Upper Merion Digital Archives
Valley Forge National Historical Park
Note: in these deed histories distances are quoted in perches (p) of length 16.5 feet. Areas are quoted in acres (a) and square perches (p). There are 160 square perches to an acre. In a few cases roods (a quarter of an acre) are also used.
Deed Files
- FT - see Forge Tracts for deed history
- Cotton Mill tract
- Encampment Interior
- King of Prussia
- Mount Joy
- Outer Line
- Port Kennedy
Deed list copied from Chester County deed V59-484
Grist Mill & Washington’s Headquarters, Montgomery County | |||||
From |
To |
Date |
Area |
Cost |
Reference |
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Joseph Potts |
Isaac Potts |
9/30/1773 |
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Montgomery deed 3-416 (not in Chester County) |
Isaac Potts |
Benjamin Rowland |
12/31/1784 |
1/8 of 105a |
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Mont. 65-68 |
Isaac Potts |
Norris Jones |
12/31/1784 |
3/8 of 105a |
|
Mont. 65-59 |
Benjamin Rowland |
Norris Jones |
9/1/1787 |
1/8 of 105a |
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Mont. 65-78 |
Norris Jones |
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9/2/1787 |
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died |
Isaac & Martha Potts |
Jacob Paul, miller |
12/16/1793 |
½ of 105a |
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Montgomery deed 9-243 |
Thomas Harrison & Isaac Lloyd, executors of the will of Norris Jones |
Jacob Paul, miller |
4/1/1795 |
½ of 105a |
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Messuage, grist mill and land in Upper Merion. Montgomery deed 9-245 |
David & Mary Potts |
Jacob Paul |
10/1/1796 |
9a 113p |
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Q2-226; Valley Forge meadow |
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Jacob Paul |
Joseph Paul, son |
3/8/1806 (will); 4/10/1814 (probate?) |
115a |
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died; Mill & Plantation of 115a to my son. Will Phila. #144 |
Joseph Paul of Germantown and Elizabeth, his wife |
Joseph Thomas of Northern Liberites, Doctor of Physick |
1/30/1826 |
105a + 9a |
$10,000 |
O4-482 (and Mont. 54-101), includes Grist Mill |
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Joseph Thomas of Northern Liberites and Mary, his wife |
James Jones |
8/19/1826 |
114a 115p |
$10,000 |
O4-485 (and Mont. 54-105) |
James Jones |
Nathaniel, John & Caleb Jones, Hannah Ogden, Ann Chrisman |
Probate 7/30/1849 |
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died; Mont. will 9-52 |
John P. & Margaret Jones |
Nathaniel, & Caleb Jones, Hannah Ogden, Ann Chrisman |
10/13/1852 |
65a 62p |
$2,000 |
Miscellaneous 8-60; Montgomery 85-398; release |
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George & Ann Chrisman |
Nathaniel, & Caleb Jones, Hannah Ogden |
12/29/1852 |
65a 62p |
$2,500 |
Miscellaneous 8-61; Montgomery 85-400. Release |
Hannah Ogden, Nathan H. Jones, and Caleb P. Jones |
Reading railroad |
12/15/1854 |
815 ft2 + 1.16a |
$375 |
94-499; pump house and reservoir |
Caleb Jones |
Nathaniel Jones & Hannah Ogden |
6/16/1865 (will) |
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died; Mont. Will 11-258 |
Hannah Ogden |
Nathan H. Jones |
4/21/1866 |
82.46p |
$100 |
142-538; part of James Jones property |
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Nathaniel and Elizabeth Jones & Hannah Ogden |
Isaiah Knauer |
4/4/1870 |
4a 83p |
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X7-312; mill; see Grist / Paper Mill below |
Hannah Ogden |
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8/14/1882 (probate) |
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died |
Isaiah Knauer |
Martha J. Bean |
7/16/1892 |
421p, part of 4a 82p |
$500 |
Mont. 373-487 |
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| Estate of Nathaniel Jones | 1897 | ||||
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Assignees of Jacob Vodges |
Abraham Brower |
8/29/1816 |
1a 116p + 3a 104p |
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96-329 |
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Grist / Paper mill | |||||
Nathaniel and Elizabeth Jones & Hannah Ogden |
Isaiah Knauer |
4/4/1870 |
4a 83p |
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X7-312; mill |
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Nathaniel & Elizabeth Jones |
Hannah Ogden |
1/13/1871 |
½ part of 94.5p |
$1 |
V7-125 |
Isaiah Knauer’s Paper Mill |
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1873 |
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Witmer’s atlas |
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Branch 1 | |||||
| Henry Kline, sheriff | Henry Dodgson | 1887 | Sheriff's book 6?-129 | ||
| Henry Dodgson | Joseph Dodgson, nephew | 3/16/1905 (will proved) | died | ||
| Joseph & Elizabeth Dodgson | Robert Hey | 5/9/1905 | 2a 46p | $1 | 557-173; mill |
| Robert Hey | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | 3/20/1908 | 2a 46p or 5.3a | $6,500 | 589-436 and O13-42 Mill |
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Branch 2 | |||||
Isaiah Knauer |
Matthias Pennypacker |
6/20/1876 |
2a 46p |
$12,000 |
U8-176 |
Jacob Tyson, sheriff, debt of Matthias Pennypacker |
John Hoy |
3/6/1880 |
2a 46p |
$10,000 |
L9-58; paper mill, water power & machinery; Samuel Clugston tennant |
American Palm Pulp Paper Co. |
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1883 |
