This instrument states no source of title that we have read yet.
Forward — where this land went
⛔ The record we hold stops here: no later instrument we have read cites this one, and no later conveyance by the grantee is linked by name. The index is complete to 1987, so the gap is in the words: deeds of this era seldom cite book and page, and only about half the instruments of 1936-1965 have been transcribed (some 6,000 were never imaged), so a citation to this deed may sit in a page not yet read.
The instrument's own words
page 1
161
I do hereby Declare that I am not so nearly kin to any person of inheritance who may
be entitled to the claim which the said Maria Tassie had at the time of her death
with the said witnesses join me in testifying to the truth of a Letter
sent me by Joseph H Hildreth dated Jan 1st 1851 which I received
in the mail from London and contained a bundle of letters concerning the full
of the matter and she wrote that Mrs Tassie house held against
as she did not want to come to save her Heritage Since I am not more
related to her than the others whose rights I have already had
to the just amount on a lot which I hold I be against the
same Witnesses and am convinced by their antiquity.
Signed this 17th day of February, 1859
[Signature]
[Signature]
Whereas the general Assembly of the State of Rhode Island held at the
cc anno 1858 pass'd a resolution and Act establishing the Commission
of the Narragansett District of Stations, to see so far of all entities to mention of
the lands of any native Indian whose assets or with be sufficient to pay an expense
of his last Sickness & funeral and incidental charges.
So be it known all men that I Joseph H Griffiths Commissioner of the said
Station believe, by my authority, agreeable and in conformity with the terms of the
said Act that the land of Philip Johnson and his heirs presently in the township of East Greenwich & district of
Westerly in the County of Washington and the appurtenances there be the right of the highest
Bidder at a public auction sale therefore I have at the premises on the 27th
day of January 1859 do hereby begin and on every part into the said William
H Stevens his heirs and assigns forever a certain lott of land situate in
Charlestown in said County which is bounded as follows namely that some being then
enclosed by survey deeps at one corner two rods three links thence South thence North
intersecting by survey Northwest by the land of the thereof said Survey thence South thence North
its and station hundred links more and on an average twenty two and twelve links
its and station hundred links more and on an average twenty two and twelve links
in length by the as my annex site full and complete boundaries and be foremost on the
West by the highway Northwest by the land of the thereof said Survey thence South thence North
the swamp, and on the North by land of Thomas Austin which was sold off
in the same Area and the last of them do have to him the same with all the
full rights and appurtenances thereby the same Stevens H Austin his
heirs and assigns forever do have and hold whereas the above right hence I have recorded set my hand
and seal this 24th day of January 1859
[Signature] Joseph H Griffiths L S
[Signature]
[Signature] Commissioners of the District of Stations libe
Washington
Charlestown Jan 24th 1859
Personally came before me Joseph H Griffiths Commissioner now acknowledged
the preceding instrument by him signed to be his free act and deed Lease.
Charles Cross Town Clerk
[Margin note:
Amount for Receipt
Jan 26 1859 ---
at 1 C Cash P.L. ---
January Jan 25 ---
y C Cross J 6th]
[Table/List:
Land of Philip Johnson
acres 6
rods 2
links 33
Thomas Austin L.
92
---
Sampson]
The page as recorded
No page image on Zara for this instrument (the portal holds it: book 8 page 261).
deed_walker_v1.9_2026-10-10 · the index is the town's own (i2l.uslandrecords.com); transcripts, chains and the assessor's cards are the Perry Machine's reading of it. Where the record we hold runs out, the page says so.