San Diego County Recorder Chattel Mortgages

Title: San Diego County Recorder Chattel Mortgages

Dates: 1858-1931

Collection Number: RCC/OFR06

Creator/Collector: San Diego County (Calif.). Office of County Recorder

Extent: 97.6 cubic feet (130 oversize boxes)

Repository: San Diego County Archives

Abstract: Chattel Mortgages are loans in which the collateral is movable personal property such as livestock, machinery, other vehicles, or the inventory of a retail establishment. This collection consists of nine volumes of indexes and 121 volumes of recorded mortgages and date approximately from the US Civil War to the early years of the Great Depression.

Language of Material: English

Please contact the San Diego County Archives staff at archives@sdcounty.ca.gov for access information.

[Identification of item]. San Diego County Recorder Chattel Mortgages. Collection Number: RCC/OFR06. San Diego County Archives

Chattel Mortgages date from the US Civil War to the early years of the Great Depression and consist of nine volumes of indexes and 121 volumes of Chattel Mortgage Books. The records document recorded loans in which the collateral is movable personal property such as livestock, machinery, other vehicles, or the inventory of a retail establishment. Chattel Mortgages are divided into two series, Indexes to Personal Property Mortgages (1861-1931) and Chattel Mortgage Books (1858-1931) Series 1, Indexes to Personal Property Mortgages, includes nine volumes. These volumes provide information with which individual property mortgages can be found. Each entry in the index provides the name of the person or entity holding the mortgage (the mortgagee), the date of mortgage, book and page number, date of filing, and filing number. There are two sets of Indexes. The first is arranged by last name of the person mortgaging items (mortgagor) and the second, by the last name of the person holding the mortgage (mortgagee). Series 2, Chattel Mortgages, includes 121 volumes. Each record consists of a narrative description of a loan agreement including terms, such as interest to be paid and date of complete repayment, and of the personal (non-real) property used as collateral. Other information recorded includes names of participants and, often, the city, county, and state in which they reside or do business. The date of recording is also present. Records are arranged chronologically by date of recording.