Created in 1777 from Fincastle County, which originally covered all of western Virginia including Kentucky, Montgomery has been very important in the development of region. You will note that these deed records start before the creation of the county which means settlers had been coming into the region very early and staking claims to lands. Each of the abstractions of the deeds give the names of the parties, dates, neighbors, witnesses and signature. In many cases, when the party/parties could not read and write, they made their mark and we have duplicated those marks as best as we could.
Example from this volume:
“Page 133 - EDMONDSON TO BUCHANAN
July 27, 1775 - William Edmiston of Fincastle Co. for the one part and Andrew Buchanan of the same County for the other part. For 48.12.0 current money of Virginia from Buchanan to Edmiston for the release of a tract of land containing 324 acres lying in the Fincastle between the Middle and South forks of the Holston River being a part of a 1000 acre grant of patent to Edmiston dated July 5, 1774 under the King’s Proclamation of 1763, adj. Moses Buchanan. Signed: William Edmiston and Margaret Edmiston [her mark] Witnesses: George Buchanan; William Edmiston; and John Baley. Recorded August 1, 1775.
[Note: This is one of a series of deeds for William Edmiston/Edmondson which is spelled both ways all the way through them.]
James L. Douthat
1987, paper, 116 pp.
101-VA0137
