History of Farm Ownership
(Hopefully, I have pieced this together correctly.)
The first Ralston to own the farm was my Great Grandfather Thomas Ralston, 1857-1879.
He bought the 240 acres in stages of one parcel at a time. Both he and Great Grandmother Jean Ralston, 1835-1924, were born in Scotland and came to Illinois with their parents, he in 1840 and she in 1850. They were married in 1857.
- In 1853 he purchased 80 acres from Luther Brown of Ashtabula, OH for $400; part of lot #10 Twp 45 W ½ of NW ¼ Sec10 Twp 45; recorded 21 Sept 1854.
- In 1854 he purchased 80 acres from Paul and Abigail Torrey of Naples, NY for $1,000; E ½ SW ¼ Sec 3 Twp 45; recorded 29 Mar 1854.
- In 1869 he purchased 7 acres from Peter Ralston for $100; NW part of NE ¼ of NE ¼ sec 19 Twp 45 being in Town of Caledonia; recorded 6 Apr 1874 in Boone Co. Illinois, (probably was a wood lot).
- In 1870 he purchased 40.12 acres from Jabez and Lydia Love for $1,203.60; NW ¼ SE ¼ Sec 3 Twp 45 recorded 17 Mar 1871.
- In 1873, he purchased 40 acres from Jabez and Lydia Love and Milton J. and Louise Rhodes for $1,600; S ½ of W ½ of SW ¼ Sec 3 Twp 45 recorded 21 June 1873.
When Thomas died, (May 19, 1879), he left his widow and 7 children with the farm (3 sons and 4 daughters).
- Peter William (Willie)1858-1949
- Janette B. (Nettie)1860-1926
- Isabelle G. (Belle) 1863-1919
- Martha (Mattie)1865-1936
- John Thomas (Uncle John)1868-1945
- Elizabeth Helen (Lizzie)1873-1949
- Thomas Charles 1876-1891
Grandpa Peter Willie was the oldest and he, with his mother Jane, was appointed administrator. This is what he wrote in his account- book:
- Harlem Ill. 1879 June 6
- Jeane Ralston and Peter W. Ralston having been appointed administrators of the estate of Thomas Ralston, the following is an account of the resources and liabilities of the estate.
- Cash on hand 300.00
- Rec'd. from estate of Peter Ralston 80.00
- Bought wire for .25¢ and hardware for $2.90
- For stabling .10
- Bought dress and shawl for Jane Ralston $18.75 and for making same $7.10 $25.85
- Bought coat for P. W. Ralston $10.20
- Paid for dress making J. B. Ralston $9.23 for dry-goods .32 and slippers .50 $10.07
- Bought dress and hat for J. G. Ralston $14 making dress $9.25 and for dry-goods .32 and slippers .50 $24.47
- Bought dress and hat for Martha Ralston $9.10 shoes $1.50 dry-goods $1.10 $11.70
- June 12, 1879
- Sold butter for 11.22
- Paid for hardware .80
- Stabling .10
- June 16, 1879
- Stereoscope and views 2.20
There are many more pages of records in his record book, through June 1894. He had graduated from Beloit College Academy June 17, 1890 and married Hannah Jane McAffee Nov. 6, 1890.
- Going to page 227, November 18, 1890-
- Present for PWR from BGR (Belle) 8.00
- Present for PWR from MJR (Mattie) 8.00
- Present for PWR from LHR (Lizzie) 8.00
- Present for PWR from JR (Uncle John) 8.00
- Present for PWR from JBR (Janette) 8.00
- Present for Will from Jane R 150.00
There are Real Estate Tax receipts for Thos. Ralston Est. starting in 1881 continuing through 1893. One is an 1882 tax receipt for Thos Ralston Estate for $65.29;
- SW¼ SW ¼ Sec 3, 40a
- E ½ SW ¼ Sec 3, 80a
- NW ¼ SE ¼; Sec 3 40a
- W ½ NW ¼ Sec 10, 80a
- SW¼ SW ¼ Sec 11, 40a
- SE Cor W ½ NW ¼ Sec 14, 6a (I think this is NE Cor)
- NE ¼ NW ¼ Sec 14, 40a
He purchased farmland from his father Peter Ralston, on 5
June 1869, described as NW part of NE¼ of NE¼
Section 14 Township 45, containing 7 acres more or less. The
cost was $100.00.
It seems that Gr. Grandfather Thomas had purchased more
property:
- SW¼ of SW¼ sec 11 Twp 45 40a.,
- NE¼ NW¼ sec 11 Twp 45 40a. and
- NE Cor. W½ NW¼ sec 14 Twp 45.6a.
Great Uncle, John Thomas Ralston was the next owner.
In February 1898 John Ralston received a quit-claim deed from his sister Martha Ralston White and her husband Henry for $2,000.
In 1907 John Ralston received a quit-claim deed from
his mother, Jane Ralston, for $2,000 to John Ralston;
property which had been conveyed to her by four certain
deeds, to-wit: Warranty deed Feb. 25 1889 given to her by
Janette B. McNaughton and David McNaughton in counties of
Boone and Winnebago described as follows to-wit:
Caledonia Twp.
- NW part of NE 1/4 of NE 1/4 of Sec 19 Twp 45 North Range 3 E, bounded as; commencing at NW corner of said 40 acre lot thence running S 20 rods to a stake thence running E 6 rods to a stake and stone thence running N 20 rods to a stake and stone and thence running W 56 rods to the place of beginning, containing 7 acres.
- W 1/2 of NW 1/4 of Sec 10 containing 80 acres, also the NE 1/2 of SW 1/4 Sec 3 containing 80 acres, also NW 1/4 of SE 1/4 of Sec 3 containing 40.12 acres,
- also S 1/2 of W 1/2 of SW 1/4 Sec 3 containing 40 acres
- also NE 1/4 of NW 1/4 Sec 14 containing 40 acres,
- also NE 1/4 of NW 1/4 of Sec 14 containing 40 acres,
- also NE part of W 1/2 of NW 1/4 sec 14 commencing at point on N line of said 1/4 section at 4 chains and 95 links E from NW corner of said section thence running E on section line 15 chains and 6 links to corner of 80 acre lots thence running S on the line of said lots to center of public highway leading to Roscoe through said lands and thence running NW along center of said highway to th the place of beginning, containing 6.79 acres.
- SW 1/4 of SW 1/4 Sec 11 containing 39.26 acres
1907 Caledonia Township
1907 Harlem Township
Our Father, Kenneth McAffee Ralston, bought the 240 acre farm
from Uncle John at an unknown date.
There is a Prairie Farmer Magazine subscription receipt; Jan
24, 1932, $3.15, Kenneth Ralston, Roscoe, Ill. With
'X' in box for 'Rents' (not Owner).
There are 1943 Real Estate Tax documents addressed to Uncle
John for 40 a., 120 a., and 80a. This seems to indicate
property had not yet been paid off and transferred.
And 1944 Real Estate Tax documents addressed to J T Ralston
for 40 a., 120 a., and 80a with J T Ralston crossed out and
replaced in pencil with "Kenneth Ralston".
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