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''[[United States|United States]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[United States Land and Property|Land and Property]]'' [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] '''Tract books''' | ''[[United States|United States]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[United States Land and Property|Land and Property]]'' [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] '''Tract books''' | ||
{{TOC right}}Tract books were originally maintained by the '''federal''' government for each parcel of land obtained from the federal government. These ledgers were used to record entries, leases, withdrawals and other actions affecting the disposition of lands in the public domain. This information allowed federal land officials to determine the status of lands and minerals. For further details about federal tract books available on the Internet, '''''see also ''''' [[United States, Bureau of Land Management Tract Books (FamilySearch Historical Records)|United States, Bureau of Land Management Tract Books (FamilySearch Historical Records)]].<br><br> | {{TOC right}}Tract books were originally maintained by the '''federal''' government for each parcel of land obtained from the federal government. Family historians use tract books to help locate the property of ancestors and their neighbors, and for clues to find associated land records. | ||
These ledgers (tract books) were used to record entries, leases, withdrawals and other actions affecting the disposition of lands in the public domain. This information allowed federal land officials to determine the status of lands and minerals. For further details about federal tract books available on the Internet, '''''see also ''''' [[United States, Bureau of Land Management Tract Books (FamilySearch Historical Records)|United States, Bureau of Land Management Tract Books (FamilySearch Historical Records)]].<br><br> | |||
Likewise, '''county''' governments keep their own separate land records usually in the form of deeds and plat maps. Counties keep deeds and plat maps for each parcel of real property in their jurisdiction in order to track ownership and status of real estate AFTER it left federal control. | Likewise, '''county''' governments keep their own separate land records usually in the form of deeds and plat maps. Counties keep deeds and plat maps for each parcel of real property in their jurisdiction in order to track ownership and status of real estate AFTER it left federal control. | ||
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==== Tract books lead to case files ==== | ==== Tract books lead to case files ==== | ||
Federal tract books serve as a comprehensive reference to over ten million land entry case files preserved at the [[National Archives and Records Administration]] in Washington, DC.<ref>Kenneth Hawkins, ''Research in the Land Entry Files of the General Land Office: Record Group 49'', Reference Information Paper, 114 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 2009), 1. [http://www.archives.gov/publications/ref-info-papers/rip114.pdf Internet version (pdf)] {{WorldCat|146498814|item|disp=At various repositories (WorldCat)}} {{FHL|1440124|item|disp=FHL Ref Book 973 J53hrL}}</ref> These case files show the application papers of each individual who attempted to obtain a private claim to some public land, whether they succeeded or not. '''''Successful claims ''''' received a patent (original title) and are indexed in the [http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/ BLM Land Patent Search] 1820-1908 for all [[United States Land and Property#United_States_federal_land_states|federal land states]]. '''''Unsuccessful claims ''''' still have case files, and tract books are one of the best ways to find the information needed to obtain a case file from the two million otherwise '''unindexed''' land entry case files that were never finished, forfeited, rejected, or cancelled.<ref>Hone, 113-14.</ref> | Federal tract books serve as a comprehensive reference to over ten million land entry case files preserved at the [[National Archives and Records Administration]] in Washington, DC.<ref>Kenneth Hawkins, ''Research in the Land Entry Files of the General Land Office: Record Group 49'', Reference Information Paper, 114 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 2009), 1. [http://www.archives.gov/publications/ref-info-papers/rip114.pdf Internet version (pdf)] {{WorldCat|146498814|item|disp=At various repositories (WorldCat)}} {{FHL|1440124|item|disp=FHL Ref Book 973 J53hrL}}</ref> These case files show the application papers of each individual who attempted to obtain a private claim to some public land, whether they succeeded or not. '''''Successful claims ''''' received a patent (original title) and are indexed in the [http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/ BLM Land Patent Search] 1820-1908 for all [[United States Land and Property#United_States_federal_land_states|federal land states]]. '''''Unsuccessful claims ''''' still have case files, and tract books are one of the best ways to find the information needed to obtain a case file from the two million otherwise '''unindexed''' land entry case files that were never finished, forfeited, rejected, or cancelled.<ref>Hone, 113-14.</ref> | ||
=== Content === | === Content === | ||
Federal tract books show the type of land entry, its legal description (numbered section, township and range), acreage, price, entryman's name, application date, and (if applicable) patenting date and numbers.<ref name="Haw5">Hawkins, 5.</ref> | Federal tract books show the type of land entry, its legal description (numbered section, township and range), acreage, price, entryman's name, application date, and (if applicable) patenting date and numbers.<ref name="Haw5">Hawkins, 5.</ref> | ||
=== Preparing to use federal tract books === | === Preparing to use federal tract books === | ||
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:*write down the '''''exact title, volume number, and page number ''''' (source information) of the tract book volume in which the ancestor's entry was found | :*write down the '''''exact title, volume number, and page number ''''' (source information) of the tract book volume in which the ancestor's entry was found | ||
This information is important to helping the National Archives retrieve the land entry case file for you. | This information is important to helping the National Archives retrieve the land entry case file for you. | ||
=== Access === | |||
Original federal tract books, Internet digital versions, and microfilms exist: | |||
:*'''''Originals.''''' The National Archives in Washington, DC has the original federal tract books for 16 western states. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Eastern State Office, 7450 Boston Blvd, Springfield, VA 22153 has custody of the tract books for the 12 eastern federal land states (AL, AR, FL, IL, IN, IA, LA, MI, MN, MS, OH, and WI).<ref name="Haw5">Kenneth Hawkins, ''Research in the Land Entry Files of the General Land Office: Record Group 49'', Reference Information Paper, 114 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 2007), 5. [http://www.archives.gov/publications/ref-info-papers/rip114.pdf Internet version (pdf)] {{WorldCat|146498814|item|disp=At various repositories (WorldCat)}} {{FHL|1440124|item|disp=FHL Ref Book 973 J53hrL}}</ref> The tract books for Alaska and Missouri are lost.<ref name="Hone" /> | |||
:*'''''Internet.''''' Digital copies of each federal-land-state's tract books (''except '' '''''Alaska ''''' and '''''Missouri''''') are available in FamilySearch Historical Records online at [http://familysearch.org/search/collection/2074276 United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1820-1908] | |||
:*'''''Microfilms''''' of tract books are also on 1,265 films for each federal-land state (''except '' '''''Alaska''''' and '''''Missouri''''') at the National Archives in Washington, and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. | |||
::*United States Bureau of Land Management, ''Tract Books'' (Washington, District of Columbia : Records Improvement, Bureau of Land Management, 1957). {{WorldCat|866217989|item|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}} {{FHL|607931|item|disp=1,265 FHL Films starting with 1445277}}. | |||
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