[Signed by both Governor Sterling Price and Secretary of State Richardson; signed four times by businessman R.W. Sinclair. Measures 17” x 14”. Printed on light blue paper, with large illustration at top, large embossed official seal at bottom left hand corner. All handwriting I have catalogued here is in my italics. Four folds, 2 small tears along horizontal folds, slight browning along folds, else generally Good to VG. Suitable for framing.]
The State of Missouri
To all whom these presents shall come – Greeting:
Know ye that there has been deposited in the Office of the Register of Lands of said state, an abstract of the sale of Township School Lands in the county of Audrain whereby it appears, that in pursuance of the several acts of the General Assembly of said state, providing for the sale of the Township School Lands, R.W. Sinclair, became the purchaser of the South west quarter of the south west quarter of section sixteen in Township fifty two of Range eight containing Forty acres, at the Price of Four dollars and [0] cents per acre, (“being Land granted by the United States to the State of Missouri, for the use of the inhabitants of said township, for the use of schools,” for the sum of One hundred and sixty dollars and [0] cents, which sum it further appears, has been fully paid by the said R.W. Sinclair.
Now, in consideration of the premises, and in conformity of the provisions of the hereinbefore recited acts, the State of Missouri hath Given and Granted, and by these presents Doth Give and Grant, unto the said R.W. Sinclair and to his heirs, the tract of land above described: To Have and To Hold, the said tract with the appurtenances, unto the said R.W. Sinclair and to his heirs and assigns forever.
In Testimony Whereof, I, Sterling Price, Governor of the State of Missouri, have caused these letters to be Patent, and the Seal of the State, to be hereunto affixed by the Secretary of the State. Given under my hand, at the City of Jefferson, this Eighteenth day of November in the year of our Lord One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty Four.
Sterling Price
By the Governor:
John M. Richardson Secretary of State