February 2, 1869 - Indenture

On February 2, 1869, the location (but not the building or the name) of the Browne school was mentioned in an indenture document. Richard and Mary Pearse sold 223 6/10 acres to James Lock for $7,826.00 which excluded the school grounds with the following language:  "(excepting one half acre in southwest corner of the southwest quarter of the Section Township and range above mentioned)".

February 2, 1869 Indenture

This is the first document I have located since the purchase of the lot by the School Trustees of the town of Milan that specifically mentions the property allocated for the Browne school though it does not name the school.    Unfortunately this document does not indicate whether the school structure existed at the time of this transaction.

Property transferred to James Lock

The two portions of land purchased by James Lock are shown above using the 1868 plat map.

1868 - Milan township and DeKalb County, Illinois: Plat Maps

I had previously posted plat maps for Milan township in DeKalb county, Illinois:

-July 24, 1843    This map shows the plots for Milan township, however it would not become a recognized township until 1857.

-1850 DeKalb County townships and the 1860 Milan township plat map

The next township I have been able to locate was from 1868.

1868 Milan township plat map

The Browne school would be built in the upper right corner in the southwest corner of section 1.  This map was produced 3 years after the purchase of the lot by The School Trustees of the town of Milan, County of DeKalb and State of Illinois.    I still have not been able to confirm the date of construction for the rural schoolhouse and this plat map does not include any of the schools that had been built by 1868.

Here is the full plat map for all townships located in DeKalb county as of 1868:

Northern Portion - Milan township

Southern Portion - Milan township

The above maps were included in the original printing of 'History of DeKalb County, Illinois' by Boies, Henry L. (Henry Lamson), 1830-1887, published in 1868.   Subsequent printings of the book did not include the county plat maps.

May 24, 1865 - Indenture

On May 24, 1865, Richard Pearse sold the southwest 1/4 acre of Section 1, Township 39 North, Range 3 East of the Third Principal Meridian for $1.00 to The School Trustees of the town of Milan, County of DeKalb and State of Illinois.

Commencing at the corner stone of the SW corner of Section one (1) and running east twelve (12) rods thence north ten (10) rods thence west twelve (12) rods thence south ten (10) rods to the place of beginning in the town of Milan in the county of DeKalb and State of Illinois.

Here is the county Grantee index:

Grantee Index

The entry for the index is the 3rd from the bottom of the page.

Below is the warranty deed signed by Richard Pearse and wife,  Mary:     

Indenture

This indenture states "these premises shall be used for school site".     It also states "The said school trustees are to enclose the above described premises with a good three (3) board fence and keep the same in repair".

This warranty deed was filed on June 3, 1865.   

For historical context, the month prior to this transaction, the country witnessed the end of the Civil War and the assassination of President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.    Milan township provided thirty-eight soldiers to the Union army.