My Trails into the Past

This week, I’m taking the Land Platting class at GRIP (Genealogy Research Institute of Pittsburgh) now run by NGS. This course is taught by Jerry Smith, Kimberly Powell, and Sydney Cruice. We have learned lots of skills, platting, placing our plats on topo maps, and solving problems. In my spare time, I have platted the four deeds concerning Amos’ land in Ohio township. The first piece of land was described as follows: On 13 September 1836, Amos purchased 124 acres of land situated in South Beaver and Ohio Townships with a mortgage of $496 from the Famers and Mechanics Bank, land described as: “Beginning at the southwest corner at a post, thence by land of said Bank N89E 159 perches, 5/10 to a post, thence by land of William Shearer, N148 perches to a post, thence by land in the possession of Jacob Todd S80W 165 perches to a white oak grubb, thence by land in possession of same, S1W 116 perches to the place of beginning, containing 124 acres and allowance (being part of a larger ...

Amos Gorrell, Senior, was born perhaps on 7 August 1804 in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. [1] He married Leah Wollam on 24 May 1827 in Columbiana County, Ohio by William Reed. [2] Columbiana County is just west of Beaver County. He died 14 September 1890 in Ross County, Ohio. [3] The questions to answer in this session are: When did he purchase real estate? When did he move to Ohio? I’ll be looking at census, tax, and deed records, and searching in full-text search. 1830s Amos did not appear in the 1830 census, even though he was married with a wife. Likely, he lived with a parent. Four Gorrell households were enumerated in 1830 Beaver County. Samuel Gorrell had one male age 30 to 39 and one female aged 40 to 49 with one male under 5. [4] James Gorrell had one male 40 to 49 and a male 15-19. [5] Sarah Gorrell had one male 15 to 19, and 20 to 29, one female 15 to 19, 20 to 29, and 50 to 59. [6] And on the previous page: Joseph Gorrell had one male 20 to 29, 3 males under 5, and ...