Warren County Genealogical Society Warren County, Ohio Chapter of Ohio Genealogical Society Property Deeds by VMS / STR
(513) 695-1144	406 Justice Drive, Lebanon, Ohio 45036 Hours: 9 AM-4 PM Monday through Friday Driving Directions	wcgs@co.warren.oh.us

Searching for land records in Warren County, Ohio can be done in a variety of ways depending on what information you know about the property and / or landowner.  You might want to search for the earliest land possession for the following reasons:

• to show presence in Warren County to prove your ancestor was an Early Settler,
• to find the final land transaction of an individual
  • to discover when he may have died passing the property to the widow or heirs, thus settling the estate
  • to find when he may have moved out of the County.

 If you are searching for land records and need help, please contact our research department and we will assist you in finding what you need.

Residency by Virginia Military Survey Number or Section/ Town/ Range Number

You know the identifying Virginia Military Survey number or the Section, Town and Range numbers of the property.  This is usually found when the individual is listed in the tax records and the property is identified by the Virginia Military Survey number or Township, Section, Range number.  This is also sometimes listed in a will where the writer described the property as it is bequeathed to the widow or other heirs.  In later estate pouches, there may be actual tax receipt (s) indicating the township and land numbers.
 

With this identifying information you can go to the Conveyance Books.   One group of these books is titled General Index Virginia Military Surveys. 

• Using the numbers you have found, for example Virginia Military Survey Number 3941, select the index that encompasses that particular number. 
• Within the book, the Virginia Military Survey numbers are in numerical order at the top of each page.  You must use the exact number and be sure to locate the very first page of the given number to begin. 
• The left page gives the grantor, grantee, Deed Book volume number, page number, characterization, description, acres, cost, and the date.  Characterization is identified as a transaction via will, US Patent, Sheriff sale, IC, BC, etc. 
• The right hand page contains information on the mortgages, leases, and liens, etc. 

The other set of Conveyance Books is titled General Index MRS Range – Section – Town, Range.

• You will need to use the numbers you have found, for example Section 2, Town 4, Range 3. 
• To start, select the book that encompasses those particular numbers.  The pages within the book will be in numerical order by the above numbers.  You must use the exact numbers given.  Be sure to locate the very first page of the given numbers to begin.  Also be sure to match the Section, Town and Range numbers exactly. 
• You will see the columns of the grantor and grantees.  Reading down the grantee column will locate your individual. 
• Reading across that same line you can find the Deed Book Volume number, page, characterization, description, acres, cost and date.  The description defines the property, for example as the NE quarter of Section 12. 
• Based on the description of the section and using the information given, you can read back up the page to find the previous land owners.  This may lead you back several divisions of the original section. 
• Reading forward from your grantee, you can identify the sectional part and see how it has been conveyed to others as a whole or divided part. 
• On the right hand page of the Conveyance Books is the mortgage, leasors and liens, etc. type records can be found.  
• The page reads across with the headings being: Grantor, Grantee, Deed Volume, Page number, Character (mortgage or lease), Description, Acres, Cost, Date, and Cancelled (paid off).  These listings are in sequential order by the date.  To use these you would need the date of the purchase or agreement. 
• The beginning of these Conveyance Books is located at the far north end of the second set of book shelf units on the side facing the receptionist.

There are also Conveyance Books for the settlement of individual towns.  These indexes may show the platting and the selling of plots for the specific villages.  The indexes begin with A, then B, C in sequence and order by time for the specific towns.  Some smaller towns are contained in the same Index volume.  The original sale of these lands should be found in either the Virginia Military Survey Indexes or the Indexes for the Section, Town and Range.
 

The Deed record volumes begin with Number 1 and are found on the second set of book shelf units closest to the microfilm readers.  Volume 1 is on the end closest to the recorder’s deputies and on the far side of the island, which faces the microfilm readers.  These books are placed numerically in order on the shelves.

Note as you read the deeds, the grantor’s and grantee’s residences are generally recorded, giving you the knowledge of their actual residences at that time.
 

When looking for the last possession of the land ownership by your ancestor, proceed in the same method.  Only this time search for your ancestor as the grantor in the indexes and conveyance books.  Also note there can be several parcels of property purchased and sold at different times and these can be in different areas and therefore have different numbers.  For this reason it is crucial that you begin with the earlier indexes and continue past the time period you want to search.  Census records help to narrow the time periods.

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This page was created on 7 December 2009 last updated on 23 August 2010