These are property deeds. There are three of them and they are all real parchment. As in not paper, but animal skin.
They are all hand written with a nibbed tip and ink well ink.
They all have embossed seals from the 'United States General Land Office'This one is certificate #19896. It says:
"Whereas Richard Norrifs of Dearbourn County Indiana has deposited in the GENERAL LAND OFFICE of the United States, a Certificate of the REGISTER OF THE LAND OFFICE at Indianapolis whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said Richard Norrifs according to the provisions of the Act of Congress of the 24th of April 1820, entitled "An Act making further provisions for the sale of the Pubic Lands," for the North East quarter of the South West quarter of Section One in Township Seventeen North of range Five East, in the District of Lands subject to sale at Indianapolis Indiana, containing Forty acres, according to the official plat of the survey of the said Lands, returned to the General Land Office by the SURVEYOR GENERAL, which said tract has been purchased by the said Richard Norrifs
NOW KNOW YE, That the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in consideration of the Premises, and in conformity with the several acts of Congress, in such casemade and provided, HAVE GIVEN AND GRANTED and by these presents DO GIVE AND GRANT, unto the said Richard Norrifs an to his heirs, the said tract above described: TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the same, together with all the rights and privileges, immunities, and appurtenances of whatsoever nature, thereunto belonging, unto the said Richard Norrifs and to his heirs and assigns forever.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I, Andrew Jackson, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, have caused these letters to be made PATENT, and the SEAL of the GENERAL LAND OFFICE to be herunto affixed.
GIVEN under my hand, at the CITY OF WASHINGTON, the twentieth day of May in the Year of our Lord on thousand eight hundred and thirty five and and of the INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES the fifty ninth. [That's what it looks like, but that makes no sense to me.]
BY THE PRESIDENT: Andrew Jackson [signature]
By A. I Domlin Secy. [again, hard to read]
Elijah Haywood COMMISSIONER OF THE GENERAL LAND OFFICEThey all say essentially the same thing, but signed by different presidents, with different pieces of property, and different dates.
This one is for 40 acres in Indiana is signed by Martin Van Buren, 1837
