Deeds for Literary Hall in Romney

Literary Hall deed DB 547, pages 404-420 (several tracts)
December 27, 2017  (page 9 of 12)
Ralph Haines to Linda Jane Haines & Haines Family Trust & Ben Haines

NINTH PARCEL: (Romney Municipal District, Tax Map 3, Parcel 57,
Literary Hall, 0.18 acre) All that certain tract or parcel of real
estate situate on the Northwest Corner of Main Street and North High
Street in the Town of Romney, Hampshire County, West Virginia, known as
the property of Clinton Lodge No. 86, A.F. & A.M., together with the
building, fixtures and improvements thereon, and all rights of way and
easements thereunto appertaining, which lot is approximately 67' 6" x
102.5’ inside of the sidewalk, but 70 x 115 feet including portion of the
sidewalk, which lot is bounded on the North by the property of the Romney
First Methodist Church; on the west by the Christopher property, now
owned by Ralph W. Haines; on the South by U.S. Route No. 50, and on the
East by High Street, being West Virginia Route No. 28, and which lot is
more fully described according to a plat of same, which is of record in
   next page
the Office of the Clerk of the County Commission of Hampshire County,
West Virginia, in Deed Book No. 180, at page 344, which said plat is
incorporated herein for all pertinent and proper reasons.
Ninth Parcel is same real estate which was conveyed unto Ralph W.
Haines, by deed dated November 30, 1973, and of record in the Office of
the Clerk of the County Commission of Hampshire County, West Virginia,
in Deed Book No. 205, at page 338. Ralph W. Haines died on May 3, 2002,
and pursuant to the terms of his Last Will and Testament, which is of
record in the aforesaid Clerk's Office in Will Book No. 49, at page 222,
he did devise said real estate unto his daughter, Linda Jane Haines.
There has been no recent survey of any of the parcels of real estate

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See Will Book 49, pge 222

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Clinton Lodge to Ralph Haines DB 205, p. 338

CLINTON LODGE NO. 86,
ANCIENT FREE and ACCEPTED
MEMBERS of ROMNEY, W. VA.;
JOSEPH E. PAUGH, CHARLES A.
PRICKETT and FREDERICK I.
PFEIL, TRUSTEES for Clinton
Lodge No. 86, A.F. 8 A.M.
TO DEED
RALPH W. HAINES

Deed Book 205 page 338

THIS DEED made and entered into
this 30th day of November, 1973,
by and between Clinton Lodge No.
86, Ancient Free and Accepted
Masons; of Romney, West Virginia;
Joseph E. Paugh, Charles A.
Prickett and Frederick I. Pfeil,
Trustees for Clinton Lodge No.
86, A.F. & A.M.,grantors and
parties of the first part, and Ralph W. Haines, whose address is
Romney, West Virginia, 26757, grantee and party of the second part.
WHEREAS the parties hereto have agreed to exchange cer-
tain lands, being lots situate in the Town of Romney, West Vir-
ginia. 
- NOW, THEREFORE, THIS DEED WITNESSETH: That for and in
consideration of the sum of Ten ($10.00) Dollars, cash in hand 
paid, and the exchange of certain lots and other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt of all of which is hereby acknowledged 
the said party of the first part does hereby grant and convey, 
with covenants of general warranty and to be free and clear of all
liens and encumbrances, unto Ralph W. Haines all that certain
tract or parcel of real estate situate on the Northwest corner of
Main Street and North High Street in the Town of Romney, Hampshire
County, West Virginia, known as the property of Clinton Lodge No.
86, A.F. & A.M., together with the building, fixtures and improve-
ments thereon and all rights of way and easements thereunto ap-
pertaining, which lot is approximately 67' 6" X 102.5’ inside of
the sidewalk, but 70 X 115 feet including portions of the side-
walk, which lot is bounded on the North by the property of the
Romney First Methodist Church; on the West by the Christopher

   to page 339
property, now owned by Ralph W. Haines; on the South by U. S.
Route No. 50, and on the East by High Street, being West Virginia
Route No. 28, and which lot is more fully described according to,
a plat hereto attached, but which plat is of record in the Clerk’s
Office of the County Court of Hampshire County, West Virginia, in
Deed Book No. 180 at page 344; being the same property which the
grantor has occupied since about 1869 and which it acquired by
deed about 1920, and the same property in which fee simple title
was confirmed in said grantor by order of the Circuit Court of
Hampshire County, West Virginia, in Civil Action No. 1650, dated
January 7, 1969, which order and plat describing said real estate
more fully is of record in the Clerk's Office of the County Court
of Hampshire County, West Virginia, in Deed Book No. 180 at page
340.
The_grantor will pay the taxes which have been assessed
against the property for the calendar year 1973. However, the 
grantee will assume the payment of any taxes for the calendar year
1974, although the same may have already been assessed in the name
of the grantor.
This deed is executed by the duly elected Trustees of 
Clinton Lodge No. 86, A.F. & A.M. pursuant to a resolution adopted
by the members of Clinton Lodge No. 86, A.F. & A.M. at a regular 
meeting thereof, authorizing the sale and exchange of said pro-
perty and authorizing and directing the Trustees to execute a deed
therefor. 
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the real estate herein conveyed unto
the said Ralph W. Haines, in fee simple. 


