By Will Hopkins and Sarah Osorio
Title: Guaranty Title and Trust Corporation Records, 1883-1919
ID: 001/01/MSS 0000-052
Primary Creator: Guaranty Title and Trust Coporation (1906-1929)
Extent: 375.0 Boxes
Arrangement: Packets are arranged in original order by block or section; blocks and sections appear to be organized somewhat geographically. Books are arranged roughly by size. Plats are arranged in numeric order, with oversized plats arranged in numeric order at the end of the collection.
Date Acquired: 00/00/1963
Subjects: Buildings, Businesses, Chesapeake (Va.), Cities and towns--Virginia--Maps, Norfolk (Va.), Norfolk County (Va.), Portsmouth (Va.), Princess Anne County (Va.), Real property, Streets
Forms of Material: Deeds, Indexes (reference sources), Maps (documents), Plats (maps)
Languages: English
This collection includes approximately 3,800 paperboard-bound volumes (packets) containing deed and mortgage abstracts for properties in Norfolk, Portsmouth, and the surrounding counties (mostly Norfolk County). The collection also includes approximately 2,800 land plats, mostly for properties associated with the packets.
Guaranty Title and Trust created these records in the course of its business verifying property titles, recording land transactions, and issuing mortgage loans during its operations in Norfolk, Virginia from 1904 to 1929. The collection also includes some records that predate the company.
Each packet represents a defined parcel of land (a city block in built-up areas) and identifies the numbered plat sheets associated with that parcel. Some plats (particularly the higher numbered/later sheets) cover proposed residential developments, easements (such as rail and power lines), and transfers of undeveloped county lands.
Buildings
Businesses
Chesapeake (Va.)
Cities and towns--Virginia--Maps
Norfolk (Va.)
Norfolk County (Va.)
Portsmouth (Va.)
Princess Anne County (Va.)
Real property
Streets
Repository: Sargeant Memorial Collection
Access Restrictions: This collection is open to all researchers.
Use Restrictions: The status of copyright for these materials is governed by Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U. S. C.). Copyright restrictions may apply.
Acquisition Source: Owners of the company records, by donation
Preferred Citation: Guaranty Title and Trust Corporation Records, MSS 0000-052, Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.
Processing Information: The collection's land plats (Series 3) were processed in January 2019. Series 1 and 2 were processed from November 2022 to March 2023.
