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Tract Books: Difference between revisions
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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. | 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. | ||
=== Preparing to use | === Preparing to use tract books === | ||
Use the description of the townships and ranges covered in each tract book as described in the [[United States, Bureau of Land Management Tract Books Coverage Table (FamilySearch Historical Records)|'''Tract Books Coverage Table''']] to narrow down the volumes you will need to view to find an ancestor's land entry. | Use the description of the townships and ranges covered in each tract book as described in the [[United States, Bureau of Land Management Tract Books Coverage Table (FamilySearch Historical Records)|'''Tract Books Coverage Table''']] to narrow down the volumes you will need to view to find an ancestor's land entry. | ||
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In addition, "Appendix A" in ''Land and Property Research in the United States '' lists each present-day federal land state and county together with its farthest north-, east-, south-, and west- township and range for that county, and the meridian(s) that applies.<ref>Hone, ????????</ref> This information can help you narrow down the number of tract books you will need to search. | In addition, "Appendix A" in ''Land and Property Research in the United States '' lists each present-day federal land state and county together with its farthest north-, east-, south-, and west- township and range for that county, and the meridian(s) that applies.<ref>Hone, ????????</ref> This information can help you narrow down the number of tract books you will need to search. | ||
Federal tract books for some states, such as Alabama and Ohio are organized by land office. Others are organized for the whole state. "Appendix B" in ''Land and Property Research in the United States '' shows the varying land office boundaries in each state over many years.<ref>Hone, ????????</ref> | Federal tract books for some states, such as Alabama and Ohio are organized by land office. Others are organized for the whole state. "Appendix B" in ''Land and Property Research in the United States '' shows the varying land office boundaries in each state over many years.<ref>Hone, ????????</ref> | ||
=== Tract book arrangement === | === Tract book arrangement === | ||