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