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Breou’s atlas |
| 563-108 | |||||
| 596-385 | |||||
Map tile #122 - Washington Inn | |||||
John Albin Shaw, executor of the will of Sarah Shaw |
Thomas Kendall |
5/7/1903 |
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502-115 |
Thomas & Florence Kendall |
Daniel Voorhees |
5/2/1908 |
1.95a (calculated) |
$20,500 |
591-330 |
Executors of the will of Daniel Voorhees |
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
6/26/1943 |
0.463a |
$110,000 |
1539-89 |
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Map tile #123 - Voorhees tract | |||||
Thomas & Florence Kendall |
Daniel Voorhees |
5/2/1908 |
1.95a (calculated) |
$20,500 |
591-330 |
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Daniel Voorhees |
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
8/30/1923 |
1.031a |
$24,000 |
1046-403 |
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Map tile #124 - Rowen tract | |||||
Frank H. Rowen |
Anna Bernhardt |
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| Anna Bernhardt | Mary Rowen | 5/13/1908 | 9327.50 ft2 | $1,500 | 592-321 |
| Mary & Frank Rowen | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | 5/10/1918 | 0.215a | 771-128 | |
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Map tile #125 - Washington's HQ | |||||
Hannah Ogden |
William Holstein for the Centennial and Memorial Association |
5/1/1879 |
2a 22.83p |
$6,000 |
Mont. 252-83; Washington’s HQ; see Valley Forge - Making and Remaking a National Symbol by Lorett Treese |
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Hannah Ogden |
William Holstein |
2/4/1880 |
1a 40p |
$6,000 |
Mont. 252-88 |
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Memorial Association |
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
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deed not found |
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Map tile #126 - Cutler tract | |||||
Equitable Trust |
Thomas & Anna Maria Cutler |
20/4/1911 |
1.432a |
$2,500 |
658-332 |
Thomas & Anna Maria Cutler |
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
1/24/1916 |
1.432a |
$5,500 |
738-543 |
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Map tile #127 - John Rex tract | |||||
| Edwin Stahlnecker, Sheriff | John Rex | 10/10/1885 | Sheriff's deed H-407 | ||
| John Rex | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | 4/15/1905 | 0.2535 | $500 | 534-91 |
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Map tile #128 - Shoddy Mill tract | |||||
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
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deed not found |
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Map tile #129 - John Rex west tract | |||||
| John Rex | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | 4/15/1905 | 2a 46p or 5.3a?? | 534-90 | |
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Map tile #130 - John Rex east tract | |||||
| John Rex | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | 4/15/1905 | 2a 46p or 5.3a?? | 534-90 | |
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Carter tract on Mount Joy | |||||
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Estate of J. B. Carter |
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1893? |
75a |
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Haupt & Franklin plan |
James B. Carter |
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3/5/1896 |
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died |
Witford Riddle, administrator of the estate of J. B. Carter |
Julius Wellner |
11/20/1905 |
part of 113a 11p |
$13,500 |
Mont. 545-269; Valley Forge Mills |
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Julius Wellner |
Thomas & Anna Maria Cutler |
10/19/1906 |
½ part |
$4,000 |
Mont. 563-108 |
Julius Wellner |
Thomas & Anna Maria Cutler |
7/15/1908 |
½ part |
$4,650 and mortgages |
Mont. 596-385 |
Thomas & Anna Maria Cutler |
William & Ebenezer Lund |
11/2/1908 |
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Lease. Trading as William Lind & Son, 2nd & Erie Streets, Camden |
Thomas Cutler |
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1912 |
75a |
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Map |
Thomas & Anna Maria Cutler |
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
4/24/1916 |
69.955a |
$14,000 |
Mont. 747-155 purchased by 563-108 and 596-385 |
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Branch B.2 | |||||
From |
To |
Date |
Area |
Cost |
Reference |
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Charles H. Rogers |
Sarah Shaw |
5/22/1868 |
50a 143p |
$5,000 |
Mont. 160-61 |
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John F. & Anna Brinton |
Sarah Shaw |
7/13/1870 |
29.58p |
$300 |
Mont. 181-456 |
Charles H. Rogers |
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1883 |
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Breou’s atlas |
Sarah Shaw |
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1/20/1900 |
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died |
John A. Shaw, exec. of Sarah Shaw |
Thomas Kendall |
5/7/1903 |
145.25p |
$15,000 |
Mont. 502-115 |
John A. Shaw, exec. of Sarah Shaw |
Carrie D. Shaw |
7/31/1905 |
9,327.5 ft2 |
$1,150 |
Mont. 543-10; next to Washington's HQ |
Thomas Kendall |
David Vorhees |
5/2/1908 |
145.25p |
$20,500 |
Mont. 591-330 |
David Vorhees |
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
8/30/1923 |
1.031a |
$24,000 |
Mont. 1046-403 |