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Clinton Lodge DB180-340-343

CLINTON LODGE NO. 86,
A.F. & A.M.,
PLAINTIFF
Vs. CIVIL ACTION NO. M, 50
ROMNEY LITERARY SOCIETY,
its surviving members, if any,
the names of whom are unknown,
and any other persons having a
vested interest, the names of
whom are unknown,
DEFENDANTS

This 7th day of January, 1969, came the plaintiff,
Clinton Lodge No. 86 A.F. & A.M. by its officers and trustees
in person and with Ralph W. Haines, its attorney, and this
cause came on to be heard upon the verified bill of complaint
duly filed; upon order of publication duly and regularly com-
pleted more than 30 days, with certificate of publisher being
filed: upon the cause maturing for hearing and placed on the
docket for trial; upon testimony of witnesses duly sworn in
open court: upon argument of counsel.
After due consideration of all the pleadings, testi-
monies, and exhibits the court does find:
	(1) That by deed dated 24 June, 1867, recorded in
the Clerk's Office of the County Court of Hampshire County,
West Virginia, in Deed Book No. 54 at page 15, the Trustees for
Francis M. Myers conveyed to the Literary Society of Romney, a
corporation, a certain tracts or parcels of land situate in the
Town of Romney, Hampshire County, West Virginia, being certain
parts of Lot! Nos. 55 and 56, as shown on the plat of said Town,
and that subsequently, the Literary Society of Romney conveyed
onto the Methodist Church South of Romney, part of

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said real estate consisting of the portion of Lot No. 55 and
44 feet of Lot No. 56, and also conveyed unto Dr. John M. Snyder
the Western portion of said lot, leaving a lot or parcel of
land owned by the said Literary Society of Romney approximately
67' 6" x 102.5‘ inside of the sidewalk, but 70 x 115 feet in-
cluding portions of the sidewalk, which lot is bounded on the
North by the property of the Romney First Methodist Church; on
the West by the Christopher property, now owned by Ralph W.
Haines; on the South by U. S. Route No; 50, and on the East by
High Street, being West Virginia Route No. 28.
	(2) That in 1869 the Literary Society built a brick
structure upon said lot which is still standing, for the purp-
oses of housing a Library and as a meeting place for the Society
and a second floor was constructed to said building to be used
as a lodge hall and meeting place for Clinton Lodge No. 86
A.F. & A.M., a fraternal order which had been organized in
Romney in 1823. The Romney Literary Society occupied the first
floor and held irregular meetings until about 1890, and the
plaintiff, the Masonic Lodge, held its regular meetings in its
Lodge Hall on the second floor. About 1890, the Masonic Lodge
began using said building more extensively, and according to its
minutes, began to assume the expense of maintaining the build-
ing and grounds. Subsequently, an agreement was apparently
reached between the two organizations concerning the transfer
of the title to the real estate to Clinton Lodge, and on December
26, 1919, Trustees were elected by said Lodge to accept the
building and lot from the Literary Society. A meeting of the
Society was held in April, 1920, at which meeting it was voted
to turn over the property of the Society to Clinton Lodge, and
to have prepared a deed for the property. From this date,

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Clinton Lodge No. 86 has assumed exclusive control, possession,
and ownership of said real estate and building.
	(3) The court further finds that since April of 1920
Clinton Lodge No. 86 A.F. & A.M. has been in actual occupancy
of the entire property continuously, hostilely, notoriously,
openly and has been recognized as the owner of said property;
that it has incurred all the expenses and bills to maintain
the same; that all actions in reference to the use of said build-
ing have been within the exclusive control of said Lodge: that
it has maintained the insurance on the same; all under color of
title: that the Romney Literary Society has ceased to function:
that its charter has been surrendered; that all of is members
are deceased. However, the Lodge has continuously been in
actual, open, hostile and adverse possession under claim of right
as against all parties since 1920, being a period of nearly
seventy years, and that prior to that time was in possession of
said building with said Literary Society.
	(4) The court further finds that the deed for said
property has been lost or misplaced but that the plaintiff has
clearly established its title and ownership of said real estate.
It is the judgment and order of the court that the
plaintiff, Clinton Lodge No. 86 A.F. & A.M., a fraternal order
situate in the Town of Romney, Hampshire County, West Virginia,
does now hold good, marketable, fee simple title to said real
estate situate in the Town of Romney, Hampshire County, West
Virginia, consisting of that portion of Lot No. 55 as shown on
the plat of said Town bounded on the North by the property of
the Romney First Methodist Church; on the West by the Christopher
property, now owned by Ralph I. Haines: on the South by U. S.
Route 50, and on the East by High Street, being West Virginia
Route No. 28, which lot measures 67.6‘ x 102.5’ on the inside of

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the existing sidewalk and 70 x 115' including portions of the
sidewalk, a plat of which lot has been prepared by William
B. Rannells, registered professional engineer, and files as an
exhibit in this case. ‘
It is further ordered that a copy of this order
together with a plat of the real estate be filed in the Clerk's
Office of the County Court of Hampshire County, West Virginia,
inlieu of a deed for said real estate, and that henceforth that
Clinton Lodge No. 86 A.F. & A.M. shall be vested with fee simple
title to said real estate.
Nothing further remaining to be done in this cause,
all questions having been resolved and all issues determined
it is ordered that the same now be removed from the docket as
ended.
 
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Deed Book Ho. 54 at page 15 dated 24 June, 1867, 
the Trustees for Francis M. Myers conveyed to the 
Literary Society of Romney certain parts of Lot Nos. 55 and 56