Analysis of the new AI Summary at FamilySearch

FamilySearch has added an AI summary option at their every-word search of deeds and probate records. I heard about it from Mark Thompson and Steve Little’s podcast, “Episode 8.” I decided to try it out.

My search of Lancaster deeds in Lewis County, Missouri, brought up a deed of John S. Lancaster as grantor transferring land to Ellis W. Lancaster as grantee.[1]

FamilySearch has a full-text transcription, which is not perfect and often has errors due to handwritten words that may be hard to decipher. Their transcription is here:

This Indenture made this 16th day of December 1842 by tween John S. Lancaster & Mary his wife of Shelby County Kentucky of the one part F Ellis W Lancaster of Lewis County Missouri of the other part Witnesseth that the said decd John S. Lancaster & wife for the consideration of exchange of land that is that the said Ellis has by deed bearn even date herewith conveyed to the said John S. the Ending interest of sd Ellis in & to certain land in Shelby County Son - tucky for which said John S. paid the sd Ellis three her dred dollars in money of Convey him the land herein dem bed , now the said John S. Lancaster & wife in consider ation of the Conveyance aforesaid by said Ellis to sd John S. by deed bearing this date hath granted bargained & sold by these presents doth grant bargain & sell alien & convey unto the said Ellis W. Lancaster his heirs & assigns forever Certain several tract or parcels of land in the said County of ┃ Lewis & State of Missouri Known by their designation in the land office as follows The east half of the South east quarter of section number thirty three Township number sixty one North of the bare line Range Six west of the fifth principal Meredian containing to acres . Also the west half of the same quarter came Section & Range Containing 80 ane Also the North east quarter of South West quarter of the same section township of Pence Containing two acres I also the north half of the east half of the north west quarter of section number four , township number sixty North of the bare line range number six west contains 38 acres 112 ¾ poles - To Have & To Hold the said tract or parcels of land together with all & singular the appurtenance , & improvements thereunto belonge ) or in anywise appertaining unto him the said Ellis & C . ┃ Lancaster his heirs & assigns forever , and the said John ┃ Lancaster doth covenant with the said Ellis that he will warrant & forever defend the title to the premises hereby conveyed against the claim or claims of all . persons whatever to him the said Ellis his heirs & assigns forever . In testimony whereof the said John S. Lancast Mary his wife have hereunto set their hands & affixed their seals the date first herein written John S. Lancaster ℗ Mary Lancaster ℗ Commonwealth of Kentucky Shelby County of Be it remembered that on this 20th day of Decem ber 1842 personally appeared before the undersigned two of the Commonwealth Justices of the peace for the County ┃ aforesaid the within named John S. Lancaster & Mary Lancaster his wife parties grantor in the within & foregoin Indenture , and subscribed & acknowledged the said Indenture to be their act & deed for the purposes therein mentioned - And the said Mary Lancaster being of amined by us minately & apart from her said husband declared that she did freely Furisingly sign seal I deliver the said Indenture without threats purs ditions or undue influence of her said husband acknowledged the said Indenture again shown Fexpl gived to her to be her act & deed & declared that she did not wish to retract the same and consented that ┃ the might be recorded which is certified to the proper office for record . Given under our hand all as Justices of the peace in & for the County of Shelby & State of Kentucky the date above written Saml Harbison ℗ State of Kentuatte W. Kinkade ( Seal Shelley County Set ⎬ I James J. Whitaker Clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid Certify that Samuel Harbison & William Kindade before whom the above acknowledgements were taken are were at the time of so doing the same acting Justices of the peace in and for the County aforesaid duly ⌨ ⌨ and qualified according to law , & that full faith Ruth is due bought to be given to all their office at act as such & that the above signature purported to be theirs are permit In testimony whereof of I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Court at Shelbyville this 20th day of December 18 James S. Whitaker Clerk 5 . 6 By H J Whitaker D. C. Filed for land March 13th 1 I Blair Recorder 

I have two choices here: fix the transcription from FamilySearch or do my own transcription. I believe doing my own transcription has two plusses: I can probably do the transcription faster than fixing theirs, and while I am transcribing the deed, I am taking in the information and seeing any nuances. Here is my transcription:

