[APG Public List] Understanding ejectment lawsuits

[D Kapp]

Repeated post with subject heading
Dear Mag,

I have had limited use of Allegheny Co., Pa., ejectment suits, but a few 
notes:

## An ejectment action is not the same as an eviction. An ejectment is 
the removal of a person(s) from land to which they might be perceived as 
having some sort of legal right. An eviction removes a tenant or some 
person who obviously has no legal right to own the land.

## One cannot ascertain the grounds of an ejectment by reading the index 
entry.

## In the absence of the actual legal records for the suit, searching 
deed and estate records for the surnames involved (in Mifflin Twp., in 
this case, and related areas) is definitely research that might provide 
more enlightenment.

Hope this is somewhat helpful.

Debbie



###
My niece has found a record that shows an ancestor who was one of 
several plaintiffs in an ejectment lawsuit, and we have questions:
1. are the plaintiffs living on land from which they are being ejected 
as in evicted?
2. if that is correct, why are the plaintiffs suing the landowners, as 
in, on what grounds if the plaintiffs are living on my land, can I be 
sued for ejecting them?
3. are the three BEAM defendants the land owners?

We have spoken with the Office of The Prothonotary who has custody of 
this record, and she told us the origianal case record no longer exists.

Any help understanding what has happened here is appreciated.

TIA

Mag

9 June 1815 Allegheny Co., PA, Prothonotary Office, City-County 
Building, Pittsburgh, PA: Joseph POWELL and others were plaintiffs in 
ejectment lawsuit # 123, Mifflin Twp., Term August 1815.

Ejectment #123 filed Allegheny County, PA 9 June 1815: Samuel BEAM; 
Jacob BEAM; Jacob ROMACK and Susan his wife; Joseph POWELL and his wife; 
John TWINDLER and Mary his wife; John WOLF and Esther his wife; and 
Elizabeth MARTIN

VS

John BEAM; Amos BEAM; Elijah BEAM