I’ve been exploring the land records of Rabun County here lately, a difficult undertaking at times because the land records vault is small and is rather popular with attorneys and title searchers. It was relatively uncrowded the day I went, so I was able to snag a couple of records, including the following from Thomas I. Ledbetter to Amos Curtis, and the deeds of gift from Hiram Dillingham to three of his grandchildren.
This deed was found on page 388 of Deed Record F Rabun Co. On 17 January 1863, Thomas I. Ledbetter sold to Amos Curtis, for $150, land lying in the 2nd District of Rabun County, Lot 191
bounded as follows begining on the River bank at the place where the line of lot one hundred and ninety and one hundred and ninety one crosses the River runing thence North with the old line to the State line between North Carolina and Georgia thence East along said line to the River thence up the bank of the River to the begining Corner the same lying on the west side of said River containing forty acres more or less
The deed was witnessed by A. Thomas and James M. Ritchie, JP, and recorded 26 May 1864.
One of the reasons I’m so interested in the Dillingham family is because Hiram Dillingham owned land in Lots 190 and 191 in the second land district of Rabun County. I haven’t yet found the person from whom Thomas I. Ledbetter bought the land mentioned above, nor have I found the person (or entity) from whom Hiram Dillingham purchased or otherwise received his land. On my next trip to the Rabun County Historical Society, I will search through the abstract of titles for Rabun County, but I have little hope that I will find any references to these two exchanges. The abstract is spotty, and the early land grants were not necessarily recorded. Still, one hopes!
Digging in the Roots 