MS – 103
Beach, DuBois, Lucas, Nellis, Walker, Wells Collection
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
The Beach et. al. Collection was accessioned into the Flesh Public Library and Museum in two separate sets as Accession #88/27 and Accession #89/21. These items came to the library as a direct result of the probation of the Last Will and Testament of Dorothy DuBois Walker Beach, which occurred in August 1988. The materials include deeds to portions of Section 31 and Fractional Sections 32 and 33 of Township 7, Range 6 East in Washington Township, Miami County, Ohio. This land later became known as the Loramie Farm and by 1860 was known as the Basil Lucas Farm. It is located on the Piqua-Lockington Road.
The collection in its entirety contains the records and personal papers of the six inter-related families. The farm was in the possession of the families from the time of the original purchase of the land in 1808-1809 by William Wells to its sale in 1988 upon the death of Dorothy Beach. Beside the aforementioned deeds, other major items in the collection include an 1861 farm journal, discharge certificate and other Civil War related documents, family letters, family photographs, and photographs of the farm.
There are no restrictions on the use of the materials in this collection. The collection consists of 37 files contained in one Hollinger box.
CONTAINER LISTING
File 1 Indenture – sale of parts of sections 31 and 32 of township 7, range 6 east by William Wayne Wells to Halbert Adams 7 June 1824.
File 2 Indenture – sale of parts of sections 31 and 32 of township 7, range 6 east by Halbert Adams to James Johnston – 15 October 1824.
File 3 Probate of Last Will and Testament of William Wayne Wells – County Court Jefferson County, KY – 21 January 1828
File 4 Loramie Farm Plot – for Mary Wells – Lot #4 consisting of east end of Section 32 and fractional Section 33 Township 7 Range 6 east – 21 February 1828
File 5 Indenture – sale of parts of Sections 31 and 32 Township 7 Range 6 east – sale by Yelverton P. Wells, heir of William W. Wells to James Johnston – 24 March 1832
File 6 Letter from Cincinnati Land Office – 12 January 1844 – confirming sale of sw ¼, se ¼, ne ¼ of Section 31 and fractional Sections 32 and 33 to William W. Wells in 1808 and 1809.
File 7 Letter from Cincinnati Land Office – 6 February 1844 – confirming the original purchase of south ½ and ne ¼ of Section 31 and Fractional Sections 32 and 33 to William Wells.
File 8 Official Record of Purchases and Payments – for sw ¼, se ¼, ne ¼, and Fractional Sections 32 and 33 by William W. Wells – Cincinnati Land Office.
File 9 Copy of sale and payment records for sw ¼, se ¼, ne ¼, and Fractional Sections 32 and 33 Township 7 Range 6 east by William W. Wells – from General Land Office Washington City – 6 February 1844
File 10 Copy of a Petition for Partition of Real Estate of William Wells deceased by William Turner and Ann Turner – filed with Ohio Supreme Court – 30 June 1815 – granted February 1817 – copy dated 16 February 1850.
File 11 Basil Lucas vs. John Peck – Bill of Particulars – suit concerns a note dated 1 February 1867 – summons to be returned 4 January 1881.
File 12 Agreement – Jacob C. Gray to purchase land in AllenCounty from Joseph G. Young, Receiver of Miami Canal Lands, Piqua, Ohio – 20 March 1835.
File 13 General Warranty Deed from Jacob G. Gray to William B. DuBoiz (DuBois) for transfer of land in Allen County – 31 May 1859
File 14 Forest Hill Cemetery Deed – Lots 36 and 37 Section 1 – W.B. DuBois – 1 August 1874.
File 15 Appointment of William B. DuBois as Lieutenant 4th Company, 2nd Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 19th Division, Militia of Ohio – 6 August 1842.
File 16 Listing of the officers and men of Company E, 94th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry and their battles – Civil War
File 17 Honorable Discharge – Albert Walker – Company F, 55th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry – 15 March 1865.
File 18 Marriage License and Certificate – Albert Walker and Susan Markley – 9 October 1865.
File 19 Photograph and furniture tag – photo of interior of Walker Furniture Company – 321 North Main Street, Piqua, Ohio
File 20 Notice from U.S. Army Quartermaster General pertaining to a new monument at Arlington National Cemetery – the family’s date for the letter is 30 July 1951.
File 21 Birth notice/letter announcing the birth of baby girl Walker – 1905
File 22 Photograph of the Basil Lucas farmhouse – c. 1900.
File 23 Farm Journal of John Edward Lucas – 1861. Transcript of the farm journal from the Historical Register July/August 1989.
File 24 Cora Maude Lucas – High School Diploma – 17 June 1894 – Piqua Schools.
File 25 W.P. Walker – Motor Vehicle Registration for a 1921 Cadillac – picture of the car.
File 26 Dorothy DuBois Walker Beach – Historic Ohio Homestead certificate.
File 27 Robert Knose to Jennett (his wife) a letter postmarked Philadelphia – 19 March 1836/
File 28 W.P. Walker to W.F. Ward – family letter – 13 January 1905.
File 29 Photographs of (1) Lucas Bridge (destroyed 1913 flood), (2) School, (3) Lucas Farm – 1897, (4) Automobile c. 1915.
File 30 Family photographs – unidentified – c. 1890’s.
File 31 Basil (Bazil) Lucas – Funeral cards – 18 August 1888.
File 32 W.P. Walker – Stock Certificates: (1) Orange Oil and Gas Co., (2) Manitou Mining Co.
File 33 Double wedding invitation – 9 December 1886 – Volney N. Lucas is one of the grooms.
File 34 Miscellaneous: (1) Albert Walker – poetry, (2) Maude Lucas – Chautauqua Steamboat Company Season Ticket – 1891, (3) Ticket to World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago – 9 October 1893.
File 35 Hibert Walker - Memorial Proclamation by MilitaryDivision, Third Auditor’s Office, Treasury Department, Washington D.C.
File 36 Nellis Family Record – 1782-1828 – the original document is located in SC-5638, a transcript of the document is in this file.
File 37 Dorothy DuBois Walker Beach Estate – Probate Court of Miami County, Ohio – Receipt of items by Flesh Public Library – August 1988.
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FILE 36
NELLIS FAMILY RECORD 1782 – 1828
[The original of this file is located in Drawer 10 of the Map File.]
NAMES BIRTH MARRIAGE DEATH
John T.D. Nellis 24 Feb 1782 __ __ 1805
Elizabeth Nellis 23 Sept 178?
David Nellis 5 May 1806 22 Sept 1830
Reuben Nellis 30 Mar 1808
Barnhardt Nellis 19 Aug 1810
Elizabeth Nellis 26 Sept 1812
Nancy Nellis 22 Feb 1815
Katharine Nellis 1 Oct 1817
John Nellis 21 Mar 1820 7 Jun 1828
Mary Nellis 13 Feb 1822
Susan Nellis 2 May 1824 4 Sept 1826
George Nellis 24 Jan 1826
Peter Nellis 29 Sept 1828