Benjamin Say Deed
Scope and Content
This collection consists of a deed of sale between Benjamin Say and Richard Mason for the sale of 5,000 acres in 1787. The deed describes the land as situated on the west fork of the Monongalia River, straddling the two Virginian (now part of West Virginia) counties of Monongalia and Harrison. The document was drawn up and signed in Philadelphia, PA. It states that on December 13, the full purchase amount of one hundred and twenty five pounds will be paid. Additionally, it names Samuel Hanway as the land's surveyor.
Dates
- Creation: 1787 - 1787
Access Restrictions
Collection is open to research.
Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Biographical/Historical Information
Benjamin Say, the seller of the land deed, was a "physick" or physician based in Philadelphia, PA. The purchaser of the land deed, Richard Mason, was a merchant who came from the same city.
Harrison County, where the 5,000 acres of land were mainly situated, was created from Monongalia County in 1784; it was named for Benjamin Harrison, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. In 1787, the same year of the deed's creation, the first courthouse was built in Harrison County. Monongalia County, where a portion of the land was also situated in, was founded eight years earlier in 1776. In the national census of 1790, Monongalia County had the sixth largest population out of nine counties that make up present-day West Virginia at 4,768 inhabitants.
Dilger, Dr. Robert J. "Harrison County History." Harrison County Economic Development. WVU Institute for Public Affairs. Web. 24 June 2010. http://www.polsci.wvu.edu/wv/Harrison/harihistory.html
Dilger, Dr. Robert J. "Monongalia County History." Monongalia County Economic Development. WVU Institute for Public Affairs. Web. 23 June 2010. http://www.polsci.wvu.edu/wv/Monongalia/monhistory.html
Full Extent
1 Cubic Feet (1 oversize folder)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Deed between Benjamin Say and Richard Mason in 1787 for the purchase of 5,000 acres of land located on the west fork of the Monongalia River, situated in present-day Harrison County, WV.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by material type.
Acquisition Information
The Benjamin Say Deed was purchased by Special Collections in 2010.
General Physical Description note
1 oversized folder; 0.1 cu ft
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the Benjamin Say Deed were commenced and completed in June 2010.
Subject
- Say, Benjamin, 1755-1813 (Person)
- Mason, Richard (Person)
- Title
- A Guide to the Benjamin Say Deed, 1787
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Julia Viets
- Date
- © 2010 By Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. All rights reserved.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Description is in English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu