African American Genealogy: Martha Vance Sold Property to Alice G. Shiver

In Emory Wallace Vance, Sr. is Among the Richland County, SC Grantor Deeds, Emory Wallace Vance, Sr (1901-1973) gave Martha Vance, his step mother, his land and property after the death of his father, Rev. Lafayette Franklin Vance for the cost of $5.00 and love and affection. Grandma Martha is someone I did not meet in this life, but the children of Rev. Lafayette Franklin Vance referred to her as such. They were the children of two sisters, Nunia and Lula Johnson Vance.

Martha was a one-time resident of the property. My grandfather, Emory, built two houses on the 200+ acres of land. One house was where Martha and Rev. Vance stayed. I remember my mother, Edna Vance Foster, telling stories of how she would sneak down to their house and sneakingly sample tomato pie. Emory and Otis Tucker Vance along with all the descendants of Rev. Vance showed love toward Grandma Martha. That is why I have so much interest in what I can find on her life after Rev. Vance died.

I was glad to see the property was left to her for $5.00 in March 1959. I just had to return to see how long she kept it because I know she was buried in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in April 1978. I looked through the index and I found her in Deed Book 248 on page 108.

Martha was a one-time resident of the property. My grandfather, Emory, built two houses on the 200+ acres of land. One house was where Martha and Rev. Vance stayed. I remember my mother, Edna Vance Foster, telling stories of how she would sneak down to their house and sneakingly sample tomato pie. Emory and Otis Tucker Vance along with all the descendants of Rev. Vance showed love toward Grandma Martha. That is why I have so much interest in what I can find on her life after Rev. Vance died.

Martha Vance sold the property to Alice G. Shiver for $200.00 in March 1959. This was identical property conveyed to Martha Vance by E. W. Vance on 9^th October 1958 and recorded in Deed Book 237, page 167 for Richland County SC. Alice G. Shiver only paid $200.00. I assume Martha must have known Alice.

My next goal is to research Martha Vance to see she when she would have left Columbia and moved to Philadelphia, or was she just buried there?

Sharpen the Saw

What records can you research to find out if a person lived in an area still or moved? I know I can check city directories, in this case school records, yearbooks, and church records to see if Martha was still in the Columbia area. What records might tell you about your family member? Let us know on Facebook.