Mahrous Mustafa Bseiso Land Deeds Collection, 1906-1977

Mr. Mahrous Bseiso had a vision to Industrialize Beersheba. This is evidenced by parcel number 13149 dated August 13, 1947, in which Mr. Mahrous Bseiso paid 5 pounds of previous general tax for the year 1946 as well as 5 pounds previous property tax also for the year 1946 for a total of 10 pounds. The write off book number assigned to this document was 675. Moreover, this document was signed and had the seal of the Beersheba Municipality.. Origins: Registry of Beersheeba Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document is a standard receipt for a payment made by Mr. Mahrous Bseiso to the Jordanian Government on June 25, 1950. Although the recipient is not specified, this is a registered receipt within Jordanian records. The total amount paid by Mr. Mahrous Bseiso is in the amount of 1 currency. . Origins: Jordanian Kingdom. Language(s): Arabic

This is the back of Document 002, and the document displays an illegible and possibly a crossed-out word; and the word "Sunday" with a date. The date is recorded as July 7th, 1950, around two weeks from the date of the receipt in document 002. . Origins: Jordanian Kingdom. Language(s): Arabic

Mr. Mahrous Bseiso's vision to industrialize Beersheba is further shown by his allocation of houses and shops in Beersheba. On November 11, 1946, Mr. Mahrous Afandi Bseiso paid 2 pounds for current general taxes for the year 1946, 1 pound current lore tax for the year 1946, and 2 pounds 190 mils current property tax for the year 1946. This brought the total paid to 5 pounds and 190 mils for the aforementioned. This document was numbered 9825 and had a write-off book number of 675. It was signed by the recipient and issued by the Beersheba Municipality Directorate.. Origins: Registry of Beersheeba Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

At a young age Mr. Mahrous Bseiso sought to develop the land and infrastructure of Beersheba by committing to purchases of undeveloped land. Mr. Mahrous not only developed his own land, but also sought the land of others, particularly residents who did not have the financial stability to afford maintenance of the land or its development. In May of 1927, Mr. Mahrous assisted other financially troubled landowners with liens on their lands, in exchange for monetary loans. In this document which dates to over 90 years old, Mr. Bseiso acquired equitable title to the land of the borrower in exchange for Twenty Sa (measured in 3.24 kg), two English pounds, 24.5 Francs, and one Egyptian pound. The agreement further explains that Mahrous has legal authority to cultivate and develop the land as he pleases in exchange for the money borrowed. This historical document is witnessed and signed by heads of families and stamped with Palestinian issued stamps of the government. This historical artifact is a testament to the ownership and legally sanctioned transactions of residents in Beersheba Palestine.. Origins: Registry of Beersheeba Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

The very lien described and agreed upon in Document 5 is explained and verified on the face of this document. This too dates to May of 1927, as it may be inferred by the written contents' location, which is written on the back of Document 5. This continuation of the original Lien Agreement of Document 5 explains that the sum provided by Mr. Mahrous Bseiso is given to Sa'eed bin Abdullah Alsa'eed from the tribe of the Al-Mohammadeen. The borrower, Mr. Alsa'eed confirms in writing that he has received the borrowed sum and owes the money to Salem Zuwayed from the Alhsouni (who may be a representative on behalf of Mr. Mahrous Bseiso). The land in question is described for location purposes. The land is located near the watermill of Shaker Al-Baytar. The land is bordered from the south by Sulayman Abu-Ghalyoun, from the east a passing road and the land of the dam, from the north the waterfall of Dar Al-Sab', and from the west the road and Shaker Al-Baytar.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This is a copy of a standard Tax Form used in the southern districts of Palestine prior to 1948. These were used and kept in accordance with Municipality laws. This document portrays a tax collectors schedule that is recorded with serial number 743990. It contains subdistrict 7300 and subdistrict 700 and has a total of 8000.. Origins: Palestine. Language(s): English, Arabic, Hebrew

This table reflects ownership of Mr. Mahrous Bseiso's land evidenced by Mr. Bseiso's name being the initial writing on the document followed by the numbers 3/229. The table contains 4 columns identifying the mils or pounds used for payment, the land lot, and all the parcel numbers.. Origins: Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

