Dad's Memories

- 17 November 98 - 15 December 98

"The Langdon Homestead" - Haddam Neck, CT ( 1911 - 1986 )

In October '98, while researching for VENTURE SMITH information, I contacted the EastHampton Town Clerk, Ms. Pauline L. Markham, Town Clerk, at (860)267-2519 (see - things you can get done at the town clerks office) concerning availability of the two volume history of the town titled Yankee Township. (She remembered The Langdons - Uncle Art/Aunt Clara and family.) I also inquired if she could possibly do some records search and try to find the 1910 or 1911 deed to "the old homestead". She advised that this would be in the Haddam Land Records and offered to contact the Haddam Town Clerk with my request.

In November I received the following letter, and a copy of the deed - which I've typed up and reproduced - below the letter. The deed is quite interesting to me as a Civil Engineer and "old surveyor" - in that the property is described in a "bounded by" format rather than as pieces of surveyed property.

Since then, I've followed this up with a request for, and have received 15 additional pages, including deed copies and some probate and tax records, that take "The Old Homestead" thru Langdon hands from 1911 to 1986. This transfer history is at the bottom of this page.

November 12, 1998

Dear Mr. Langdon:

I recently received your request for a copy of the original description of your grandfathers property from the East Hampton Town Clerk's office. I am attaching a xeroxed copy.

A quick look into the land records provided me with a purchase date of February 15, 1911. James A. Langdon purchased the land from William D. Hill. Your father came into the land in 1945. (Actually the farmhouse and homestead passed to my Uncle Art & Aunt Clara.) Different parcels of the land were sold over the years to Robert and Edward Langdon, who sold it to the Kittels. Clara's estate sold the rest to Steve Judd and the last piece went in 1986 to Andrew Egri (Cove Road).

Please be aware that this was just a cursory look at the records. It is not a professional search. If you need one done, an attorney must do it. However, I hope that the information I provided is what you were looking for.

There is a $2.00 fee for the xeroxed copy (2 pages - legal size) so please kindly send a check made out to the Town of Haddam and send it to the above address.

Thank you.

Very truly yours,

/s/

Enclosure

Know all men by these presents.

That I William D. Hill of the City of New York state of New York (formerly of town of Haddam Conn) for diverse good causes and considerations thereunto moving, especially for One Thousand dollars received to my full satisfaction of James A. Langdon of the city of New York state of New York, have revised, released, and forever quit claimed, and do by these presents for myself and heirs, justly and absolutely remise, release, and forever quit claim unto the said James A. Langdon his heirs and assigns forever, all such rights and title as the said William D. Hill have or ought to have in or to these certain pieces of land with the buildings thereon, situated in the town of Haddam Haddam Neck so called.

1st piece is the Homestead containing fifty seven acres more or less, bounded Northerly by land formerly of William T. Brainerd decd. Easterly by highway. Southerly by land of Minnie L. Smith and Westerly by land of W.W. Smith and heirs of Caleb Smith land of C.S. Brainerd Jr land of F.A. Brainerd

2nd Second piece contains one acre more or less, on the opposite of highway from dwelling house, bounded Northerly by land of C.S. Brainerd Jr. Easterly by land of C.S. Brainerd Jr. Southerly by land of Daniel E. Sexton and Westerly by highway with a barn thereon.

3rd piece containing two acres more or less. bounded Northerly, Easterly and Southerly by land of A.B. Clark and Westerly by Connecticut River

The intention of this deed is to release and discharge of record a certain mortgage recorded in volume 49 page 424 of Haddam Land Records, the debt for which said mortgage was given as security has been paid.

To have and to hold, the premises unto him the said James A. Langdon and to his heirs and assigns, to the only use and behoof of the said James A. Langdon his heirs and assigns forever, so that neither I the said William D. Hill nor any other person or persons in my name and behaf shall or will hereafter claim or demand any rights or title to the premises or any part thereof, but they and every one of them shall by these presents be excluded and forever barred.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 15th day of February in the year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Eleven.

......................................................................................./s/ Wm D. Hill ..........Ls

I C.S. Bostwick, clerk of the County of Richmond and also clerk of the Supreme Court for the said county, the same being a Court of Record do hereby certify that Harry G. Van Vecteten whose name is subscribed to the certificate of the proof or acknowledgment of the annexed instrument and thereon written, was at the time of taking such proof or acknowledgment a Notary Public in and for the County of Richmond dwelling in said County, commissioned and sworn, and duly authorized to take the same. And further that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of such Notary Public and verily believe that the signature to the said certificate of proof or acknowledgement is genuine. I further certify that said instrument is executed and acknowledged according to the law of the State of New York.

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said Court and County the 16th day of February 1911

......................................................................................./s/ C.S. Bostwick .........clerk

RICK'S NOTES:

Interestingly, on Page 583 Vol 47 of the Town of Haddam, Connecticut Land Records (the second of the two furnished pages) there followed another recorded deed - this one containing a "metes and bounds" description of the lands being transferred ......

... all that parcel of land situate in Haddam Neck, in the Town of Haddam, County of Middlesex and state of Connecticut bounded and described as follows:-

Beginning as a point on the highway as the Southeast corner of said tract of land as land now or formerly of Mr. P. Gillette and running Westerly fifteen rods, thence to land of T.M. Harris, thence Easterly forty five rods, thence Southerly about two rods, thence Easterly five rods to highway, thence Southerly on highway to point of beginning. Bounded Northerly by land now or formerly of T.M. Harris and land now ......

