Legal documents tend to be a bit dry and uninteresting, but that doesn’t always have to be the case. The following is a deed recorded in the County Recorder’s Office in Beardstown, Illinois:
J. Henry Shaw To Charles E. Wyman
Deed, filed for Record August 9th, 1881 at One O’clock P.M. Ferris E. Downing Recorder.
I, J. Henry Shaw, the Grantor herein,
Who lives at Beardstown, Cass County within.
For seven hundred dollars to me paid today,
To Charles E Wyman do sell and convey.
Lot two (2) in Block forty (40), said county and town,
Where Illinois River flows placidly down.
And warrant the title forever and aye,
Waiving homestead and mansion, to both a good bye.
And pledging this deed is valid in Law,
I add here my signature, J. Henry Shaw (seal)
This was further attested to by the justice of the peace:
I, Sylvester Emmons, who lives at Beardstown,
A Justice of Peace of fame and renown.
Of the County of Cass and Illinois State,
Do certify here that on this same date,
One J. Henry Shaw to me did make known,
That the deed above and name are his own.
And he stated he sealed and delivered the same
Voluntarily, freely, and never would claim
His homestead therein; but left all alone,
Turned his face to the street and his back to his home.
August 1 st. AD 1881 S Emmons J.P. (seal)
You Can Reign in Hell (Michigan)
In Paradise Lost, John Milton paints a word picture of Satan being cast into Hell. The fallen angel, in making his choice of eternal rebellion, declares, “Better to reign in hell than serve in heav’n.” (Paradise Lost, Book One, lines 254-263). We sincerely hope none of our readers will follow his example. There is, however,…
Keep reading
Human Memory Began on Thursday, July 6, 1189
“Time immemorial.” That’s the term we use to describe anything that has been around for so long that no one knows when it started. It is older than human memory. It refers to how long we have had the practice of greeting each other by shaking hands. It describes the amount of time since the…
Keep reading
Shoes, Buildings, Sand, and Cheese — the Outlandish Spending Sprees of Imelda Marcos
Imelda Marcos (born 1929) was the First Lady of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. She made a name for herself as one of the biggest spendthrifts of all time, taking the position that money is no obstacle to happiness. Unfortunately, the money wasn’t hers to spend. She and her husband, Ferdinand Marcos, amassed a…
Keep readingCategories: Laws and Lawyers
Commonplace Fun Facts 