The is a Property Sale Agreement between the seller, Moussa Al Alburieni, and the purchaser, Mr. Mahrous Bseiso. This agreement was written at the time of the transaction which took place on June 6 of 1922. The seller, Mr. Alburieni, sells 1/3 of the total 4 dunams to Mr. Bseiso. The land in question is referred to being near the Great Mosque in Beersheba Palestine. The witnesses to this agreement are as follows: Faisar Al Thawrana, Sahid Al Masma, and a third witness whose signature is not readable. On July 6 1922, Mr. Mahrous Bseiso took another step in fulfilling his vision of industrializing Beersheba with another real estate purchase. Mr. Bseiso acquired four dunams of land located parallel to the Great Mosque in the center of Beersheba for a total price of seventy Egyptian Pounds. This land sale contract was witnessed and signed by four people to comply with legal formalities and to certify the sale at the land registry department in Beersheba. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

In September 29th 1932, another land sale contract to Mr. Bseiso was executed. The land contract starts by outlining the parties to the land sale contract. The first party is Mr. Salab from the tribe of Al-Qudairat and the second party is Mr. Bseiso. Mr. Bseiso acquired land in the amount of seventy Maqtha'ah which were in the area of Um Altinan. The land sale contract describes the lands borders and determines the scope of use of land by the purchaser. The sale was made for six and a half Palestinian pounds. In addition, the land sale contract contains conditional language regarding future payments and registration. The land sale contract ends by displaying the names and witnesses to the land sale contract. Furthermore, 2 Palestine Revenue stamps are located on top of the name of each party to the contract. Moreover, to ensure authenticity, Mr. Bseiso's fingerprint is also evident next to his name and above the name of all the witnesses. There were four witnesses present at the time of the execution of the land sale contract and their names are identified in the document.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

On July 30, 1930, Mr. Bseiso continued his ventures of acquiring land. This land sale contract portrays another property acquired by Mr. Bseiso that was dedicated to farming and is defined in borders within the agreement. The contract further identifies the basic concepts needed for a valid land sale contract including offer, acceptance, and consideration. The consideration paid for this plot of land was twenty Palestinian pounds. A release of liability is also included in the bottom half of the agreement. The authenticity of the document is evidenced by the signatures at the bottom, including witness signatures and a Palestinian Revenue stamp dated July 30, 1930. There is an oath accompanying the certification declaring everything in the document entered is true. In addition, a seal is also portrayed on the bottom of the document by Harb Bin Salameh Abu Ruqayiq 33 to ensure validity and authenticity.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

On Safar 15th, 1343, of the Hijri Calendar, which would have been September 14th, 1924, Mr. Bseiso entered into another agreement to acquire land. A full dunam of land was transferred by the true owner to Mr. Bseiso for Fifty Egyptian Pounds by way of purchase from the Municipality of the district of Beersheba. The perimeter of land was defined in the agreement and validity was ensured; the agreement was certified as ownership transfer to Mr. Bseiso and 8 different Revenue stamps appear at the bottom of the document. Moreover, there are signatures by two witnesses to the aforementioned agreement.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document is a letter from a Land Assessment Committee to Hajj Mahrous Bseiso. The letter makes reference to a particular parcel of land owned by Bseiso and an inspection that was done to said land by the Committee. Among other things, the letter describes the location of the land parcel and the net value of the land in LP or "Palestinian Pounds". This letter is just one of many documents that prove Mr. Mahrous Bseiso was the documented owner of a large amount of land throughout Palestine. Mr. Mahrous Bseiso owned so much land in fact; he could rightfully be compared to a "John D. Rockefeller Jr." when considering the vast amount of real estate ownership and development that took place in Palestine during Bseiso's lifetime.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic, English, Hebrew

Per this agreement, Mohammad Al-Safadi, co-owner of a plantation, sold his 1/6th share of said plantation to fellow plantation co-owners Hajj Mahrous Bseiso, Mohammad Radhi, and Abdullah Albardini for "Thirty One Pounds and Four Hundred mils only". The location of the plantation is not mentioned. However, because the document indicates that Mohammad Radhi, Abdullah Albardini, and Mohammad Al-Safadi were from Beersheba, it can be inferred that the plantation was located in or near Beersheba. This document also refers to produce and livestock that was grown on this plantation. References to large pieces of undeveloped land owned by Mahrous Bseiso in Palestine help tell the story of Mahrous Bseiso and his plans to develop these farmlands into an infrastructure.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document contains five different numbers. The significance of these numbers is unknown.. Origins: ''. Language(s): Arabic

