The deed books maintained by the Office of the Clerk for the Circuit Court of Albemarle County reflect the following transfers related to Limestone Farm:

• 1761 -- October 19, 1761 Indenture agreement recording conveyance from Nelson Anderson to Robert Sharp, Sr. of 590 acres, along the Plum Creek Branch (also called the Limestone Branch), to the south of the Three Notched Road and north of the Rivanna River. Deed Book 3, page 135.
  
  
• 1816 -- September 10, 1816 Indenture agreement recording the conveyance from Thomas B. Sharp of 175 acres to James Monroe in exchange for $1,541.25 "current money of Virginia." This Indenture described the parcel as follows:

  [O]ne certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in the County of Albemarle Containing one hundred and seventy five acres and bounded as follows, Viz. Begining at a forked white oak corner to a tract of land belonging to Rievis and running thence 45 West 253 poles to a dead pine to the land of David Michie thence 47 West 96 poles to a white hickory on the side of creek thence North 38 E 86 poles to a break in the creek thence North 34 poles to a crook in the creek thence North 70 [degrees] [East] eight poles to ditto in the Creek, thence North 3 W 28 poles to ditto thence North 33 W 14 poles to ditto thence South 38 E 8 poles Thence North 27 E 21 poles to the fork of the creek to a walnut Thence So 74 1/2 E 15 1/2 poles to a Pine Thence E 30 poles to a Walnut and white oak where a gate now stands, Thence North 86 E 34 poles to a Walnut, Thence South 87 E 30 poles to a Walnut Thence So 65 E 12 poles to a walnut near a lime stone quarry Thence So 62 E 71 to the begining . . . .

  This Indenture was signed and sealed by Thomas B. Sharp. He produced and acknowledged this Indenture and an accompanying plat drawing to the Clerk of the Albemarle County Court on October 7, 1816, and it was recorded on that date. The plat drawing was also recorded in this Deed Book entry, and it shows this parcel was bounded on the north by property owned by Robert Sharp, Sr., on the east by Martin Dawson's tract, and on the west by David Michie's property. The plat description in the deed is notable for its use of the term "ditto" and its extensive reference to multiple trees and different bends in the local creek. This may have prompted the desire to record a plat drawing with the Indenture. Deed Book 20, pages 183-85.
  
  

• 1816 -- September 16, 1816 Deed of Trust recording the conveyance from James Monroe to Thomas B. Sharp of a security interest in the 175 acres Sharp conveyed to Monroe by an Indenture dated September 10, 1816. Monroe purchased the 175 acre tract for $1,541.25 "current money of Virginia," and owed a balance of $1,531.25. He executed a Deed of Trust with Thomas B. Sharp, administrator of the estate of the deceased Robert Sharp, Sr., and Martin Dawson as trustees. If Monroe did not pay the balance due by September 9, 1817, Thomas Sharp and Martin Dawson could sell the tract to satisfy the debt. This Deed of Trust is signed and sealed by James Monroe, Thomas Sharp, and Martin Dawson, with James Wood, Richard Sharp and George Gilmer as witnesses. It was produced and acknowledged by Thomas Sharp, Richard Sharp and Martin Dawson, and "proved as to James Monroe . . . by the oaths of Isham Chisholm and Richard Sharp," to the Clerk of the Albemarle County Court and recorded on October 7, 1816. Alexander Garrett was Clerk. Deed Book 20, pages 185-86.
  
  
• 1816 -- September 28, 1816 Indenture agreement recording the conveyance from Richard Sharp (brother to Thomas) of 146 1/2 acres to James Monroe in exchange for $1,778. This Indenture described the parcel as follows:

  [A] certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in the County of Albemarle on the south side of the three notched road containing by a late survey One hundred and forty six and one third acres and bounded as follows Viz. Begining at a hickory and Corner to David Michie thence North 77 West 95 poles to a large red Oak Thence North 50 E 113 poles to a red Oak corner to Michie and Smith thence South 47 E 40 poles to a small spanish oak thence North 49 E 64 poles to a red Oak stump Corner to Huckstep thence along the meanders of the three notched road to the corner of a fence thence South 41 West 187 poles to a poplar corner to Mrs. Sharp thence South 87 1/2 West 54 poles to a forked pine thence North 73 West 343 poles to a walnut corner to Michie thence along the meanders of the plum tree branch [also called the Limestone Branch] to the Begining . . . .

