E
Washington,
Noble Twp
T11N  R8E
Noble Twp
Originally (1822), there were only four townships in Shelby Co:
Hanover (T14),  Union (T13),  Hendricks (T12),  and  Noble (T11).

County map and additional information on the federal survey practices

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