This document evidences that Mahrous Bseiso owned a drinking-water well titled the "Mahrous Well" that was dug in 1931 and located on the western side of an unidentified bridge. Although the exact location of the well was not mentioned, because the document makes reference to the road to Hebron; when discussing another well, it can be inferred that Mahrous Bseiso's well was located in or near the West Bank. This document not only evidence's Mahrous' Bseiso's ownership of a drinking well in Palestine approximately 17 years prior to the Arab-Israeli War in 1948, but also evidences that there were several other documented Palestinian drinking-well owners during this time period as well, whose names have been listed alongside Bseiso's.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document appears to be a page from a book that told the stories of the Old Testament regarding the city of Beersheba. The title, author and the significance of the book are all unknown.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

In this letter dated July 11th, 1944, the Land Registry of Gaza and Beersheba wrote to Hajj Mahrous Afandi Bseiso requesting that Hajj Bseiso appear before the directorate to sign a contract for a transaction he had with the government. With this letter being from the Land Registry of Gaza and Beersheba, it can be inferred from this document that the contract between Hajj Bseiso and the government was for the purchase of real property located in Gaza or Beersheba by Hajj Bseiso. Hajj Bseiso acquired large amounts of undeveloped real property from the government with the plans to develop said lands. This document also evidences the existence of a Land Registry of Gaza and Beersheba which appears to have existed in Palestine at least four years prior to the Arab-Israeli War in 1948.. Origins: Gaza, Palestine . Language(s): Arabic

In June of 1945, the Department of Public Works of Gaza sent a brief letter to Mr. Mahrous Bseiso informing him of upcoming construction plans which would require Mr. Bseiso's consent and knowledge. This letter was sent by the head Engineer of the Department specifying that the government workers would enter Mr. Bseiso's plantation and install a government fence to enhance border lines. The plantation is described as the area between Main government Roads referred to as "87" and "88." The significance of this document establishes ownership of a plantation for Mr. Mahrous and establishes the existence of the Department of Public Works in Palestine prior to the Arab-Israeli War in 1948. This letter was also sent to the Lieutenant Governor of Beersheba Palestine for authentication purposes. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document is an official Tax Demand Note for Real Estate Property owners in the municipalities of Palestine. This is evidenced through a standardized government form with Hebrew, English and Arabic instructions. These languages were to accommodate the diverse demographics of Palestine, and the English was incorporated during the British mandate of Palestine. This tax note is a receipt of taxes paid by Mr. Mahrous in 1946, in which Mr. Bseiso paid 27 currencies and 300 Mils, for various properties in Beersheba Palestine. This Tax Demand Note is signed by the District Commissioner of Beersheba and belongs to the sole property owner of the taxpayer, Mr. Bseiso. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic, English, Hebrew

This is a Land Sales Contract in which the seller, is selling two dunams, (which are considered as two parcels of land with specific measurements) and four shops (typically used to sell produce or goods) to the buyer, Mr. Mahrous Bseiso. The lands are in Beersheba and are in the Qasbah (city center). The contract indicates that the seller is the buyer's brother, hence this contract is a sales contract between two brothers from the Bseiso family. The cost of this sale is noted in the contract to be 350 Palestinian Pounds. This contract has two stamps from Palestine to authenticate the temporary agreement until the sale is recorded in the Land Registry of Beersheba District. The agreement also explains the precise location of the land by describing the neighboring lands and their respected owners. This sale took place in the year of 1929, more than 18 years before the Arab Israeli war which led to the refugee crises and occupation of Beersheba. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document is a handwritten copy of a land title in Beersheba, Palestine. The contents of the document indicate that the title was registered in the Land Registry of Beersheba through the Government of Palestine. This land is a transfer of title from the seller, Mohamed of the Saadani family and the buyer Mr. Mahrous Bseiso, in the year of 1927. The land is specified in the document in relation to the neighboring lands and their respective owners. Moreover, the amount of land transferred from the seller is 103 Dunams, a large amount of land, in exchange for 100 Palestinian Pounds to be paid by Mr. Mahrous. This transfer of title demonstrates Mr. Bseiso's ability to negotiate and acquire large swaths of land for development purposes. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic/English