  This Indenture was signed and sealed by Richard Sharp and his wife Nancy, with Reuben Lindsay, James Wood and Henry Hill as witnesses. It was produced and acknowledged by Richard and Nancy Sharp to the Clerk of the Albemarle County Court and recorded on October 7, 1816. Alexander Garrett was the Clerk. Deed Book 20, page 189.
  
  
• 1817 -- May 6, 1817 Indenture agreement recording conveyance from James Brown, Robert Rives, and a surveying company of Brown & Rives to James Monroe of 380 acres in exchange for consideration of $2,500. This parcel is described as follows:

  [O]ne certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in the County of Albemarle containing by estimation three hundred and eighty acres be the same more or less and bounded as follows, to wit, beginning at a dead pine thence N 47 E two hundred and forty poles to pointers in Robert Sharpes line thence S 55 E one hunded ninty eight poles to pointers being a new line thence S 37 E one hundred forty poles to a pine thence south 47 E sixty seven poles to a pine [and] pointers in a bottom thence south 48 W one hundred [and] forty three poles to pointers in [a] bottom in Peter Bermaids line thence north 40 W one hundred and twenty poles to pointers in Hugh Nelsons line thence N 45 W twenty poles N 45 E Nineteen poles N 45 W eighty one poles to dead pine in Randolph Lewises line being the beginning . . . .

  This Indenture was signed and sealed by James Brown and Robert Rives, and ordered to be recorded by the Clerk of the Albemarle County Circuit Court on July 2, 1817. William Wertenbaker was the Clerk of the Court. Deed Book 20, pages 359-61.
  
  
• 1817 -- October 1, 1817 Indenture agreement by James Monroe conveying a life estate tenancy in 800 acres of the Limestone plantation to Andrew Monroe and his wife Frances, in exchange for consideration of $1.00 and the "natural love and affection which he beareth to the said Andrew." The parcel for which this life estate was granted was described as follows:

  [T]he tract of land in the County [of Albemarle] on which [Andrew and Frances] now live on the North side of the Rivanna river about a mile and a half therefrom and about three miles from Milton being all the land now owned by the said James Monroe in that neighborhood amounting to about eight hundred acres being the land purchased by the said James Monroe of Thomas B. Sharp, Richard Sharp and Martin Dawson acting for himself or of Reives and Company . . . .

  This Indenture was signed and sealed by James Monroe with John Watson, William D. Fitch, and Fleming Douglass as witnesses. It was produced and acknowledged on November 3, 1817, by the oaths of these witnesses before the Clerk of the Albemarle County Court and recorded on that date. William Wertenbaker was the Clerk. Deed Book 21, pages 143-44.
  
  This grant of a life estate was relinquished and nullified by Andrew and Frances Monroe by Articles of Agreement signed and sealed by them and James Monroe on October 12, 1822. This agreement of release was recorded by the Clerk of the Albemarle County Circuit Court on December 23, 1822, based on the certifications of John Watson and Martin Dawson, two justices of the peace for Albemarle County. Ira Garrett was the Clerk. Deed Book 23, pages 239-41.
  
  
• 1823 -- January 9, 1823 Deed of Mortgage recording conveyance from James Monroe to Charles I. Ingersoll of a security interest in the Limestone farm, estimated to contain 700 to 800 acres. This security was given for a debt owed by Monroe to Ingersoll of "five thousand dollars lawful gold or silver money of these United States conditioned for the payment of two thousand five hundred dollars lawful money of the United States in gold or silver or its equivalent value." A receipt is recorded after this Deed of Mortgage in which Ingersoll acknowledged repayment of $1,000 of that debt by Monroe on July 25, 1823.
  
  This Deed of Trust was signed and sealed by Monroe. John Moulder and R. Briscoe, two justices of the peace of the District of Columbia, were witnesses and provided certifications. The deed was recorded by the Clerk of the Albemarle County Court on August 6, 1823 based on those certifications. Alexander Garrett was the Clerk. Deed Book 24, pages 24-27.
  
  
• 1825 -- April 5, 1825 Deed of Trust recording conveyance from James Monroe, of the "County of Loudoun and State of Virginia, late President of the United States and Elizabeth his wife," to "John Hooff, Cashier of the Farmers Bank of Alexandria," of a security interest in the Limestone farm for a note indebting Monroe to the bank for $4,735.76. The security for this debt was Monroe's 708 acres at his Limestone farm, related improvements, and a number of slaves. This Deed of Trust set forth a description of the parcel, improvements and slaves included in this security interest which is the same as that set forth in John Hooff's July 7, 1826 release of this Deed of Trust.
  
