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Tract Books: Difference between revisions
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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 | {{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> | ||
Likewise, most '''state''' and '''county''' governments have thier own tract books which may be partial copies federal tract books. States and counties usually keep parallel tract books 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, most '''state''' and '''county''' governments have thier own tract books which may be partial copies federal tract books. States and counties usually keep parallel tract books 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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The [[National Archives and Records Administration|National Archives in Washington, DC]] has over 10 million land entry case files of individuals trying to obtain a private claim to some of the public land in [[United States Land and Property#United_States|30 federal land states]] from 1820-1908. In almost all these cases the land was surveyed and described as part of the '''Public Lands Survey System''', which divided the land into '''Congressional townships''' on a '''township and range''' grid based on '''[[Rectangular surveys|rectangular surveys]]'''. | The [[National Archives and Records Administration|National Archives in Washington, DC]] has over 10 million land entry case files of individuals trying to obtain a private claim to some of the public land in [[United States Land and Property#United_States|30 federal land states]] from 1820-1908. In almost all these cases the land was surveyed and described as part of the '''Public Lands Survey System''', which divided the land into '''Congressional townships''' on a '''township and range''' grid based on '''[[Rectangular surveys|rectangular surveys]]'''. | ||
Federal tract books serve as a comprehensive reference to over 10 million of land entry case files held at the National Archives in Washington, DC. However, they are arranged according to the '''''land description ''''' (township, range, and section) rather than the name of the claimant. They include '''all''' applicants for federal land, including those whose claim failed to receive a patent because it was unfinished, forfeited, rejected or cancelled.<ref name="Hone">E. Wade Hone, ''Land and Property Research in the United States'' (Salt Lake City, Utah : Ancestry Pub., c1997), 113. {{WorldCat|483096407|item|disp=At various repositories (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|766994|item|disp=FHL Book 973 R27h}}.</ref> | Federal tract books serve as a comprehensive reference to over 10 million of land entry case files held at the National Archives in Washington, DC. However, they are arranged according to the '''''land description ''''' (township, range, and section) rather than the name of the claimant. They include '''all''' applicants for federal land, including those whose claim failed to receive a patent because it was unfinished, forfeited, rejected or cancelled.<ref name="Hone">E. Wade Hone, ''Land and Property Research in the United States'' (Salt Lake City, Utah : Ancestry Pub., c1997), 113. {{WorldCat|483096407|item|disp=At various repositories (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|766994|item|disp=FHL Book 973 R27h}}.</ref> | ||
=== Finding unpatented entry information === | === Finding unpatented entry information === | ||