Chester County Recorder of Deeds Rick Loughery and Chester County Commissioner Terence Farrell joined Delaware County Recorder of Deeds Tom Judge and the Delaware County Historical Society to visit the property site of Chester County’s first deed located in present-day Delaware County.
The first real estate deed recorded in the original Chester County, Pennsylvania, took place 330 years ago on March 10, 1688. The deed is for a Quaker meetinghouse now located in Chester, Pennsylvania.
“As one of the first three counties in Pennsylvania, Chester County originally spanned a much wider area encompassing what is now Chester County and Delaware County,” said Rick Loughery, Chester County Recorder of Deeds. “Even though this first recorded deed is now within the boundaries of Delaware County, it is appropriate that it records the transaction of a Quaker meetinghouse, given Chester County’s William Penn–Quaker origins.”
The grantor listed on the deed was Urin Keen and the grantees were trustees of the Society of Friends. As part of the 330th anniversary recognition, the deed is on display through the end of March at the Chester County Historical Society, 225 North High Street, West Chester.
According to Chester County’s Department of Archives and Records Services, the earliest deed transaction for land in the current Chester County boundary was recorded on July 2, 1688 for a grant from William Penn to James Dicks, for 250 acres of land in Birmingham.
Chester County’s historic deeds are part of the Chester County Archives, created in 1982 to preserve and make available Chester County historic records. The Archives holds more than 2,940 volumes and 1,823 cubic feet of original public records of enduring historic and cultural value.
Chester County’s Recorder of Deeds Office holds records of real estate property including deeds and mortgages that may be researched by interested parties including the public. The Office also records military discharges, commissions and other official documents.