  This Deed of Trust was signed and sealed by James and Elizabeth Monroe and by John Hooff. It was certified by justices of the peace in Loudoun County (as to the Monroes' signatures) and in the District of Columbia (as to Hooff's signature). It was recorded by the Clerk of the Albemarle County Court on April 15, 1825, based on those certifications. Ira Garrett was the Clerk.
  
  
• 1826 -- July 7, 1826 Indenture agreement by John Hooff, Jr., Cashier of the Farmers Bank of Alexandria, releasing James Monroe "of Loudoun County" from an April 5, 1825 Deed of Trust that Monroe had conveyed as security for a debt of $4,735.76, in exchange for consideration of $1.00 and full payment of that debt. The security for this debt was Monroe's 708 acres at his Limestone farm, related improvements, and a number of slaves. This release described that security as follows:

  [A]ll that piece or parcel of land situated lying and being in Albemarle County . . . three miles below Milton and about one from the Rivanna . . . consisting of seven hundred and eight acres divided into two tracts with a good farm dwelling house and other improvements on each, and every part and parcel thereof . . . together with the following Negro slaves -- Jepe, Charles, Nelson a Blacksmith all young men and brothers, William a carpenter, Joe and Eve his wife and their four children Armistead and Zachariah both young men. Toby and Betsey his wife with their children Solomon [and] marey his Wife Ned [and] Peggy his wife . . . .

  The note on which Monroe owed the $4,735.76 was "drawn by [him] under date of the 5th of April, 1825 and payable twelve months thereafter which said note was endorsed by Thomas Swann and Humphrey Peake and discounted at Farmers bank of Alexandria for the accommodation of the said James Monroe which said note has been fully paid and discharged."
  
  This Indenture of release was signed and sealed by John Hooff. It was certified by two justices of the peace of the District of Columbia on July 7, 1826, and recorded by the Clerk of the Albemarle County Circuit Court on July 22, 1826, based on those certifications. Ira Garrett was the Clerk. Deed Book 26, apges 80-81.
  
  
• 1826 -- July 17, 1826 Indenture agreement by Charles I. Ingersoll of Philadelphia, releasing James Monroe from a January 9, 1823 Deed of Mortgage that Monroe had conveyed as security for a debt of "five thousand dollars conditioned for the payment of two thousand five hundred dollars due and payable on the first day of July [1823] . . . together with lawful interest," in exchange for the full payment of that $2,500 debt.
  
  The security for this debt was Monroe's Limestone farm, "containing between seven and eight hundred acres divided into two farms." This parcel is described as being "bounded on the one side by the main road leading from the Western Country to Richmond [the Three Chops Road] and running on the other within one mile of the Rivanna River adjoining the lands of David Michie and Charles Everette."
  
  This Indenture of release was signed and sealed by Charles I. Ingersoll, and certified on July 18, 1826 by Richard Peters, "Judge of the District Court for the United States," for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. It was recorded by the Clerk of the Albemarle County Circuit Court, based on that certification, on August 7, 1826. Alexander Garrett was the Clerk. Deed Book 26, page 87.
  
  
• 1826 -- September 20, 1826 Deed of Trust recording conveyance from James Monroe to William Dandridge, William Roane, and other officials of the Bank of Virginia, of security for a debt of $3,560.73 set forth in a "bond" (or note) executed the same day by Monroe. This deed provided the Limestone farm and a number of slaves as security for that debt. The Limestone farm is described as adjoining the lands of David Michie, Charles Huckstep and others. The security set forth in this deed is described as follows:

  [705] acres more or less with all buildings and improvements thereon also the following slaves to wit Toby [and] Betsey his wife [and] their seven children now living, Dudley [and] Eve his wife [and] their two children now living which said Slaves are at this time in the said James Monroe's estate in Albemarle above Milton together with the increase of the females . . . .

  The estate "above Milton" was the Highland plantation. The Limestone farm was often described as being located "below" Milton on the Rivanna. If accurately recorded, this is an interesting provision, given the fact that Monroe sold the Highland estate to Edward Goodwin on January 1, 1826. It would thus appear that some accommodation had been worked out with Goodwin for the location of Monroe's slaves for a period of time.
  
  This Deed of Trust was signed and sealed by Monroe, with George Hay as a witness. Monroe produced and acknowledged this Deed of Trust to the Clerk of the Albemarle County Circuit Court on October 2, 1826, and it was recorded on that date. The Clerk was Alexander Garrett.
  
  
• 1827 -- July 7, 1827 deed recording conveyance from William Dandridge, Jr. to George C. Blaetterman of 705 acres. Deed Book 27, page 216.
  

Last Modified: September 2, 2012