The question is "how did he obain it?"
It seems interesting that a child who lived with his adopted family in 1870 and 1880 has property worth $5000 to sell in the 1880s. I've made contact with a researcher in Adams County, Illinois who will get copies of the deeds of sale for me and who will search the indexes to determine (if possible) how Montvill obtained the property.
Montvill married Jennie Meltabarger in Adams County in 1881. It is possible that the acquisition of the property revolved around Jennie and not Montvill.
The newspaper indicates the deeds of sale were recorded. There may be deeds of acquisition or there may not. If Montvill (or his wife) inherited the property in the 1880s, common practice Illinois at the time was not to record a deed, particularly if there was a will involved. Adams County has a tract index which allows searchers to search for deeds based upon location. I'm hoping that answers the question.
If not, we'll have to go from there.
