| | | | | Land Description |
| Land records such as property tax lists, deeds | | | | Land was surveyed and divided into sections from |
| and deed indexes go back further in time that | | | | the point of the base (which runs east and west) |
| any other type of genealogical research record. | | | | and meridian (running north and south). A survey |
| Deeds can help you discover your heritage. Deeds | | | | will sometimes tell you a lot more than just about |
| can often provide evidence of family history | | | | the physical description of the land. The surveyor |
| relationships, names of neighbors, how long an | | | | might include additional details about the neighbors |
| ancestor was living in an area, given name of the | | | | and your relatives. A land description will have |
| female spouse, approximate dates of death and | | | | the following information: |
| many other useful clues. The Homestead Act of | | | | Township – Is identified by its relationship to a |
| 1862 enabled approximately 800,000 citizens or | | | | base line and a principal meridian. For example, |
| intended citizen to become landowners. Many | | | | "township 5 South, Range 11 West, 5th Principal |
| states had their own land lotteries starting in the | | | | Meridian" identifies a township that is 5 tiers south |
| 1700's to bring people to new territory and help | | | | from the base line of the 5th Principal Meridian. |
| establish communities. | | | | Range – Is used in conjunction with the |
| Why Land Records? | | | | township data field identifies a row or tier of |
| Tracing males is easier than females. This is due | | | | townships lying east or west of the principal |
| in large part to many extra available records for | | | | meridian and numbered successively to the east |
| males, such as railroad, military, voters, tax, and | | | | or west from the principal meridian. In the above |
| deed records. It is estimated that 90% of the | | | | example, the number 12 represents the Range |
| adult white male population owned land. | | | | Number that is used to identify the township that |
| Land records such as property tax lists, deeds, | | | | is 12 tiers to the west of the principal meridian. |
| and real estate transactions go back further in | | | | Section – This number identifies a tract of |
| time than any other record used for genealogical | | | | land, usually 1 mile square, within a township. |
| research. Certain Scandinavian land records date | | | | Most townships contain 36 sections. Standard |
| back to 950 A.D. In this country, land ownership | | | | sections contain 640 acres. A section number |
| has always been important. If a courthouse was | | | | identifies each section within a township. A half |
| destroyed, the deed records were reconstructed | | | | section contains 320 acres. A quarter section |
| by local authorities soon after. | | | | contains 160 acres. Half a quarter contains 80 |
| Prior to 1860, census records only list head of | | | | acres. A quarter of a quarter contains 40 acres. |
| household. If you find a land record, it might have | | | | Aliquot Parts - were used to represent the exact |
| more than one family member listed, which can | | | | subdivision of the section of land. Halves of a |
| help in filling out missing family information. If you | | | | Section (or subdivision thereof) are represented |
| can find any type of land record for your | | | | as N, S, E, and W (such as "the north half of |
| ancestors, it will provide evidence of where an | | | | section 5"). Quarters of a Section (or subdivision |
| ancestor lived and for how long. | | | | thereof) are represented as NW, SW, NE, and SE |
| Land Definitions | | | | (such as "the northwest quarter of section 5"). |
| A Warrant -Is the first document in the land grant | | | | Sometimes, several Aliquot Parts are required to |
| process. Warrants were issued to soldiers for | | | | accurately describe a parcel of land. For example, |
| service in various wars, including the Revolutionary | | | | "ESW" denotes the east half of the southwest |
| War and the War of 1812. The warrant could be | | | | quarter containing 80 acres and "SWNENE" |
| assigned or sold to someone other than the | | | | denotes the southwest quarter of the northeast |
| person granted the warrant before the land was | | | | quarter of the northeast quarter containing 10 |
| surveyed. | | | | acres. |
| A Survey - Defines the exact location and | | | | Tips for Finding Deeds |
| boundaries of the land grant authorized in the | | | | You need to know the county to look in. If you |
| warrant. The land had to be marked on the | | | | have a time frame and approximate county, go |
| ground before the land grant could be possessed. | | | | to county formation maps to look at the |