In 1931 Mr. Mahrous conducted a land purchase from multiple sellers of the Beersheba District for 120 Dunams. In exchange Mr. Mahrous was required to pay 60 Palestinian Pounds and was to be paid in full in cash directly to the sellers. The sellers are Salem, Abdullah, Sulieman, Salimah, Salmiyyah, Fuhaidah, Sa'adah, and their mother Fatimah bint Abdullah Abu Qubay'ah. This contract demonstrates that Mr. Bseiso had purchased a swath of land from an entire family inheritance, and the sales contract is signed by every respective family member who owns a portion or inheritance in the sold land. The document is extensive in describing the releasing of rights to the land and discusses the legal ramifications in case of a breach of contract. An important aspect of this land sale contract is that a provision also establishes the rights of a buyer to do as he/she please with the land. This is potentially the equivalent to a fee simple with no conditions or possibility or reversion, enabling the buyer to sell the land or develop the land for other purposes. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document is the reverse side of the previous land sale contract evidenced in Document 23. The brief writings on this document reemphasize the previous content in brief by stating the sale of the land is for the amount of 60 Palestinian Pounds and that the land to be sold is the land belonging to the inheritors of Sa'eed Abduallah Eid Al-Shayyakhi. . Origins: N/A. Language(s):

This Land Sale Contract takes place in the 24th of Muharram of 1341 Hijri (Lunar Year). The respective buyer, Mr. Mahrous Bseiso, purchases land from the Seller, Hussain bin Muharib Abu Nar, which he sells property of arable land that is located in Ar'arat to the east of Beersheba and which has the following borders: to the south lies Mount Hajez and the remainder of the land of Salameh bin Rwai'ay Al-Thullamy; to the east lies the land of Abduallah bin Bunayyan Al-Omari and the remainder of the road; to the north lies Numailat Al-Ma' which is also known as Ar'Arat; and to the west the land is bordered by the land of Al-Furaijat Al-Qudairi. The purchased land has an area of One Hundred Fellahin Muqtha'ah. In exchange for the land Mr. Bseiso is to forward the 50 Palestinian Pounds directly to the seller. In this contract the seller is verifying that he intends to formalize this written contract in the appropriate government bodies, Beersheba Land Registry, to transfer title to land to Mr. Bseiso. Although the document does not state the transaction in Gregorian years, the year 1922 is apparent in the signature area of the witness. Many documents are either in lunar or Gregorian dates, demonstrating the diverse systems in the societies of Palestine. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

The reverse side of Document 25 has a brief sentence written, stating, "Bill of sale for the land of Hussain Abu Nar." This is the continued contract of the previous document in which the buyer, Mr. Bseiso, purchases land from the Seller, Mr. Hussain, in exchange for 50 Palestinian Pounds. Very often the reverse side of contracts will have additional deadlines, notes or provisions of the contract to emphasize the closing or receipt of paid amounts. . Origins: N/A. Language(s):

In October of 1948, Mr. Mahrous enters into a lease agreement with a customer to lease a Plantation for one hundred Palestinian pounds. The Lessee, who is renting the plantation, is Musleh bin Hajj Ali Al-Safadi from Beersheba. The Plantation is to be leased for 100 pounds and the first 50 pounds is due upon closing of the agreement, and the remaining 50 is to be paid in installments of 25 every four months. This plantation to be rented to the lessee is in Beersheba and its borders are described in depth within the lease agreement. This lease is also for usage rights for the small plantation which includes arable land and irrigated land for farming vegetables; a well with a mechanical water pump that installed in a room; and two rooms within the fence. This plantation demonstrates that Mahrous Bseiso was a land developer and industrialist of Southern Palestine. Mr. Bseiso owned expensive irrigation equipment and pumps used to water the lands for farming purposes, thus many lessees' approached Mr. Bseiso in hopes of pursuing farming practices. The document also includes many legal provisions dividing liabilities for damages incurred onto the irrigation equipment and planation. This is an extensive and legally fortified lease agreement in which Mahrous spells out all cases of liability for damages incurred to his equipment for the duration of the lease. Moreover, this document is of high significance because the date of the document indicates that the lease agreement occurred after the Arab Israeli war which took place in May of 1948. The lease agreement was signed in October of 1948, and at this time the Israeli forces were in Palestine and declared an established state. This surfaces a question to curious readers, when did Beersheba become occupied and how did this impact the direct dealings between landowners and businesses. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document is the reverse side of the Document 27. This side of the agreement between Mr. Bseiso and Musleh Al Safadi contains additional stamps and witness signatures. The document was handwritten and typically serves as a temporary binding agreement until the land titles are transferred or registered in the respective government municipalities. . Origins: N/A. Language(s):