This Indenture made this 16th day of December 1842 between John S. Lancaster & Mary his wife of Shelby County, Kentucky of the one part & Ellis W. Lancaster of Lewis County, Missouri of the other part. Witnesseth that the said John S. Lancaster & wife for the consideration of exchange of lands that is that the said Ellis has by deed bearing even date here with conveyed to the said John S. the undivided interest of said Ellis in the certain land in Shelby County, Kentucky for which said John S. paid the said Ellis three hundred dollars in money & conveys him the lands herein described. Now the said John S Lancaster & wife in consideration of the conveyance aforesaid by said Ellis to said John S by deed bearing this date hath granted bargained & sold & by these presents doth grant bargain & sell alien & convey unto the said Ellis W. Lancaster his heirs & assigns forever certain several tracts or parcels of land in the said county of Lewis & State of Missouri Known by their designations in the land office as follows: The east half of the south east quarter of section number thirty three township number sixty one north of the base line Range six west of the fifth principal meridian containing 80 acres. Also the west half of the same quarter same section & Range containing 80 acres. Also the north east quarter of southwest quarter of the same section township & range, containing 40 acres. Also the north half of the east half of the northwest quarter of section number four, township number sixty north of the base line range number six west containing 38 acres 112 ¾ poles – To Have and To Hold the said tracts or parcels of land together with all & singular the appurtenances & improvements thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining unto him the said Ellis W. Lancaster his heirs & assigns forever. And the said John S Lancaster doth covenant with the said Ellis that he will warrant & forever defend the title to the premises hereby conveyed against the claim or claims of all persons whatsoever to him the said Ellis his heirs & assigns forever. In testimony whereof the said John S. Lancaster & Mary his wife have hereunto set their hand & affixed their seal the date first herein written.

John S. Lancaster (seal)
Mary Lancaster (seal)

Commonwealth of Kentucky Shelby County.
Be it remembered that on this 20 day of December 1842 personally appeared before the undersigned two of the Commonwealth Justices of the peace for the County aforesaid the written named John S. Lancaster & Mary Lancaster his wife parties grantors in the within & foregoing Indenture and subscribed & acknowledged the said Indentured to be their acts & deeds for the purposes therein mentioned – And the said Mary Lancaster being examined by us privately & apart from her said husband declared that she did freely & willingly sign seal and deliver the said Indenture without threats, persuasions or undue influence of her said husband. I acknowledged the said Indenture again shown & explained to her to be her act & deed & declared that she did not wish to retract the same and consented that the same might be recorded which is certified to the proper office for record. Given under our hands & seals as Justices of the peace in & for the county of Shelby & State of Kentucky the date above written.

Saml Harbison (seal)
W. Kinkade (seal)

State of Kentucky }
Shelby County sct } I James S Whitaker clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid certify that Samuel Harbison & William Kinkade before whom the above acknowledgments were taken are & were at the time of doing the same acting Justices of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid duly commissioned and qualified according to law, & that full faith & credit is due & ought to be given to all their office in acts as such & that the above signatures purporting to be theirs are genuine.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Court at Shelbyville this 20th day of December 1842.

James S. Whitaker, Clerk 566
By R. T. Whitaker D.C.

Filed for Record March 13th 1843. J.H. Blair Recorder.

FamilySearch Summarization
The new feature gives a summary of the deed as shown here:

AI-generated from the transcription below.

John S. Lancaster and Mary, his wife, of Shelby County, Kentucky, exchanged land with Ellis W. Lancaster of Lewis County, Missouri on December 16, 1842. John S. Lancaster paid Ellis W. Lancaster three hundred dollars for the land in Kentucky, and in return, Ellis received various parcels of land in Missouri. The indenture was acknowledged and recorded in Shelby County, Kentucky on December 20, 1842.

Dates

• December 16, 1842: Land exchange between John S. Lancaster and Ellis W. Lancaster
• December 20, 1842: Indenture acknowledged and recorded in Shelby County, Kentucky

Names and Relationships

• John S. Lancaster: Landowner
• Mary Lancaster: Wife of John S. Lancaster
• Ellis W. Lancaster: Landowner, recipient of land in exchange for Kentucky property, possibly related to John S. Lancaster

This summary does have important elements of the transaction; however, the land descriptions are not listed. I consider land description to also be important. I would add to this summary the following the description of the land in Lewis County:

• First land: east half of the southeast quarter of Section 33, Township 61N, R 6W, 80 acres
• Second land: west half of the southeast quarter of Section 33, Township 61N, R 6W, 80 acres
• Third land: northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 33, Township 61N, R 6W, 40 acres
• Fourth land: north half of the east half of the northwest quarter of Section 4, Township 60N, R 6W, 39 acres 112 ¾ poles

The description of the land in Shelby County, Kentucky:

• the undivided interest of said Ellis in the certain land in Shelby County, Kentucky

The summary might be helpful for those who are just starting to use deed records. It does point out the main points of the transaction. By adding the descriptions of the land, the summary is improved.

Like all AI-generated text, it is important to double-check for any errors or omissions by the bot. It is up to the human to verify.

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[1] Lewis County, Missouri, deed, v. F, p. 152-53, John S. Lancaster to Ellis W. Lancaster, 1842, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C391-W91P-2 : accessed 31 July 2024), citing IGN 008489661, image 421 of 617.

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