Commissioner's Report in Baker v. Addington et al., [6 June 1842]1
Whereas, at the June term of the Christian county Circuit court, in the year of our Lord one thousand, eight hundred and forty, the a decree was made by said court in the words and figures following, towit:2
(Here insert an exact copy of the decree including the entitling of the cause at the
head of the decree; and then proceed as follows).3
Now therefore I, Horatio M Vandeveer, for and in consideration of the premises aforesaid, and by virtue of the authority
in me vested by law and by the said decree of court, have granted, bargained, and
sold, and by these presents do grant bargain and sell, unto the said James Baker, his heirs and assigns forever, all the right, title, interest and estate, which
the said defendants to said decree, or any or either of them, have, or had at the
time of the rendition of said decree, in and to the tract of land therein decreed
to be conveyed to the said Baker—4
To have and to hold to the said Baker, his heirs and assigns forever, the tract of
land so decreed to be conveyed, together with all and singular the previleges and appurtenances thereunto belonging—
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, as commissioner appointed
by said decree, this day of in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty two—
seal
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Deed of Comrs[Commissioners] in Chancery
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1842
1Abraham Lincoln wrote the text on the first page of this document. According to court
documents, Horatio M. Vandeveer presented this report to the Court on June 6, 1842.
Decree (Document ID: 50251), 6 June 1842, Baker v. Addington et al., Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, 2d edition (Springfield: Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 2009), http://lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Details.aspx?case=136715.
2In April 1840, James Baker retained Abraham Lincoln and sued Thomas Johnson's heirs for the conveyance of a deed to 120 acres of land in Christian County, which Baker had purchased of Johnson before Johnson’s death.
Bill of Complaint (Document ID: 4760), 2 April 1840, Baker v. Addington et al., Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org.
3The Court’s June 1840 decree ordered the conveyance of the land to Baker and appointed
Levi Goodan as commissioner to convey the deed. In October 1840, the judge instead
appointed Horatio M. Vandeveer as commissioner. On June 6, 1842, Vandeveer reported
to the Court that he had executed a deed of conveyance for the land.
Decree (Document ID: 25094), 1 June 1840; Decree (Document ID: 50239), 27 October
1840; Decree (Document ID: 50251), 6 June 1842; Commissioner’s Report (Document ID:
4757), 6 June 1842, Baker v. Addington et al., Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, http://lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Details.aspx?case=136715.
Handwritten Document, 2 page(s), Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress (Washington, DC).