Cecil County Land Record Book, Liber HHM, Number 1, Folio 91

Article of Agreement made and concluded this twenty first day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven between Hugh Crawford (agent for William Crawford Jr of Baltimore) of Cecil County State of Maryland of the one part and Ransler Biddle of the same County and State of the other part: Witnesseth that the said Crawford doth bargain and sell unto the said Biddle, the farm known by the name Hicory Grove lying and situate on the road leading from Turkey Town to Dysarts Tavern for the sum of one Thousand Dollars, the payments are as follows. Fifty Dollars on the sighnments of the article and Two hundred and fifty Dollars on the twenty fifth day of next March when possession is to be given and the remaining seven hundred to be paid in two equal instalments in one and two years, that is, Three Hundred and Fifty Dollars each year bearing interest from the day of possession. On the payment of the whole the said Biddle is to get a substantial Warrantee Deed from William Crawford Jr Baltimore. The said Biddle is to cut and sell no wood of the place, he is to have privileges to cut wood for fencing and sufficiency of firewood for one fire and is to cut wood to burn lime to put on the place, but is to sell no Lime only to the said Crawford for in consideration we the above parties have set our hand and seals on the day aforesaid.

Hugh Crawford

Ranseler Biddle

Attest: William C Hapone

Know all men by these presents that I Ransalan Biddle of Cecil County and State of Maryland one of the parties to the within article of agreement for and in consideration of the sum of Two Hundred dollars to me in hand paid by Jacob Biddle of the County and State aforesaid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have assigned and made over and by these presents do assign and make over to the said Jacob Biddle his heirs and assigns, all my right, title and interest in the within article of agreement and the property therein named and described and intended to be bargained for. To Have and To Hold the same for the only proper use and behoof of the said Jacob Biddle his heirs and assigns, and I hereby authorize him or them to receive in his or their own name a deed therefor. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty fifth day of September in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty two.

Ranseler Biddle

Signed Sealed and delivered in the presence f

John W Morgan, Wm H Gowland*

State of Maryland, Cecil County

Be it rememberd and it is hereby certified that on this twenty fifth day of September in the year eighteen hundred and fifty two, before the subscribers two Justices of the Peace of the State of Maryland in and for the County of Cecil aforesaid personally appears Ransalaer Biddle, he being known to us to be the person who is named and described as and professing to be a party to the foregoing instruments of writing and doth acknowledge the same to be his act and deed. In testimony whereof we hereunto subscribe our names on the day and year aforesaid.

John W Morgan Wm H Gowland*

Received Sept 28th 1852 of the assignee named in the aforegoing deed of assignment one dollar for Stamp duty on the same.

H H Mitchell Clk

Recorded this 28th day of September 1852 and examined

Per H H Mitchell Clerk

*the first letter of this surname is hard to make out -- I believe it is a "G" but I cannot be sure [[PDA 7-Aug-01]]