Many documents in the Bseiso collection are typically land sale contracts between sellers and buyers, and the parties typically handwrite the contracts which are temporarily binding until official recording at the Land Registry of the respective municipality. This document is an agreement to appear at the Land Registry for a previous agreement for the benefit of Mr. Mahrous Bseiso. Here the buyer, Mr. Bseiso, is being promised by a seller to appear at the designated Beersheba Land Registry at a specific time. The agreement goes further to explain that if the seller, Mr. Abdullah bin Sa'eed Al-Abeed, fails to appear at the designated time that he shall be liable to pay twenty Palestinian pounds to the buyer Mr. Bseiso. This agreement took place in October of 1931 and is signed by the seller and witnessed by impartial parties. This agreement further demonstrates that Mr.Bseiso was a respectable businessman who tailored contracts with precision and appropriate legal provisions to reduce breaches and violations. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

Unlike many contracts in the Bseiso collection this is a Sale Agreement in which Mr. Mahrous Bseiso is selling two shops to a buyer. However, the buyer is not just any ordinary neighbor or business acquittance but his own brother, Haj Sha'ban bin Sheikh Mustafa Afandi Bseiso. The sale is for the entirety of two shops owned by Mr. Mahrous which are in the center 'Qasbah' of Beersheba. This agreement takes place in September of 1924 for the total amount of 100 Egyptian Pounds. Mahrous Bseiso agrees to finalize this agreement by attending the Land Registry and providing final title to his brother in a specified time. This interesting agreement demonstrates that Mr. Bseiso, as like many other agreements, is heavily involved in family businesses. Many land Sale Contracts in the Bseiso collection are often witnessed and signed by his family members, including the buyer, Haj Sha'ban. The Bseiso family appears to have a deep involvement in land development and real estate in the District of Beersheba. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

On February 19th, 1946, Plaintiff Salem bin Salameh brought a dispute of land claim against Mr. Mahrous Bseiso challenging Mr. Bseiso's right to ownership. This claim was brought at the Magistrates' Court of Beersheba in its capacity as the Land Court. A case number of 278/45 was assigned, and the court determined that venue was proper, and the court had jurisdiction to hear the case. The official seal of the Magistrates' Court of Beersheba can be seen at the bottom of this document reinforcing veracity and authenticity and a hearing date was set for March 20, 1946.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

Mr. Mahrous was a visionary and as a part of his vision to industrialize Beersheba, Mr. Mahrous made sure all his dealings were recorded. In this document, we see a contract was entered into between three parties. A new company was formed on October 1st, 1963, between the second and third party. The contract outlined each of the party's duties and responsibilities including asset and debt allocation. The different contractual clauses were very detailed and covered a range of legal implications from the share of ownership to any release of liability. The document ends with the signatures of all three parties.. Origins: Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document is a certificate of registration to Mr. Mahrous from the Government of Palestine Land Registry Office of Beersheba with a petition number of 44/44 and deed number 44/42. The certificate contains the land classification, description of the property, boundaries, the area of land, the shares, and the nature of the transaction. This certificate not only shows Mr. Mahrous was the owner of the land described therein, but it also demonstrates the historical significance of the Palestinian State institutions and property mechanisms that were in place by municipalities to determine and register land ownership at the time. Mr. Mahrous went through the proper channels and obtained the required certification in order to complete his vision of industrializing Beersheba.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document is a template for Certificate of Registration as seen in the previous document. It does not specifically mention a specific property, but it is still important to show that there were procedures in place at the time for determining ownership. The Palestinian government had its own Land Registry offices in different municipalities to ensure veracity of ownership. Mr. Mahrous was detailed in making sure every unit of land he owned was registered with the proper government agency because he knew that to bring to fruition his vision of industrializing Beersheba, Mr. Mahrous had to have the deed and record instruments to everything he did so his ownership couldn't be called into question.. Origins: N/A. Language(s):

