Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-03-08
Vest VIRGINIA LANDS
Ire -.ry More Dangerous Inan
9th Kinds Of Real Es-
l-.s Investments
,,eys of a Land Lawyer Who
Knows What He is Talk
in About.
ssr Esw State System az Opposed
10 the Policy Of the
Old State.
:oncerning Alleged wildcat opsr-
atlons of the Upshur
County Syndicate.
transaction Which Night Have
\ Happened In Any State OF
the Unl0n.
kecautions Nssded 10 Secure Go0d
Titles to Land by lnVss-
tors Everywhere.
.nirathIul and SIandsrous Reports
as 70 West Virginia Titles
Generally,
Transaction Which Might Have
Happened In Any State OF
the Unlon.
tecauti0ns Nssdsd TO Secure Good
Titles to Land by lnYss-
tors Everywhere.

M, HIxrrox, March Talking over
y H.sr's recent investment in CPshur,
hrdp,pa and Webster disputed land titles,
irh has been so extensively advertised
tee Getriment Of the State, l asked Col.
b. wilson how such difficulties arose,
hi " hat he thought were the best means
preventing them. Wilson had the rePu'
,tion Of being good land lawyer long be-
ne he got into politics, and some OF his
sst work was done in the State Constitu-
anal Convention OF - in the matter OF
sgisine aud improving our land system,
ne Of bis speeches on that subject being
repared for publication by request Of his
slow members. In reply to my questions
e gave me considerable information OF
,oblir interest, and send it in the shape
fan interview as bringing out the points
MO than a continuous statement.
tIro you know anything about sale OF
No sores Of coal and timber land in Up.
aug, Randolph and Webster counties, by
syuGicate of Peuusy ylyanis, Maryland
md West Virginia men, headed by ex-Goy-
mo- Daniel Farnsworth, to Joseph Daft.
nsr Of Cleveland, 0, for $40, ,S0O?"
NJ have no personal knowledge of the
rspssction, but have seen some newspaper
,ccpuntsot it
sHow could the supposed difficulty have
ssiss about titles under the West Virginia
and laws"
.,.,rt . .-,,,,,,-- -s,,,,-t that NJ Nm foar
,b,rges the syndicate with having imposed
fraudulent deed upon him, and for this
ne West Virginia land laws are no more
rwpolsible than the land laws otany other
stnte would have been where such tran
saetion might occur"
e'Was there not in Virginia and is there
not now in West Virginia a great deal OF
eDiusion and uncertainty about land
atles'
There was much more in Virginia than
bow exists in West Virginia. The latter
State, by her Constitution and legislation,
las doue much to settle land titles and
pOint out to the purchaser the means by
Bhich good titles can be secured and any
Pretended or worthless titles detected and
y sctsd.
What was the origin OF these troubles
Bout land titles
"TLe answer 70 tha, question involves an
ol5 story and long one.
4 Well, give H.e some Idea upon the sub
itet
p, h-r, Can To that substantially bat
ro' accurately. IS hare NJ books OF ref.
erfs 5y me.
The Lands In Virginia.
t1t g. those granted BY Great Britain be-
tens Re Establishment Of this Government,
1>fDr ri 10 that commonwealth; aud pro-
woe WAS made by legislation for granting
t1ese lands particularly lands west of the
1tt Eheay NauDtalns-to purchasers in
t1lP wise: IAe party desr ring to acquire
VIZ O"talDed land office treasury war
ran. irum the land OihCe Oi the State for
snch smonHt as he desired TO acquire. This
uUJgnt he deposited with the surveyor of
toNe county and caused an entry 10 be
made.
~Jhe entry was simply memorandum by
tho Surveyor in what was known ss the
''entry book Of the county. Oitentimes
t1e amount embraced in the entry" by
Uotake or design, greatly exceeded the
nun GER Of acres specified in the warrant.
1ne boundary, too, was often vague and
f1pt Unite. IL not unfreQuently occurred
tntf various entries thus made at al fTarsut
nUeS by different parties, some large and
sore small, covered the same land.
Some OF the Large Entries
sFfenGed over portions Of several counties.
lfe entry being thus made the party max.
ItS IL would have the land SURVEYED and a
Fht and certificate thereof made by the
,1yeyor or one OF his deputies. This GER
otcate he would forward 10 the Land
ttCe OF the State, upon which the Gov.
eDor, unless interdicted by a cayest il.
fleu q "grsnt conveying the land from the
tQn monwestth 70 the grantee or pateutee
notwithstanding the fact that the same
~ may have previously been granted to
~ parties. This fact the Governor
ttp'u not know. The oldest pStent took the
tslnONHt nte, but this was some times
..E "arus Si lost by forfeiture for uon-pay-
tl OI 'a1es, nOn-enuy on the tax books
90. oNeI>e possession under some iuuior
i SSs'en produced almost inextricsbIs
>4tt Gsion, snd constituted ona NJ the nsr.
f'Sflng Glestions With what the Gsnsrsl
~ no'E and the courts bad 10 deal.
MN penence taught thst LEGISLATION -
44|lhg lands to be entered on The coyor,is
1HETs books Tor the purpose oF tsT-,;1.n
+..E Le payment OF taxes, aud fDrfsiturs of
49, IO[ non payment Of taxes or for tbs
e4EFt tnuy on the books in the rssDa,,;,,a
@..r .iss' ana the rigid enforcement ~ srcS
te'f oy the courts was n.cs.Ss-1, - =
qNiee shd settle these titles, ''''s'y 70
Pc supreme Court CT cfA,rs.,.bo,sr,.,
tHt taWS Il forfeiture when n,ora,I,, :, "a az
lu;<kd we're u properly en-
statutes OF Repose.
oe general Assembly had in some in.
s,.5ets Itmitted the taxes aud waived ~.
hIs added 10 the confusio, ,,n.
leHfhsn stood i was made the a. =,
ern miSsoners Of the Reyenua - r.,
N/ /these various tracts and cbarsa -,
ttrs Win taxes thereon. If thu 90.
~ not paid, the land was soII hv ~.
<|EiH, snd when purchased by in1;viJ
Shn Dot redeemed by the ognpr wa,
<fe td IN pursuance Of the sale bv .bs
q me court to the purchaser m
Nss no such purchaser, the Land va,
VASu Gown as purchased by m,
K lNts acquired in this way by in
-ss were uncertain and in many
Vs'u"l.SS for this rsSsoJ
".'t'S: II the COMMISSIONS ron
<M ~, TIC IN stating the ownersbir
- -, OHOE' which often Occurred
- "a ,,,,rts l - S'n-r sssrE tial requirements
,;,,u Geo lEdS such error 'nyalidatet
- "Ie' IN This way, among others