73,385
edits
[[Homestead Records|
(homestead) |
([[Homestead Records|) |
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*Name of purchaser | *Name of purchaser | ||
*Description of the land (numbered section, township and range) | *Description of the land (numbered section, township and range) | ||
*Date of transaction (cash, credit, homestead, bounty land, etc.) | *Date of transaction (cash, credit, [[Homestead Records|homestead]], bounty land, etc.) | ||
*By whom patented | *By whom patented | ||
*Date of patent | *Date of patent | ||
| Line 47: | Line 47: | ||
The availability of inexpensive land was one of the primary attractions for immigrants to America. As high as 80 percent of the population have owned property at some point in their life. However, only a small part of population obtained that land '''directly''' from the federal government. Therefore, only a small percentage of the land-owning population would be listed in federal tract books. Nevertheless, the remaining landowners would definitely be mentioned in county land and property records such as [[United States. United-States - Land and Property- Deeds|deeds]]. | The availability of inexpensive land was one of the primary attractions for immigrants to America. As high as 80 percent of the population have owned property at some point in their life. However, only a small part of population obtained that land '''directly''' from the federal government. Therefore, only a small percentage of the land-owning population would be listed in federal tract books. Nevertheless, the remaining landowners would definitely be mentioned in county land and property records such as [[United States. United-States - Land and Property- Deeds|deeds]]. | ||
'''Regional differences.''' Because of homestead laws, a higher percentage of the land owning population in the Great Plains states after 1862 are likely to be in tract books than in other western states. On the other hand, it is likely mining and mineral rights claims in tract books would be more common in the Mountain West states. | '''Regional differences.''' Because of [[Homestead Records|homestead laws]], a higher percentage of the land owning population in the Great Plains states after 1862 are likely to be in tract books than in other western states. On the other hand, it is likely mining and mineral rights claims in tract books would be more common in the Mountain West states. | ||
'''References to 2 million unindexed case files.''' There are over ten million land entry case files (applications) in the National Archives most of which would have a corresponding entry in a tract book. About eight million land patents have been indexed in the BLM [[Land Patent Search]] for successfully completed federal land applications. This suggests about two million applications were left unfinished or were rejected—the best remaining access point to such unpatented case files is through page-by-page tract book searches. | '''References to 2 million unindexed case files.''' There are over ten million land entry case files (applications) in the National Archives most of which would have a corresponding entry in a tract book. About eight million land patents have been indexed in the BLM [[Land Patent Search]] for successfully completed federal land applications. This suggests about two million applications were left unfinished or were rejected—the best remaining access point to such unpatented case files is through page-by-page tract book searches. | ||
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=== Arrangement === | === Arrangement === | ||