This document is a certificate of registration to Mr. Mahrous from the Government of Palestine Land Registry Office of Beersheba District (Kaza) with a petition number of 6/26 and deed number 42/26. The certificate contains the land time. Mr. Mahrous went through the proper channels and obtained the required certification in order to complete his vision of industrializing Beersheba. As we see at the bottom there are two authentication methods used: one being the Seal of Land Registry Office dated November 8th, 1926, and the second being the Signature of Registrar of Lands. classification, description of the property, boundaries, the area of land, the shares, the nature of the transaction, and consideration of price. This certificate not only shows Mr. Mahrous was the owner of the land described therein, but it also demonstrates the historical significance of the Palestinian State institutions and property mechanisms that were in place by municipalities to determine and register land ownership at the. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document is an example of a Certificate of Registration (commonly known as a deed) that was used to affirm an owner's interest in land in Palestine prior to the Arab-Israeli War in 1948. Although this particular deed is blank, the documents mere existence helps evidences how well established and sophisticated the Palestinian Government and their Land Registry Office was prior to the war.. Origins: N/A. Language(s): Arabic

This document is a land sale contract entered into on or about September 2nd, 1934, between Mr. Mahrous Bseiso and Mohammad Shaker Hirzallah both residents of Beersheba, Palestine. Per this contract, Mohammad Shaker Hirzallah was to sell Mahrous Bseiso one hundred and twenty-five dunams of land (described as one hundred twenty-five thousand square meters) from the lands of the Al-Sir area within the lands of the tribes of Al-Farrahayn for 16,250 Palestinian qirsh. This contract not only suggests Mahrous' Bseiso's ownership of the land described but the contract also makes reference to the existing Land Registry Office and lists the names of other Palestinian landowners in 1934, approximately 14 years prior to the Arab-Israeli War in 1948. This document was witnessed by Salameh Abu Mahfouz, Salman Bin Naser Bin Ghadeer, Sheikh Eid Musallam Bin Khudayrah, Salih bin Erfan, Salem Abu Zuwayyed, Suleiman Al-Su'aydani.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document is a receipt written by Mohammad Shaker Hirzallah recognizing that he had received the remaining balance for the land from Mahrous Bseiso. Although the document does not make reference to the location of the land Mr. Mohammad Shaker Hirzallah was referring to, considering this document was signed on or about September 24, 1934, approximately 22 days after the land sale contract between Mahrous Bseiso and Mohammad Shaker Hirzallah was entered into, it can be inferred that this document was referring to the land described in Document 37. Moreover, as a result of this final payment to the previous landowner Mr. Mohammad Shaker Hirzallah, this document evidences that Mahrous Bseiso became the rightful owner to the land described in Document 37 on or about September 1934.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document is a land sale contract entered into on or about December 2, 1944, between Mahrous Bseiso and Hajj Eissa Afandi Bseiso. Per this contract, Hajj Eissa Afandi Bseiso was to sell Mahrous Bseiso land described as being ten and a half meters long and four meters wide. The land was located in Beersheba and was described as being next to Hajj Sha'aban Bseiso's land, who was a family member of Mahrous Bseiso. As evidenced by the names referenced in this land sale contract, notwithstanding the land owned by Mahrous Bseiso, Bseiso family members outside of Mahrous were also landowners in Palestine at the time this contract was entered into in 1944. Moreover, this document helps establish that the land in Beersheba was documented and owned by the Palestinans who lived there, not unowned and desolate as many have mistaken it to have been.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document evidences that in 1931, Fatima Bint Salameh Al-Abeed Eid, the wife of deceased Sa'eed Al-Abeed, gave the power of attorney over, or effectively sold the land described in this document to Mahrous Al-Bseiso and Mr. Saleem Bin Thabet, who are both recognized in the document as businessmen from Beersheba. This document helps evidence the story of Mahrous Al-Bseiso, a reputable businessman from Beersheba who had acquired more than half of Palestine in an effort to develop and industrialize the country. Moreover, this document was notarized at the Notary Office of Beersheba where the identities of the parties were confirmed. Government buildings were standing and servicing the citizens of Palestine in Beersheba 17 years prior to the Arab-Isreali war.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This agreement is a Reservoir Rental Contract between Mr. Mahrous Bseiso and a party of Users involving several families which include the Abdulla family, Bardini family and the Safadi family. The content of the agreement indicates that Mr. Mahrous Bseiso is renting out to the three parties two water reservoirs for the purposes of watering their respective farmland. In addition, the contract includes the material and machinery used to pump the water from the water reservoirs onto their crops in the fields. Mr. Mahrous agrees that renting parties will contribute to half of the value of the reservoirs, which is approximately 116 Mala (Palestinian currency). The agreement includes provisions that allocate liabilities of losses, damages, and repairs. This agreement was signed by both parties on January 25, 1946. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine . Language(s): Arabic

