A Retirement Bond of Support

It seemed logical that a family would hand down any claims to land to their children when they ‘retired’. The grantor of the property usually adopted the status of inquilinus-- Latin for lodger because they still lived with the family in retirement. These transfers of property were often documented. Several years ago I came across a transfer document called a Bond of Support pertaining to my great grandparents in Wisconsin. As you will read, in exchange for the property, the great grandparents were to be supported for the rest of their lives. The document made for interesting reading and here’s most of it (my comments in red):

It starts with a preprinted legal form with blanks filled in:
Know all Men, That Stanislaus Czuchra and Anna Czuchra his wife (my grandparents) Joint tenants of Maple Grove, County of Shawano and State of Wisconsin parties of the first part in consideration of Two Thousand and five Hundred Dollars, in hand paid by Frank Mytys and Katharine Mytys his wife (my great grandparents) of the same place parties of the second part, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, do – hereby grant, bargain, sell and convey to the said parties of the second part, their heirs and assigns forever, the following real estate, lying and being in the County Outagamie (the property is actually in Shawano County) and State of Wisconsin, and known and described as

Legal description of the family farm
The north west quarter of the north west quarter and the west half of the east half of the north west quarter of section number twenty six (26) in township number twenty five (25) north, of range number eighteen (18) east containing eighty acres more or less according to Government Survey.
end of legal description

together with all the privileges and appurtenances to the same belonging.
To have and to hold the same to the said parties of the second part, their heirs and assigns forever. And the said Stanislaus Czuchra and Anna Czuchra parties of the first part, hereby covenant that they are well and truly seized of a good and perfect title to the premises above conveyed in the law, in fee simple and have good right and lawful authority to convey the same, and that the title so conveyed is clear, free and unincumbered, and that they will forever warrant and defend the same to the parties of the second part, their heirs and assigns, against all claims whatsoever:

Provided Always, that these presents are upon this express condition, that if the said parties of the first part, their heirs, executors and administrators, shall pay or cause to be paid to the said parties of the second part, their heirs, executors, administrators or assigns, the just and full sum of Seven Hundred and twenty five Dollars to their heirs and an annuity of Thirty Dollars annually as well as provide for and support the said parties of the second part for and during their natural lives and according to the conditions of a certain Bond of Support bearing even date herewith, executed by the said Stanislaus Czuchra and Anna Czuchra the said parties of the first page, to the said parties of the second part, and shall moreover pay annually to the proper officers, all taxes which shall be assessed on the said real estate and to deliver duplicate receipts therefor to the said parties of the second part heirs or assigns, on or before the first day of May next after such taxes shall have become due and payable, and to insure and keep insured the buildings thereon against loss or damage by fire in the sum of Five Hundred dollars, or over, in insurance companies to be selected by the said parties of the second part, their heirs or assigns, and the policy or policies of such insurance assigned as collateral hereto, and in default thereof it shall be lawful for the said party of the second part, their heirs or assigns to effect such insurance, and the premium or premiums and other legal expenses, fees, costs, and charges paid for effecting the same, together with interest thereon at the rate of ten per cent per annum, shall be a lien upon the said mortgaged premises, added to the amount of the said Bond and secured by these presents until the payment of said Bond, then these presents shall be null and void. But in case of the non-payment of any sum of money (either of principal, interest or taxes) at the time .. And on and on with more legalese which covers property forfeiture due to not meeting terms of the bond. A few years later that’s what happened.
Signed on 19 July AD 1906 and recorded in Outagamie County 20 July 1906 But the property is in Shawano County!

The following part of this Bond of Support was all handwritten beginning on a new page.
Know all men by these Presents, That Stanislaus Czuchra and Anna Czuchra of the Town of Maple Grove in the County of Shawano and State of Wisconsin are held and firmly bound unto Frank Mytys and Katharine Mytys of the same place in the final sum of Two Thousand and five hundred Dollars, good and lawful money of the United States of America to be paid to the said Frank Mytys and Katharine Mytys, his executors administrators or assigns, for which payment well and truly to be made we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents. Sealed with our seals and dated this nineteenth day of July 1906. The condition of this obligation is such, that if the above bounden obligation, their heirs, executors and administrators or any of them, shall well and truly pay to Veronica Penksa the sum of One Hundred Dollars on the third day of December 1909 and One Hundred Dollars on the third day of December 1910. To Katie Mytys the sum of Two Hundred Dollars on the eighteenth day of July 1912 to Adam Mytys, the sum of Two Hundred Dollars on the eighth day of March 1917 And one year after the death of Frank Mytys the sum of Twenty five Dollars each to John Mytys and Katie Walczak. And two years after the death of said Frank Mytys the sum of Twenty five Dollars each to George Mytys, Mary Baran and Mary Wojwicz, all without interest, children of said Frank Mytys and shall annually pay for and during their natural lives (the lives of the said obligies (probably obligees – someone owed an obligation) Frank Mytys and Katharine Mytys) and furnish the money articles provisions and living apartments herinafter enumerated, towit: The sum of Thirty Dollars in cash payable in four equal installments, four barrels of wheat flour of best quality, three hundred pounds of pork, twenty five bushels of potatoes, fifty pounds of sugar, ten pounds of coffee, two milch (sic) cows at all times and ten chickens, and provide stabling, pasture and feed for the same and all to be kept and delivered on the premises conveyed to them this day subject
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subject however that after the death of one of the obligies only one half of the above money to be paid as an annuity and the provisions shall be furnished And also to furnish the said parties during their natural lifetime free of charges two living rooms in the dwelling house on said premises, storage room for vegetables in the cellar, well water, cistern water egress and ingress upon the entire premises, and the privilege to receive and harbor any of their children on grandchildren while visiting with them. If said dwelling house should be destroyed by fire or other elements said obligies to provide for other living rooms equally as good. And also furnish said parties team and vehicle or one horse and vehicle and take them to church on Sundays Also twice a year to town, either Seymour or Green Bay if they desire to go there. And also give them one fourth of an acre of ground for a garden near the dwelling house and cultivate the same for them annually. To furnish and deliver at the house well seasoned wood for fuel sawed and split and ready for use at all times as much as they may need. To furnish Doctor and medicine in sickness. To do the washing and mending when sick, feeble or too old to do such. To nurse and care for them in sickness and to give each of the obligies a decent christian burial, all without fraud or other delay, then this obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force. The filing of the certificate of death of both obligies shall release the provisions for them made in the mortgage securing the performance of this Bond.

Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of A J Sherwood, F R Dittmer

Stanislaus Czuchra, Anna Czuchra

End of the Bond of Support
This Bond of Support is very similar to the one contracted in 1902 between the great grandparents and Anna Czuchra’s sister, Veronica Penksa. Veronica and husband had moved on.

I had these Bond of Support documents for years but recently was reminded of them by an online article that described a Norwegian folge from the early 1800s that read like this Bond of Support. Here’s the link to that article.

How’s that for a retirement plan?