| The survey might include the names of the | | | | surrounding counties to narrow down your |
| surveyor's assistants, who were often chosen | | | | search. The transformation of land into county |
| because they lived next door to the property | | | | formations progressed slowly over time. In |
| being surveyed, giving insight to tracing your | | | | some cases there was a lapse of a few years |
| family history. | | | | between the creation date and the organization |
| A Patent - Is the title certificate issued by the | | | | date of counties. Knowing when a county was |
| governmental agency that originally owned the | | | | formed or changed, can make a difference in |
| land. | | | | finding the right information or no information at |
| Subsequent Exchanges of LandAfter a patent had | | | | all. |
| been issued to a landowner, he had the right to | | | | If you are successful with finding a deed, check |
| sell the land to someone else in the form of a | | | | the neighbors deeds, they could be related or |
| deed, but the recording of such land sales became | | | | offer further clues. You might use a map to find |
| a local responsibility. Unlike the warrant, surveys, | | | | the closest cemetery to see if you have relatives |
| or patents, which were recorded at the state or | | | | buried in the county they were living in. Other |
| federal level, exchanges of land subsequent to the | | | | county documents like taxation lists or wills might |
| land grant process are recorded at the county | | | | help you with tracing your family genealogy. |
| level making it easier to trace your family | | | | Where to Trace Deeds |
| genealogy. This is true for all states except three | | | | Look through the Indexes, to get deed book and |
| New England States, where the deeds are | | | | page information. The indexes usually span |
| recorded at the town level (Connecticut, Rhode | | | | several decades, making it easy to locate possible |
| Island, and Vermont), and Alaska, the only state | | | | family history. |
| with no counties and where land exchanges are | | | | Research at the courthouse. You can try to |
| recorded at the Judicial District level. In Louisiana, | | | | locate a local genealogical society or RAOGK to |
| deeds are recorded at the parish level, which is | | | | see if someone would do the research for you. |
| the same as a county in other states. | | | | Research by mail. A county's register of deed |
| Some definitions related to land exchanges at the | | | | records may look in a deed index for you if your |
| county or town level are as follows: | | | | request is concise. Ask for someone to check |
| - Deed... the private document which records that | | | | the Grantor/Grantee Index for evidence of your |
| the ownership of a parcel of land was transferred | | | | ancestor's name during a period of about twenty |
| from one party to another. A copy of a deed is | | | | years should help with tracing your family |
| recorded in the county or town the land is | | | | history. The index will indicate the book and |
| located, even though the sale of the land may | | | | page number for a deed transcript. You can |
| have taken place somewhere else. Family history | | | | then ask for copies of the deeds themselves. |
| traced by the deed certificate then acts as the | | | | Research by microfilm. Go online and look up the |
| title to property in the possession of the buyer. | | | | Library Catalog through FamilySearch.org to see |
| There are several types of deeds, such as | | | | what they have on microfilm for deed and |
| Warranty, Trust, or Quit Claim Deeds, all of which | | | | property taxes. Note the film information and |
| may be used to transfer or relinquish a claim to | | | | film number, and then visit your local Family |
| property. | | | | History Center to order the correct film. |
| - Grantor... the party selling or relinquishing land. | | | | Research the BLM records. Bureau of Land |
| - Grantee... the party buying or being granted land. | | | | Management has many online records for tracing |
| - Grantor/Grantee Index... the index to private | | | | family genealogy Information on land patents and |
| land exchanges. In some counties it may be called | | | | land surveys for Public Land States. |
| the Direct (Grantor) Index and the Indirect | | | | Research the local historical society. The local |
| (Grantee) Index. Or, it may be called the Index to | | | | historical society that is in the county your |
| Real Estate Conveyances. This index can be | | | | ancestor lived in might be able to help locate old |
| found in all US counties kept by the county | | | | maps or land information. |
| recorder or register of deeds. | | | | |