More on the Browers of Lee, Oneida County, New York

It's been some time since I've had the chance to work on the BROWERs of Lee, New York. Following up on the post of June 20, 2019 where the early Browers of Lee, Oneida County were identified primarily through the use of the early U. S. census records, we now what to examine land records in Oneida County for deeds involving these individuals.

Land Records for Oneida County, New York can be found online at FamilySearch.org through their online catalog. See this page. There is a link for "New York Land Records available online," which takes you to a new page from which you can gain access to land records by county. However, select Oneida County here and you will see that the complete catalog of land records for Oneida County is NOT available on the page selected. Go back to the page accessed via the catalog, scroll down, and you will find the complete list of films, which can, by clicking on that little camera icon on the right, be viewed online. There are indexes for Grantors and Grantees covering various periods of years. The indexes are followed (as you scroll down) by the numerous deed books. (Apparently the deed books for Oneida County are located on the page for Herkimer County when accessed through the "New York Land Records" collection).

I first want to look at the Grantees index with the hope of finding the earliest land buyers in Lee. Remember from the June 20 post, the first appearance of Browers in Lee is on the 1830 U. S. census. Is there a record of a Brower in Lee prior to 1830? The Grantee Index A-B, 1791-1884 is found here.  This index is alphabetized by the first three letters of the last name, and then chronologically. Grantees beginning with BRO begin at page 229 (image 371).

The earliest dated deed for a Brower is not found until 1839 (Grantee index image 378) which is the date it was recorded. There are two deeds for purchases of land by John Brower from Catherine Muller. The deeds are found in Oneida Co. Deeds vol. 88, pages 455 and 457. The first (p. 455) is dated 10 February 1837, whereby Catharine Muller, late of the City of New York, conveys to John Brower of Lee, Oneida County, New York, for the sum of fifty dollars, a certain parcel of land being in Mullers Tract, so called, in the Town of Lee...distinguished as part of the northeast corner of lot no. 48, which lies north of the road leading to Lawrence Mills...containing 32 acres more or less. It is witnessed by A. H. Muller who as Adrian H. Muller, acknowledged the deed on 13 May 1837 in Ontario County, New York, A. H. Muller being a resident of the Village of Batavia at the time. The deed at page 457 is dated 22 August 1835. Here, Catharine Muller of Mamaroneck, Westchester County, New York, formerly of Geneva, Ontario County, conveys to John Brower of Lee, Oneida County, for fifty dollars, a parcel of land in the northeast corner of lot no. 48 in the Town of Lee, containing 36 acres and 65/100s of an acre of land. It is also witnessed by A. H. Muller who acknowledges on 7 May 1836 in Ontario County as a resident of Geneva in Ontario County. Both deeds were recorded in Oneida County on 22 February 1839.

Vol. 98, p. 147. Dated 26 Jan 1841. Charles A. Mann and Emma his wife of the City of Utica, to Edward Brower of the Town of Lee. For ninety dollars, a certain parcel in the town of Lee distinguished by a survey made by C. Guiteau in the year 1795 and on a map of said land filed in the Clerk's Office of Oneida County by being part of lot eight (8) that part of Outhout's patent called the Mappa Tract**. Bounded north by the center road, east by land deeded to Charles Ufford and now in possession of Robert Ourns, south by the south lot of said lot no. 8, and west by the west line of said lot no. 8, containing 33 acres.

Vol. 111, p. 485.  Dated 11 Dec 1841 (recorded 13 September 1843). Sarah Hubbard of Royalston, Polly Smith of Spencer, Oliver Harding and Elizabeth Harding of Barre, Alfred Browning and Elizabeth A. Browning both of Spencer, Richardson H. Browning and Abigail M. Browning his wife of Paxton, and Reuben Browning of Holden, all in the County of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, Henry Westcott and Almira Westcott his wife of the Town of Killingly, County of Windham, State of Connecticut, first part, by their attorney Nathaniel Wood, to John Brower, of the Town of Lee, County of Oneida, State of New York of the second part. For the sum of $227, a parcel of land in the Town of Lee, being lot number 56 in the six thousand acre tract Seribas(?)* Patent...containing 105 acres more or less (see deed for full description).

Vol. 129, p. 377. Dated 1 Apr 1847. William Martin and Mary Ann his wife of the town of Lee, to Abraham Brower of the same place. For $945, a certain piece of land conveyed to James Martin bearing date 18 July 1843 executed by Elijah Ward containing forty acres being part of lots 15 and 18 Mappa's Tract** in the Town of Lee, also another piece of lot 15 conveyed to William Martin and James Martin, 8 March 1842, by Joshua Terry containing thirty acres excepting a piece deeded to Zachariah Shaver... Recorded 25 May 1847.

Vol. 136, p. 331. Dated 26 January 1848. James Eames and Mary Eames his wife of the Town of Verona, Oneida County, to Calvin Bishop, Lyman Wilcox, Justus E. Gillett, George Benedict, Morris P. Brower, Henry Dodge, Henry Pollard, Seldon Johnson, Samuel Hills, Samuel G. Brewster, Chauncey Brown (Brower?) and Almon Halcomb. For the sum of $20, a parcel of land containing seven to eight rods, in Verona Village.

Vol. 139, p. 159. Dated 31 July 1848. John Butler of Paris, Oneida County, to Cornelius Brower of the same place. For $125, a parcel of land in Paris, containing 102 rods of land.

Vol. 150, p. 215. Dated 16 November 1849. Jotham Worden and Hannah his wife of Annsville, Oneida County, to John Brower of the same place. For $300, a parcel in the Town of Annsville, part of lot 41, Fish Creek Reservation east side...containing five and 88/100 acres with a right of way twelve feet wide south of the house direct to the road. Also the pantry of the dwelling house...

Vol. 154, p. 509. Dated 14 March 1851. Edward Brower and Harriet his wife of the town of Lee, to George C. Brower of the town of Lee. For $300, a piece of land in Lee distinguished by a survey made by C. Guiteau in the year 1795 and on a map filed in the Clerk's Office of Oneida County, being part of lot no. 8 in that part of Othout's Patent called the Mappa Tract**, west part of said lot...containing 30 acres more or less. [See above].

Vol. 168, p. 205. Dated 28 October 1851. Caleb Evans and Betsey his wife of Annsville to John Brower of the same Annsville. For $350, a parcel of land set the the said Evans and wife in right of the wife from the estate of Warren Douglass, deceased, part of lot no. 41 Fish Creek Reservation, east side...containing 15 30/100 acres of land.

Again, the idea here was to search out early, particularly pre-1850, records of BROWERs in Lee County, and to use this information in conjunction with the post of June 20, 2019. The deeds, unfortunately, do not include a David Brower, who we found in Lee on the 1830 U. S. census. Nor do we find Richard Brower. This post only considered those found through the Grantee Index. We should next take a look at those listed in the Grantor Index.

*Perhaps this is the Sadequahada Patent of 6000 acres. See 103 on Our County and It's People, Colonial Land Patents (Oneida.nygenweb), or perhaps the Servis Patent (104) but this patent was for 2000 acres.
** See 111 on the above page.

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