The Coos County Home Historian

County Records: Deeds and Indexes

Like most organizations that have been keeping records for a considerable period of time, the method of recording these records has changed several times. In Coos County, there have been five different methods employed by the county clerks since the mid-1800's. Each of the five methods was used for a specific period of time. Understanding each of these different styles of record keeping will make searching for your home's history easier. Each of the five styles of record keeping is summarized below, and a link from each section will take you to specific directions on how to use the indexes. You may also find the Quick Reference Guide a handy tool to take with you to the court house.

Direct Index to Deeds (1853 - 1907)

The first records keep in Coos County were recorded in a ledger in chronological (date) order. To use this index, you will have to read it very carefully looking for the owner's name. This entry will then point you to the actual deed. You will need to review the deed carefully to see who the previous owner was. You may also want to review the Deed and Mortgage Glossary to help you understand some of the terms you will encounter in these early deeds.

Index to Names (1908 - 1940)

In this form of record keeping, each family name is first written in a ledger called the Index to Names. Each family is given a unique number and all purchases and sales for that family are then grouped together and filed in numerical order by family number in a separate ledger. Using these ledgers are a good way to find other properties owned by your house owners, as all of the transactions are listed together and a brief summary of the transaction is included. These indexes then point you to the actual deed books where you will find the actual deed. You will need to review the actual deed as frequently the summary information does not list all of the parties involved in the sale/purchase.

Direct and Indirect Indexes (1941 - 1965)

The third type of records keep in Coos County are the Direct and Indirect Indexes. In these very large and heavy volumes, entries are filed using the seller's (direct) last name in one set of volumes, but are also filed using the buyer's last name in the second set. The first two letters of the last name are used to identify a 'page set'  in the index. Transactions are then ordered by date, so you will have to review all of the pages in your page set to find the name you are searching for. The page set number will remain constant through all of the volumes.

Rolodex Type Indexes (1966 - 1990)

In this type of index system, all of the buyers and sellers are filed in alphabetical order onto the Rolodex type cards. There is usually only family name per card. This card will then have a family number. You will use this number to find the smaller ledgers which are very similar to the Index to Name Number Family ledgers. These indexes then point you to the actual deed books where you will find the actual deed.

Computerized Records (1990 - present)

The fifth style of indexes are computerized using the IRIS Land Application program. In this system, you will enter the name of the owner you are looking for and a summary of the deed will be provided, as well as the number of the actual deed. For recent transactions, some of these records include a copy of the actual deed itself, making it the fastest method of finding information.