 nother good source to find information
on a particular property are the ward books found on microfilm in the Register of Mesne Conveyance. These can
also help get you back on track if you have run into a dead end with the deeds.
Check the location of your property on the ward map, hanging on the wall of the historic room of the register's
office. Find the property's date and ward number, then look through the appropriate microfilm cartridge for it.
Be aware that the ward boundaries change slightly over time.
The ward books on microfilm are organized by street, with an index in the front of the book. The books record
over a three to five year period who bought and sold the property, whether the buildings were brick (B) or
wooden (W), the number of stories the property had, and the building's the dimensions. They also give an assessed
value of the property from year to year. If the value increases greatly, this may indicate a house was built on
the property between those years.
The ward books give no follow up reference. Thus, you may have to return to the cross and direct indexes with
the new property owner's name to continue your title search. The earliest ward book goes back to 1852. There is
then a gap between 1852 and the 1870s.
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