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Numbered townships were laid out in tiers north and south of the baseline; numbered ranges were laid out east and west of the meridians. The intersecting strips of townships and ranges formed a checkerboard or grid of townships.<ref name="Hawkins" /> | Numbered townships were laid out in tiers north and south of the baseline; numbered ranges were laid out east and west of the meridians. The intersecting strips of townships and ranges formed a checkerboard or grid of townships.<ref name="Hawkins" /> | ||
With careful examination for grid markers, the federal-land-state townships and ranges usually can be identified in a Rand McNally ''Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide''<ref>Rand McNally and Company, ''Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide'' (Chicago : Rand McNally, 1989). {{WorldCat|22500935|item|disp=At various repositories (WorldCat)}}.</ref> found at most large libraries. Each township has a range strip and a township strip. Together they create an address for that township within the boundaries of their '' | With careful examination for grid markers, the federal-land-state townships and ranges usually can be identified in a Rand McNally ''Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide''<ref>Rand McNally and Company, ''Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide'' (Chicago : Rand McNally, 1989). {{WorldCat|22500935|item|disp=At various repositories (WorldCat)}}.</ref> found at most large libraries. Each township has a range strip and a township strip. Together they create an address for that township within the boundaries of their ''principal meridian '' and ''baseline''. Begin counting where the principal meridian and baseline intersect. If the township address is T2N R3E, it means that the township is two units north of the baseline, and three units east of the principal meridian. Similarlly, a township address of T3S R1W would be three units south of the baseline, and one unit west of the principal meridian. | ||
[[Image:Congressional Township Rectangular Survey Grid.png|647px|Congressional Township Rectangular Survey Grid.png]] | [[Image:Congressional Township Rectangular Survey Grid.png|647px|Congressional Township Rectangular Survey Grid.png]] | ||
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The basic unit of the rectangular survey system is the ''section''. A section contains one square mile (640 acres). Thirty-six sections in a square pattern, (6 miles by 6 miles), makes up a township. The following diagram shows how standard sections are numbered starting in the northeast corner of a township: | The basic unit of the rectangular survey system is the ''section''. A section contains one square mile (640 acres). Thirty-six sections in a square pattern, (6 miles by 6 miles), makes up a township. The following diagram shows how standard sections are numbered starting in the northeast corner of a township: | ||
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'''Seven states index.''' Seven states (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada and Utah) have an entryman name index for pre-1908 case files both patented and unpatented.<ref>Hawkins, 3-4.</ref> This index is available at the National Archives in Washington, DC. | '''Seven states index.''' Seven states (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada and Utah) have an entryman name index for pre-1908 case files both patented and unpatented.<ref>Hawkins, 3-4.</ref> This index is available at the National Archives in Washington, DC. | ||
'''Online index.''' An important computerized index of <u>patented</u> land entries 1820-1908 for all [[ | '''Online index.''' An important computerized index of <u>patented</u> land entries 1820-1908 for all [[United States Land and Property#United_States|federal land states]] is available on the Internet at the [http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/ BLM Land Patent Search] site.<ref name="Haw5">Hawkins, 5.</ref> | ||
'''Other indexes.''' Selected states may have indexed their own land records. Use Internet search engines like ''Google '' to find statewide land indexes that can be used to find legal land descriptions by section number, township number, and range number. ''For example'', see the [http://www.nebraskahistory.org/databases/tractbooks.shtml Nebraska 1860-1954 Tract Books Index]. | '''Other indexes.''' Selected states may have indexed their own land records. Use Internet search engines like ''Google '' to find statewide land indexes that can be used to find legal land descriptions by section number, township number, and range number. ''For example'', see the [http://www.nebraskahistory.org/databases/tractbooks.shtml Nebraska 1860-1954 Tract Books Index]. | ||
===== Obtaining patented case files ===== | ===== Obtaining patented case files ===== | ||
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*BLM [[Land Patent Search]] discusses the index to eight million patented (finished) land applications, and military bounty land papers. Each entry in this index includes the land description useful for finding an ancestor in a tract book. | *BLM [[Land Patent Search]] discusses the index to eight million patented (finished) land applications, and military bounty land papers. Each entry in this index includes the land description useful for finding an ancestor in a tract book. | ||
*[[Land entry case files]] describes the 10 million files in the National Archives created to document individual claims to federal land using cash entry, credit entry, homestead, military bounty land, private land claims, mineral or timberland rights. A case file exists for each tract book entry. | *[[Land entry case files]] describes the 10 million files in the National Archives created to document individual claims to federal land using cash entry, credit entry, homestead, military bounty land, private land claims, mineral or timberland rights. A case file exists for each tract book entry. | ||
*[[United States Land and Property]] page is a general discussion of land record research for genealogists. It serves as a table of contents to related Wiki pages about American land records including tract books, related land entry case files, and the BLM land patent search. | *[[United States Land and Property]] page is a general discussion of land record research for genealogists. It serves as a table of contents to related Wiki pages about American land records including tract books, related land entry case files, and the BLM land patent search. | ||
*[[Canada Land and Property]] where a rectangular survey system was one of four main types of surveying systems, especially in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces. | *[[Canada Land and Property]] where a rectangular survey system was one of four main types of surveying systems, especially in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces. | ||