A few years ago, my Mom's Dad sent me a box of old letters and family genealogies. While I was looking through the box I came across a deed dated 1790, and signed by Beverly Randolf, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It was for a 400+ acre parcel of land, near what is now Berkley Springs, West Virginia. The name of the recipient isn't in any of the genealogies, but only one of them goes back to Revolutionary War times. I asked my Grandfather, be he had no idea about it. I'm pretty sure that he hasn't paid any property tax on it, and I know my mom and I haven't. Anyway, what I wanted to know is what I should do about this? Is there any chance it belongs to us? If not, how do I find the real owner? If we do own it, will we have to pay millions of dollars in back property taxes? The boundaries are laid out with references to swamps and trees and ridges and such, so I'm not even sure how to find out it's exact location. I would love to visit it some day, even if it belongs to someone else, just to stand there and look at it. Unfortunately, I live in California, so I can't just drive over there whenever I feel like it.
更新1:
I've kind of thought it had been. I don't know when was the last time taxes were paid on it, only that my grandfather, who sent me the box, didn't know anything about it. I contacted the county clerk last year, but they said they couldn't find anything, and that to find out I would have to visit the county offices and look through the records myself.
