Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-09-25
WHY ABSTRACTS
ARE NECESSARY
Their Value and Uses Net Under.
stood by a Number
of People.
EPITOMES OF EVIDENCE
OF LEGAL OWNERSHIP
Deeds Convey Only Such Title as
Grant0r POSSeSSeS-.Examina-
tons Essential.

1t is especially important to know
at this time when so much property
is daily changing hands in Grand
Rapids that abstracts of title are nee
esSary. Abstracts are looked upon
by many persons as necessary luxury
to the transfer of real property. Few
people, outside of lawyers and those
whose business brings them into con-
tinuous contact with land titles, know
the use and value of an abstract. Web
ster defines it to be an cpitome of the
evider &c of legal ownership.
If a man wishes TO sell his home, he
sometimes wonders why he should be
put to the expense of procuring an
abstract Of title. He reasons that
his deed is upon record in the registers
office and may be inspected by any
intending purchasers. He sometimes
even produces the original deed.
Deeds recorded in the county registers
office are copied and indexed. But
they are indeXed as to the name of
the parties to the deed and not as to
the land conveyed. Herein lies the
difficulty and the office which abstract
Of title companies fill. Great care
with much time and labor is required
to prepare and keep records showing
all transfers effecting each particular
parcel of land. Many errors and
omissions are made in deeds, both
with reference to the description Of
the property and the names of the
parties. All of these require close
scrunity, if not correction, before it
can be said that the title is good. A
deed of land may be regular upon its
face, but unless the man granting it
had good title to the land he cannot
give good title. Hence the necessity
Of following and tracing back each
transfer from the government to the
present owner.
Abstracts of title give the essentials
of all deeds effecting particular
piece of property. The lawyers care
fully compare names, descriptions and
acknowledgements. Rules of law re-
quires certain formule. Abstracts
make reference to the places where
deeds are recorded il the registers
office and where the lawyers may ex-
anime the deeds.
Without abstracts of title the
searching OF the county records for
deeds on any particular property
would entail, an expenditure in money
for the lawyers fees many times
more than the cost of an abstract and
lawyers fee for the examination of
title under the abstract system.
An abstract of title costs according
to its length. Its length is governed
by the number of transfer previously
made of the particular land in
question. 1t may cost S. and in large
cities, may cost s25.
Abstract work is done by the
register of deed in some counties.
The law leaves the matter in the
hands Of the county. This method is
not practiced in Wood county.
The following do abstract work in
this city: Taylor & Scott, G. E. Boles,
Wheelan & Rourke, Herman Wiper
man, Jr., G. S. Whittlesey, B. NJ.
Vaughan, Goggins & Brazeau and
Conway & Jeffrey.
All abstracts of title bear the certi-
ficate and corporate seal of the person
making them, certifying to it's com
pleteneSS and correctness.