This document is a land sale agreement that took place in the year of 1927. The document is over 90 years old and reflects a land sale between Mr. Mahrous Bseiso and Mohammed Bin Suleiman Al Saadani from the area known as Al Farazan. Here Mr. Saadani is selling 130 dunams to Mr. Bseiso for 100 Egyptian pounds. The land is described with geographic precision including neighboring lands in this agreement. The land is also located in the commonly known area called Al-Sir and is typically used for farming and agricultural purposes. The land in this area is known to be primarily for cultivation of crops or farming activities. This agreement also includes provision of loss and penalties in the event of a breach of contract. There are several witnesses including Mr. Mohamed Bseiso of Beersheba. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document was created on October 30th, 1932, and reflects a land sale agreement between the seller, Mohamed Shakir Herzallah of Gaza, and the buyer, Mr. Mahrous Bseiso of Beersheba. In this agreement the seller, Mr. Herzallah, is agreeing to sell land in the Sir area. The written contract does not state the measurement if land to be sold but instead the seller states that he will sell his land as a "whole." This may infer that Mr. Herzallah is selling of his land in Al-Sir to Mr. Bseiso. The amount paid for the purchasing of the land is 80 Palestinian pounds. The second half of the document reflects the attendance of the seller's legal representative to the Municipal Registry to negotiate on behalf of Mr. Shakir. In addition, this representative referred to as "wakeel" and has brought forward the proper documents to register the lands sold to Mr. Bseiso in his respective name. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document contains notes and is the back of Document 43, the land sale agreement between Mr. Bseiso and Mr. Shakir. In the notes it confirms that the entire amount owed to the seller was paid and accounted for and that the rights have been transferred to Mr. Bseiso as the equitable and legal owner of the land sold in the previous land sale agreement document. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This historical artifact is a rare and unique document within the family collection. This document is a Certificate of Registry for Land in Beersheba Palestine. However, unlike the other Land registered Deeds this document is written in Ottoman Turkish rather than Arabic. This certificate contains Ottoman Stamps and includes some writing in Arabic. The writings in Arabic were sufficient to extract that the land registered in land in Beersheba however the name of ownership is not stated in Arabic, but it is more than likely that this is land dating back to Ottoman times demonstrating ownership by the Bseiso family. This ancient artifact reflects a date stating, "2 March 1324 [2 March 1906].". Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Turkish, Arabic

Mr. Mahrous was more than a land purchaser, he also helped build infrastructure in his endeavor to industrialize Beersheba. This document is a contracting agreement between Mahrous Bseiso and Haj Mohammed Zeino for the latter to construct Mr. Mahrous a well. The agreement lays out the work to be completed and contains parties, obligations, indemnities, and conditions for payment. The document has a Palestinian Revenue stamp and signatures of Mr. Zeino and Suleiman Helo who was a witness to the agreement.. Origins: Beersheeba, palestine. Language(s): Arabic

In this document we see a table describing parcels of land. From this table we can tell that there are three parcels of property. All three properties are in the district of Jerusalem and in a village by the name of Beit Hanina. The table further identifies the parcel name and number, the lot number, the owners and rights holders, the shares, land area, value, land type, and any remarks attributed to the property. The first lot contains remarks that the land includes a well and that the totality of the land is a waqf. The revenue of the waqf was to be dedicated in half to Hebron and the other half for charity work. It is evident that even in his venture to industrialize, Mr. Mahrous was a humanitarian and always thought about charity. The document contains land court stamps and Land Settlement Court signature.. Origins: Beesrsheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

