From Freed Slaves To Land Records, Recorder Of Deeds Works To Save Hundreds Of Years Of Local History

About 100 of Bucks County’s oldest deed and freed slave records – all of varying levels of historical significance – were wrapped in plastic bags and packed in the back of a minivan Tuesday morning at a nondescript warehouse.

The deed books then began their journey from the county records warehouse in Warrington to a specialized lab in Essex, Vermont, where they will be cleaned, restored, and placed in a protective sheeting that will keep them in good shape for at least the next 100 years.

Currently, the deed books are showing their age. One book examined by a reporter from this news organization dates back to the times of William Penn while another had land records from 1709. Both books were falling apart at the edges, had environmental damage, and the acid from iron gall ink of the period was burning through the pages.

Kofile Technologies, the company tasked with preserving the deed volumes, will have specialists painstakingly log each page and restore them. Company representative Joe Degnan said damage will be repaired, tape applied decades ago will be removed, and tiny acidic remains of binding will be scratched off the paper.

The work will cost the county just under $250,000 for the first batch of books. The contract was approved last week by the Bucks County Commissioners and the money will come from fees collected by the Recorder of Deeds.

Bucks County Recorder of Deeds Robin Robinson said she aims to restore the 600 other books. The project is expected to cost just under $2 million.

Degnan explained that the process for restoring each book will take 12 to 14 weeks. The process varies depending on the quality of each book and the pages in them.

Specialists have a special process to mend tears with special Japanese tissue paper and apply chemicals that restore the documents, Degnan said.

“The tape – it’s just Scotch tape – is a nightmare. The cellophane comes off, but it leaves the adhesive behind and that gets stuck in the paper,” he explained.

Another challenge involves the processes used to make the paper and cloth pages. Some of the books have pages that have a blue tint, caused by the blue military uniforms and rags recycled into pages for the books during the mid-1800s.

Additional problems that can arise are the mites living in the books and damage from mold after years of sitting in the county warehouse.

Several decades ago, the county hired a team to scan the pages of the books onto microfilm and microfiche. However, the process of separating the pages from their binding damaged many pages, said Second Deputy Recorder Of Deeds Steve Pizzollo.

The Recorder of Deeds’ office is tasked with keeping track of all real estate documents, veterans’ discharges, notary public commissions, and other vital records. At one it, it also kept records of slaves who were freed in Bucks County.

Pizzollo said that although the office most often refers to scanned documents, it is not uncommon for staff to have to visit the warehouse to use the old books to confirm information.

Robinson told NewtownPANow.com it’s her office’s responsibility to keep the books in good condition not just for historical purposes but for the sake of continuity of important records.

The books, according to Degnan and Robinson, will be returned to the county when they are restored and kept in the old sheriff’s department office in the basement of the old courthouse in Doylestown Borough. The room will be temperature controlled and have safeguards to protect the deed volumes.

Bucks County Director of Operations Kevin Spencer said previous Recorder of Deeds Joe Szafran began planning for construction of the high-density, climate-controlled storage space three years ago and Robinson has continued the work to prepare for the restored volumes. 

Robinson said the restoration of the books and storage in the old courthouse, which is now the Bucks County Administration Building, will keep the records in better condition and closer to her staff.

Robinson stated she has applied for grants to help pay for the restoration and also is seeking donations to fund the work. Based on a program used by other agencies, the Recorder of Deeds will host an Adopt-A-Book drive. Generous Bucks Countians who make a contribution will receive a certificate of thanks for donations of up to $500, a certificate of thanks and donor names will be added to a plaque for contributions between $500 and $2,000, and $2,000-plus donations will have their name memorialized in a restored book. Smaller amounts will be accepted and are also greatly appreciated.

“I got my first check yesterday. It was for $25 and I’m thrilled,” Robinson said.

Donations can be made payable to “Bucks County Recorder of Deeds Adopt-A-Book” and mailed to the Bucks County Recorder of Deeds at 55 E. Court Street, Doylestown, PA 18901.