Some of the bounding land described in parcel #1 "...Southerly by land of Minnie L. Smith and Westerly by land of W.W. Smith and heirs of Caleb Smith" may refer to decendents of VENTURE SMITH - I have not yet determined this to be true. However, the homestead of VENTURE was to the South of our "old homestead" and is reported to have been 100 acres at the time of his death in 1805.

Vol 47 Page 582/583 - February 15, 1911: William D. Hill to James A. Langdon (Poppa) - 3 parcels, 1 - The homestead, 57 Ac. 2 - The "Barn Lot", 1 Ac. and 3 - The Ct. River Front Lot, 2 Ac. (more or less) w/ "bounded by" descriptions

Vol 59 Page 568 - August 30, 1930: James A. Langdon to Catherine P. Langdon (Granny) - 3 parcels .. same descriptions .. w/ the addition of parcel 3 being identified as "at Rock Landing Meadow"; (witness by Leonard J. Selden & Thomas J. Selden)

Vol 61 Page 473 - January 20, 1933: Catherine P. Langdon to Jeanette C. Blodgett (Aunt Jeanette) - 3 parcels .. same descriptions; (witness by Arthur J. Langdon & Elwood A. Sawyer)

Vol 62 Page 334 - July 24, 1935: Jeanette C. Blodgett to Catherine P. Langdon - 3 parcels .. same descriptions; (witness by Augusta K. Waddell & Joseph T. Sibley /s/ Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina)

Vol 69 Page 176 - August 4, 1945: Catherine P. Langdon to Arthur J Langdon and Clara C. Langdon (Uncle Art & Aunt Clara) .. same descriptions w/ the addition of the phrase "irregular in shape" associated with parcel 1 - The Homestead; also "subject to the right of E. Dudley Bartlett ... to cut timber on the said land up to and including October 28, 1945"; (witness Ruth M. Klare & Morris H. Wrubel)

Vol 96 Page ??? (2 pages) - October 13, 1964: The HARTFORD ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY to Arthur J. Langdon and Clara C. Langdon - adding parcel #4 "The Blackberry Lot, across the road from the farmhouse", 4.3 Ac., Ref a map entitled "land to be deeded (as above) Scale 1" = 100' dated Sept. 1964 No. M102M22, Sheet 1A; (Witness L.M. Golart & N.G. Cunningham)

I believe it was concurrent with this transaction that the HARTFORD ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY took from the 1911 parcel #1 - The 57 Ac. "Homestead", approximately 41.8 Acres of the main farm property including most of the land south and west of the farmhouse leaving only 15.2 Ac +/- immediately surrounding the "Farmhouse". (Which was deeded in the final transaction recorded below)

Some probate and tax certificates furnished (Vol 117 Page 646 and page 686) seem to indicate that the deed transferring this major portion of the Homestead to THE HARTFORD ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY is contained in Vol 96 Pages 361 - 363. I think that I may have received only pages 362 & 363, although they are not stamped with page numbers.

The probate certificate (Vol 117 page 686) dated March 22, 1973 devised to Clara C. Langdon that parcel referred to above as "Parcel #4. I have not received a probate certificate which devised to Aunt Clara, the remaining portion of the original 1911 homestead's Parcel #1 , the portion of the 1911 homestead described as parcel #2 "The Barn Lot", or Parcel #3 "The Connecticut River Front Lot", however, the deed records below convey these from Aunt Clara, or her estate, to others.

... This parcel is now described by a direction and distance survey of the parcel with corners denoted by iron pipes and accompanied by a map entitled "Property map prepared for Robert Langdon cove Road Haddam Neck, Connecticut Scale 1"=20' January 1973 Richard F. Mihok, Land Surveyor"

Vol 130 Page 736 - June 23, 1977: Robert S. Langdon and Joan V. Langdon to John Kittel - "The Barn Lot"

Vol 152 Page 655 - January 23, 1986: Estate of Clara C. Langdon to Steven G. Judd and Nora Beck Judd - "The Blackberry Lot", Parcel #4 less that portion deeded to Robert and Joan (Vol 118 Page 96), 3.3 Ac.

Vol 153 Page 329 - [date & signature page(s) missing]: Estate of Clara C. Langdon to Andrew J. Egri and Carol A. Egri, the remaining portion of "The 1911 Homestead, 57 Ac. Parcel #1", 15.2 Ac.

I have only received Page 329 of this final transaction - it appears to continue onto at least the next page, the final lines on this page read: Excepting there from a certain piece or parcel of land conveyed by Arthur J. Langdon and Clara C. Langdon to the Rocky River ..."

This exception conveyence may be the taking by the power company (Vol 96 page 361 ?) of the major portion of the original homestead - which accompanyed the "land swap" for "The Blackberry Lot across from the Farmhouse.

Record pages still to get:

Vol 96 page 361?? - Arthur J. Langdon and Clara C. Langdon to The Rocky River ??? 41.8 Ac. ??

Vol 153 Page 330 ?? - Estate of Clara C. Langdon to Andrew & Carol Egri (date & sig page)