Ray Property in Raytown
(There are questions concerning the property owned by William Ray. In the beginning transfers of property were made by written agreements and titles were obtained later whenever an estate was being probated. I have doubts about my copying abstracts correctly or whethere they were correct in their beginning. Also there were three pieces of land Ray sold to Childers and their descriptions are hard to determine. The blacksmith corner is later described as beginning within a five acre tract. The issue questioned was that Ray had no title to the 1/2 acre blacksmith property. The problem is we cannot find what John Cox did with this spot ...no transfer of that piece has turned up at this time.
An effort to piece together this puzzle is being made by using the abstract of the Muirsmimth addition, located on the north by Blue Ridge (63rd); on the East by Blue Ridge Avenue, now called Cedar; on the South by 64th street; on the West by the County Road, now called Raytown Road, also the Rhoades abstract concerning the corner, now Fox's Drug Store, and County Court Minutes
The original abstract was loaned by Mrs. Fred Olson. At that time I, Roberta Bonnewitz, copied notes and that the entire contents. The abstract was returned to Mrs. Olson and not available for re-checking. My questions and observations will be marked by RB.
August 1999 Roberta Bonnewitz)
From Abstract on George W. Rhoades Property and Estate
North West Quarter of Section 4, Township 48, Range 32 West
(The northwest corner of 63rd street and Raytown Road. Ray property on the corner, now occupied by Fox's Drug Store, 1999).
Record 8, page 299 July 1850 George Rhoades Estate:
(Substance: Rhoades died without a will. Benjamin F. Thomson was appointed as administrator. Rhoades left his widow, Mary; children: Benjamin, Susan, George, Lucy, Mary, Elizabeth.
In the inventory of his estate, filed October 28, 1850, showing among other lands was the 154.53 acres in the NW 1/4 of Section 4, Township 48, Range 32 West.)
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Record 8, page 299, filed May 5, 1851
On file in said Estate endorsed May 5th, 1851, is following, viz; To the County Court of Jackson County.
Petitioner, William Ray, could state that George W. Rhoades in his lifetime sold to Joseph C. Davis one lot of land in the Southwest corner of the Northwest quarter of Section 4, Township 48, Range 32, measuring North and South 50 feet and East and West 90 feet, in consideration for $20.00 paid, and executed his written obligation to make a deed in fee to promises to said Davis.
Petitioner further states that on November 23, 1850, said Davis for value received assigned said obligation for conveyance of said land to petitioner, and that said Rhoades in his lifetime did not execute said conveyance nor one for him since, and that said Administrator of said Estate execute to petitioner a deed in fee for said promise.
William Ray
By Woodson, Chrisman & Comingo, attys.
William Ray, petitioner, makes an oath and says that he believes aforesaid petitioner and matter therein as stated are true, and that no part of above mentioned contract has been satisfied, except as stated in said petition.
Subscribed and sworn to in open Court, May 5th, 1851.
John R. Swearington, Clerk
Record A, page 457, June 8, 1852 Deed given to Ray for this property.
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Book S , page 462 William Ray and Ailcy Ray, his wife, to Johnson Childers Warranty Deed Dated Aug. 16, 1851, filed May 4, 1852 $775.00 other lands in Section 4, Township 4, Range 32 West....this piece , beginning at southwest corner, running north 50 feet; thence East 90 feet; South 50 feet; West 90 feet
William Ray
Ailsey Ray (her mark)
(RB There seems to be no question about this property, Fox's Drug Store corner.
My questions are: 1. Where did Ray live from 1848 ----?
2. This part was bought after the property was purchased from David Vance, October 16, 1850, south of the above, yet the Vance transaction, Warranty Deed, Book 162, pages 67-68, states: " a parcel of land, to wit being a part of the West half of Section Four, Township Forty Eight, Range Thirty Two,commencing at the south west corner of William Ray's lot and then south to Rice's corner, then East ten poles, thence North to William Ray's South east corner, thence West to the beginning. Nothing is said about a blacksmith shop.
(RB Now to try to figure out the southeast corner of the 63rd and Raytown corner, known as the blacksmith shop site.)
(Book S 463 or 162-27 Oct. 16, 1850 David Vance to William and Ailcy Ray, 7 acres, 90 poles $72.61 1/2 cents, from 1/2 acre blacksmith shop south to Rice's corner,( L-521)
David Vance to William Cocks, 10 x 90 sq. poles --- rods, Dec. 22, 1846, $10.00, -------S-463 William Cocks to John Cocks, Dec. 2, 1850, $130.00 )
S-462 August 16, 1851 Ray to Johnson Childers , 3 pieces of land, this 5 acres for $175.00
Book T, page 141 Johnson & Eveline Childers appointing Francis Hereford and Thomas Thomas as power of attorney, May 4, 1852, filed August 14, 1852
Book 28 page 79 January 10, 1853 Johnson Childers sold to Jarvis Horner a blacksmith shop
Book 28-79, January 10, 1853 Childers sells to Joshua Hobbs, on southeast corner, except 1/2 acre, $155.00, probate court administrators deed
April 25, 1854, County Court Minutes, Vol. 9, page 658 mentions road to Raytown.
February 13, 1856 William L. Bone, clerk of County Court and Probate Business... "That the deceased (Johnson Childers) died without a will, and left as his heirs or legal representatives, viz: A few small children in the state of California but the number and names he does not know in what part of the state they now reside, and that he will make Inventory &c.
August 18, 1857 Petitioner Joshua Hobbs states that on January 10th 1853 Johnson Childers, by his attorneys, entered into an written agreement (two pieces of land in Section 4) he ,Hobbs, to make three payments: $155.00..Now asks for a deed
Book E, page 494, August 18, 1857 Deed for said lands situate in and near
Raytown,Jackson County, MissouriRecord G, page 604 Estate settled, August 1860
Book 28, page 79 Petition granted for deed by Hobbs from Childers Estate
February 10, 1858 West 8 or 9 acres to Robinson
Book 56 page 159 March 14, 1868 1/2 acre with blacksmith shop to William Whitehouse, $120.00
Book 26, page 234 November 12, 1857 Joshua Hobbs sells the 8 or 9 acres (south of blacksmith shop) to James West...to the south boundary of Ray Town.
Book Z page 392 March 18, 1856 the 1/2 acre bought by Reuben Mockbee, highest bidder (Lawsuit in Circuit County petition No. 2037 Aug. 19, 1854 Y-267)
April 25, 1854 County Court Minutes, Vol. 9, page 658, mentions road to Raytown