RESOURCES

Photo Archive

We are always interested in additional photos, so if you have any historic photos of the people or places that were part of the historic Chesterfield Jewish community, please contact us.

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(Click on an image for larger view and additional information)

People

Places - Then

Places - Now

Then vs Now

Document Archive

Land Records
(1890-1920)

In 2018, NEHFES hired title researcher Carol Spenser to create a database of all land deed transactions, both purchases and sales, in Chesterfield and nearby Oakdale from 1890-1920. We wanted to help member/descendants discover when their ancestors first purchased land and moved to Chesterfield, and to estimate how many individual families lived in Chesterfield during those years.  For additional information about this important project, please read the letter by our president, Nancy R. Savin.

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The following searchable and sortable table contains the results of that research.  Additional details on the data appear below the table.

Search for a name (full or partial):

Sort by:

Notes on the database:​

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Types of Documents: The database contains two main types of recorded documents: deeds and mortgages.

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• Deeds transfer ownership of property from the grantor to the grantee (a “quit claim” deed transfers property without evidence of a clear title, while a “warranty” deed transfers property with evidence of a clear title).

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• Mortgages are claims on property (as a condition for financing). The grantor, or borrower, is the party receiving the financing, while the grantee, or lender, is the party extending the financing.

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For each recorded transaction, the first column lists the grantor (i.e., the property transferor in the case of a deed, or the borrower in the case of a mortgage), while the second column lists the grantee (i.e., the property transferee in the case of a deed, or the lender in the case of a mortgage).

There are more than 1,000 entries–you can scroll through the records using the scroll bar on the right side of the table, or using the scroll wheel of your mouse. There are several tools to make it easier to find a particular name:

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• You can alphabetically sort by last name of either the grantor or the grantee using the "Sort by" selector in the upper right corner of the table.  You might want to try sorting each way, because your ancestor might have fallen into either category.  In addition, you can use the selector to sort by the date of the transaction.

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• Alternatively, you can enter a few letters from a person’s name (either first or last name) into the Search box in the upper left corner of the database and then hit the "Search" button (keeping in mind that there were often spelling variations when transliterating from Yiddish to English). You can further sort these search results by grantor/grantee/date using the "Sort by" selector.

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• To return to the full database after a search, hit the "Reset Table" button at the top of the table.

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Copies of individual deeds, which specify acreage, cost and location, can be ordered for $1.00 per page by calling the Montville Town Clerk (860-848-6784).