This document is an Urban Property tax Ordinance and Notice of Valuation for the Urban area of Beersheba number 359978 and addressed to Mr. Mahrous Bseiso. The name of street, name and number of block, parcel, description of property, category for taxation, and net annual value are all described within this document. The document itself is also written in three languages: English, Arabic, and Hebrew. Mr. Mahrous shows us that he went through the legal process to register his land and paid taxes on all of his real estate. The document is dated February 16th, 1946, and is signed by the Chairman of Assessment Committee. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic

On February 9th, 1936, prior to the general strike in Jaffa and Nablus, the Jaffa Iron works entered into an agreement with Mr. Mahrous to lease the required machines needed to build a well. As we see from earlier documents, Mr. Mahrous even leased the machines himself so that he could finish building the well wanted to create. The agreement lists out the parties, their obligations, the price, the length of the lease, and certain guarantees. The document is in English and Hebrew and contains all the conditions in both languages. Moreover, the document contains signatures of the first party, lessee, guarantor, witnesses and Palestinian Revenue Stamps. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic, Hebrew

This document appears to be an extension to the leasing agreement seen in document 049. Certain terms are defined in this document and conditions are fully explained. The interesting thing about the detail and specificity laid out in these documents shows how meticulous Mr. Mahrous was in his dealings. He wanted to make sure there were no vague or ambiguous clauses when it came to his agreements. Furthermore, we also see that the conditions are done in Mr. Mahrous' handwriting. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic, Hebrew

The document is titled The First Appendix and lists certain conditions and the results of such conditions. The lease terms are further detailed in this agreement and is also Mr. Mahrous' handwriting. At the end of page one there is a stamp form the Engineering Corporation of Palestine Ltd followed by another similar stamp at the end of the document. The agreement shows the visionary Mr. Mahrous was because of the specificity and spelling out the terms as detailed as possible to make sure there could be no ambiguity.. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic, English

The document is titled The Second Appendix and starts off by having conditions carry over from the last document and then showing a payments schedule. The schedule lists what currency will be used and when payments are due. Moreover, the schedule contains Mr. Mahrous' name on box 10 indicating that Mr. Mahrous was part of the payment schedule. At the end of page one, we see an agreement between the Engineering Corporation of Palestine Ltd and Mr. Mahrous. The agreement was a leasing agreement for machines and contained the terms and conditions to follow as well as the parties. The agreement was signed before witnesses on January 12, 1938, and contains the signatures of the guarantor, the lessee, and the owners. Language(s): Arabic, English

In 1931 while the last Palestinian census was carried out by the British Mandate, Mr. Mahrous was continuing to buy land in his quest to industrialize Beersheba. On November 9th, 1931, Mohammad Bin Shaker Hirzallah and Mr. Mahrous entered into a land sale agreement in which Hirzallah sold two thousand eight hundred and thirty-three legal Dunams to Mr. Mahrous for the sum of one hundred and sixty-two Palestinian pounds and five hundred mills. This agreement was witnessed by Salem Ali Hirzallah evidenced by the sign and seal and was also signed by Mr. Mahrous and Hirzallah. . Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic, English

In 1934, we see another land contract that was recorded in Beersheba. The contract was recorded under number 74/34 on November 9, 1934, in the land registry of Beersheba in the town of Alsir number 54, volume 10. The registration fees paid were five Palestinian pounds and Eighty-Eight mils per invoice number 27732 dated on November 9, 1934. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic, English

In this document we see a table that is written in English on the left side and Hebrew on the right. The table seems to outline terms and conditions of a lease agreement indicating that the agreement was written in two copies and was consensually signed by the two parties. Furthermore, the agreement was in Mr. Mahrous' handwriting. Once again, we see the detail and specificity in Mr. Mahrous' dealings to make sure there were no vague or ambiguous clauses and to ensure the contract would be upheld if challenged. Origins: Beersheeba, Palestine. Language(s): Arabic, Hebrew

This document gives brief biographical note for the persons who witnessed the various documents in the collection.