Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-04-05


in the Essex County Court House is
the "original deed record book, in
the office of the register of deeds.
Possibly there are. other books that
carry records back further than this
old tome, but in those instances they
have been copied from the original
book.
The Original deed" book, except
for new binding, is in exactly the
same condition as when the first
entry was made in ii, on September
10, 1925, almost 1888 years ago, and the
writing, although faded to dingy
brown, is still perfectly legible.
This book was started by Michael
Kearney clerk. Whether he was
clerk in the office or whether the
register of deeds was simply desig-
mated as clerk at that period the
book does not show. One thing is
sure, though. Mr. Kearney was the
whole office, for all the writing in the
book for a great many years, or until
about 1740, is in his handwriting.
The old volume is about twelve
inches in length and about eight
inches in width, containing about 800
pages of very thick, rough-coated
paper of a color between straw and
cream. The pages were not num-
bered when the book was made, each
page being numbered by the clerk as
it was filled.
The entries in the book cover a
period from September 49, 1725, to
June s. 1776, fifty-one years in all, !
only 472 pages having been used to
record all the transfers of property
in Essex County in that time, some
LOG in number. Many more pages OF
much larger size and closely type |
written are now used monthly to |
transact the business of the registers |
office.
In transcribing the deeds in the |
book Clerk Kearney and his sue
cessors almost uniformly commenced
the transcript with a handsome scroll /
first letter, while the monetary con-
sideration and other important parts
of the document were distinguished
by being placed in heavy letters OF
the old English type.
This old tome is called record book
II DGlI5 hilOWh tiiell OiAC N-NtSSN0
previous to 1925, which has entirely
from the files OF the
registers office. Most of the writing
in the old book is in a perfectly
legible hand, but much of it is hard
to read owing to the many scrolls,
circles and fourishes that attached
to the writing of those days. The
old style double So Is used through
out the book, while the words lot"
and ''plot" are always spelled with
a double at the end.
In transcribing each deed the COM
Is always ITO all Chris
tian People" In some instances only
the first letter is fancy scrollswhile
In lots of instances the whole phrase
is deliberately engrossed in fancy let
ters. There was some very able en-
grosser engaged in transcribing
deeds between 1850 and 1860 and
some of the work during that period
works of art. Who this
splendid penman was the book does
not show unless his signature was
far different from the script he used
in the body of the transcripts No |,
in any way resembling the
almost copper slate writing of the
transcripts appear.
The first deed in the book conveys
an acre of land in Elizabethtown
from Thomas Currey, a taylor" to
Thomas Hill, an innkeeper, the con-
being $50 eighty pounds.
The preamble following the notice
ITO all Christian people," reads, "be
it known that on this fifteenth day of |
September in the year of Our Lord
one thousand, seven hundred and
twenty-five and in the twelfth year
of the reign of our sovereign, Lord
George, by the grace of God, of Great
Brittian, France and Ireland King,
Defender of the Faith, ETC., etc."
then following the names of the sell
err and purchaser and the description
of the land in practically the same
terms as used today.
1t is noticeable that the language
in the body of the old deeds is al
most the same in all cases as that |
used today, the attestation of the |
registers office certifying that the
deed has been recorded and regis
tered being identical with the form
in use at the present time.
Names familiar now as owners 9f |
real estate in the city and county are |
not numerous in the old book. The |
Dodds are represented by one entry, |
Daniel bod, the final not having |
been added to the name at that time.
Joseph Kenney, John Morris, stephen |
Van CORTLAND, Jacob Van Wrinkle, |
Caleb Ward and Joseph, Daniel and |
BENJAMIN Woodruff are names still |
known in Essex County that appear |
in the old book. 1t is noticeable |
feature that in not a single one or
the many names that are mentioned |
in the 106 deeds that are registered |
in the old book does there appear O !
name with middle initial.
Thomas Cooney, court crier in |
Judge William p. Martins court, Is
a. sticlSler for dignity and is punctili- |
Gus in seeing that proper respect is
accorded to the presiding judge. A
iuryman, wishing to be excused the
other day. sought out Cooney in the
anteroom of Judge Martins chambers'I
and, pointing to the closed door OF
Judge Martin, remarked: II wish to
see Judge Martin. Is that his Officer"
"That is his chambers. sir" replied
Cooney, drawing himself up with