Cape May County Records

So last Friday I decided to take a drive to Cape May to check out some records there.  I did a post before about my great grandfather's brother, Michael and his wife, Cecelia.  Michael and Cecelia lived in Wildwood, NJ and owned house at 327 East Magnolia Ave.  Michael died in Wildwood on 28 Jan 1929, and Cecelia died in Wildwood on 31 Jul 1934.

I started at the Cape May County Library in Middle Township.  I looked through several local weekly papers for an obituary, and found nothing.  I had grand visions of finding an obit listing families and maybe a story about what he had been doing there.  And, be still my heart, maybe a picture.  But alas, he was truly a Brady, and left no paper trail.  So I checked for Cecelia and again - nothing.

Dejected, I left the library and there it was - across the parking lot was a smaller brick building with a sign that said "County Records".  Without even thinking, I was drawn to the doorway and entered.  Inside was the County Clerk's Office and deed books.  I solicited the help of one of the clerks, and she checked the index book of Grantees (people purchasing property) and there were three Michael Bradys.  She could tell by the listing that only one of the three were married, so that is the one I picked.  I had to go upstairs and find the very large deed book and went to the page listed.  There it was!  It took a while to decipher the document amid all of the legalese, but essentially it says that Michael N Brady and his wife, Cecelia Brady of the city of Philadelphia, purchased the property from Stephen P Loux and his wife Rebecca Loux (also from the City of Philadelphia).  They paid the sum of one dollar and other valuable consideration, lawful money of the United States of America.  The sale took place on 13 Aug 1923.  So now I know that Michael and Cecelia were married before August 1923.  The deed goes on to mention a building and the previous owner, yada, yada, yada.  I don't know, but it sounds like Stephen and Rebecca Loux may have been related somehow, just based on a sale price on one dollar. (or somebody lost a bet).

Next, I got the same clerk to help me with the Grantors Index to locate the sale of the property by Cecelia after Michael's death.  Well, it turns out that she didn't sell it, and it was sold by the executor of her estate on 14  May 1936.  Sale price - $2,850.00.  Sounds like a good profit (2,850 %).  I had been told by my cousin Peggy from Scranton that Cecelia had operated it as a rooming house.  The deed goes on to say that both owners "departed this life" and one of the executors renounced his right to be the executor.   Since the property was part of the estate of Cecelia, guess where my next stop was.

You guessed it - the Cape May County Surrogate - which was located around the parking lot in the same complex.  My intention was to get a copy of the entire will - until they told me that the price is $3.00 per page.  I don't think so.  I got three pages of the will itself - without the legal papers, copies of the letters of the executors, lists of persons notified, etc...  The will is in very small print on a legal size document, but can only be printed on letter size paper - not easy to read.

The will has some pretty good genealogical information.  It starts out with the whole sound mind and body deal, and paying off debts and funeral costs as soon as convenient, then we get into who gets what.

She leaves $3,000.00 to her step daughter Mary Murphy, wife of August Murphy of Third and Queen Sts in Phila.
Thomas Murray located at ???? So. 13th St in Phila. - $4,000.00
Cecelia Shanahan beloved niece gets $250.00
Mary Gill, beloved niece gets $250.00
Catherine McCaffrrey, beloved niece gets $250.00
Roman Catholic Church of St. Joseph on Willlings Alley between Third and Fourth Sts in Phila - $100.00 for masses for the repose of the souls of my deceased husband, John Shanahan (first Husband) and myself.
To the Denomination Sisters of 1600 Haddon Ave Camden, NJ for the saying of the perpetual Rosary for the souls of my late husband Michael N. Brady and myself - $50.00
To St. Bonaventures Monestary of Monestary, NY the sum of $200.00 for masses for the repose of the souls of my father and mother, Alexander and Mary Clark (didn't see that coming).
And last but not least - To St Charles Seminary Overbrook,  for perpetual masses for Alexander Clark and Annie, his wife (Really didn't see that coming)
There are other bequeathings including one to a beloved niece Cecelia Ortan, 2645 Mavine St Philadelphia.

So I learned her parents names, her step daughters, and nieces and her father's second wife.  Not too shabby, but all of these folks are not blood relations to me.  So in the end, it took me an entire day of driving and researching, gas money and fees to Cape May County to learn about a very collateral line (limb) on my family tree.  But it was fun and I do enjoy the hunt.