I treasure this land deed because it is an original created at the time of the event and it is signed by my great great grandmother, Elida A. Stuart, my great grandparents, Charles and Annie Maude (Stuart) Adams and Annie’s sister, Melissa Stuart Findley. Bertha Stuart Eldridge, daughter of Nancy G. Stuart, who gave it to me said it was just an old piece of paper and if I wanted it, I could have it! I couldn’t say YES fast enough.

Elida A. Stuart to Nancy G. Stuart, Warranty Deed

Know all Men by these Presents That we Elida A. Stuart, Annie M. Adams both of Calais in county of Washington and State of Maine and Melissa E. Findley of Boston in county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts in consideration of one dollar and other valuable consideration paid by Nancy G. Stuart of said Calais the receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge, do hereby give, grant, bargain sell and convey unto the said Nancy G. Stuart her heirs and assigns forever, a certain lot or parcel of land in Charlotte in said Washington county containing three hundred acres more or less and bounded as follows, viz: Northerly by the town line between said Charlotte and Meddybemps easterly from said town line to Tom Meadow brook, so called, by the easterly line of lots number thirteen Ranges VIII and VII according to Putnam’s plan of survey southerly by said Tom Meadow Brook from said Easterly lot line to Denny’s river, westerly by Denny’s river from the mouth of the Brook to the town line before mentioned reserving the right to flow said land for river driving purposes wherever deemed necessary; also one other certain lot or parcel of land situated in Meddybemps containing two hundred forty acres more or less being the lots marked thirteen in the ninth range and number thirteen in the tenth range on the plan of the town of Charlotte bounded southerly by the South line of said Meddybemps; easterly by the lots number twelve in the ninth range and tenth ranges, on said Charlotte plan and westerly and northerly by Dennys river said lots having been  set off from the town of Charlotte to the town of Meddybemps; also one other lot or parcel of land, being a strip of land in said Charlotte running along the Meddybemps line and bounded on the North by Meddybemps line on the east by the county road, on the South by land of Otis L.B. Mahar and on the west by the Lincoln lot, so called and known as the

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Meadow land; also a right of way for teams and pedestrians twelve feet wide and running over what was known as the “Old Original Road” leading across the homestead lot from the county road to the Young lot above described and across said Young lot to the meadow lot so called said right of way being confined strictly to said old original road.

To have and to hold the aforegranted and bargained premised, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereof, to the said Nancy G. Stuart her heirs and assigns, to their use and behoof forever.

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 And we do covenant with the said Grantee, he heirs and assigns, that we are in lawfully seized in fee of the premises; that they are free from all incumbrances; that we have good right to sell and convey the same to the said Grantee to hold as aforesaid; and that we and our heirs, shall and will warrant and defend the same to the said Grantee, her heirs and assigns forever, against the lawful claims and demands of all persons.

In Witness Whereof, we the said Grantors and Charles E. Adams, husband of the said Annie M. Adams joining in this deed as Grantor, and relinquishing and conveying his rights by descent and all other rights in the above described premises, have hereunto set our hands  and seals this sixth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and three.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered in Presence of: Chas.A. Feyhl and Reed V. Jewett to A.M.A., C.E.A., E.A.S.

Signed by:

Melissa E. Findley, first, followed by Annie M. Adams, Charles E. Adams, and Elida A. Stuart

Below is added:

State of Mass., Suffolk, ss. May 22, 1903. Personally appeared the above-named Melissa E. Findley and acknowledged the above instrument to be her free act and deed.

Before Me, Chas. A. Feyhl, Notary Public, Comm expired Apl 6, 1905

State of Maine, Washington, SS, May 29, 1903 Personally appeared the above named Annie M. Adams and Elida A. Stuart and acknowledged above instrument to be their free act and deed. Before me Reed V. Jewett, Justice of the Peace.

I learned something from this land deed. Charles Stuart, Elida’s husband, had passed away in November 1894. They are found in Maine census records between 1850 and 1880; it looked like they had moved from Charlotte to Meddybemps. However, this is Charles’ and Elida’s homestead being sold and the description notes that “said lots having been  set off from the town of Charlotte to the town of Meddybemps.” I don’t think they moved at all. The land became part of the town of Meddybemps and they lived on the town line.

This deed is interesting for another reason. It was sold to Nancy G. Stuart for the sum of one dollar. Nancy was the wife of Elida’s son, Harry Weston Stuart, who was alive and well at this time. I wonder why the land was sold to her and not to him? He wasn’t a spendthrift – he was actually a successful store owner. Also, Elida’s son, Wallace, died in 1881, but had a wife and son, has no mention of his heirs. If this was Charles’ land, why are they not mentioned? There was yet another son, William C. Stuart, who was not part of this deed conveyance either. Will Stuart and Wallace’s widow perhaps received some other compensation, but it still doesn’t answer why Harry wasn’t part of this transaction.