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.
Henry Barlow's deed from  David Fitz Randolph, 1847
Indenture of  Lucy Barngrover  to  James Babb
Miranda L. Burr  Deed from  Wiett Ellis, 1839
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

Joseph Drake's lease of mill lot to  Stephen Rogers and Daniel Shew, 1844

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's  deed from  Edward Miller heirs.
Elijah F. Fleming,  Indenture from  Robert Badger.
Samuel Fleming's  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's deed from  Michael,  John B. and  Hannah, 23 Aug 1851.
Jack Hardin's  deed  from  George W. Means, 1836.
Byrum Harrell patent (image).
Samuel Harvey's deed  from  John Doran, 1837.
Samuel Harvey's  deed  to  Harvey Pope, 1836.
Stephen Harvey 's deed  from Benjamin and Rachel Sawin, land in the state of New York.
Stephen Harvey's deed  to  James Lee, 1837.
Samuel Fitz Randolph Hill,  from Samuel Fitz Randolph, 1837.
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.
John Johnson's deed to Loyd Paris, 1828.
John Johnson's deed to John Cline, 1833.
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.
Lewis, John J.,  deed from  William Smith and Thomas Fitz Randolph, 1836.
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.
George W. Means  to  George W. Means, 1837.
John Means  from  Moses Portlock, 1836.
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

Daniel Fitz Randolph's  deed from  Miles Hall, .
David Fitz Randolph's  deed from  William Morgan.
Thomas Fitz Randolph's  deed from  William and Elizabeth Smith, 1836.
Thomas Fitz Randolph's  deed to  William Smith, 1836.
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.
John Runyan's deed  to  Peter Hagarman, 1836.
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.
Smith, William, et al,  deed from  William Eddy, 1833.
Daniel Snepp's deed  from  David Fitz Randolph, 1847.
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.
Isaac Willson  from  Jeremiah Barlow, 1832.
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.

Miscellaneous deed records transcribed by Judy Wright in the USGenWeb Archives.


Deed Book D,  Index,  1833-1834

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

Records of  the School Commission Lands
Plat Maps of Land Purchases



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

Courthouse Records       Main Page