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==== Rectangular Survey Land Records ==== | ==== Rectangular Survey Land Records ==== | ||
'''Access.''' The [[National Archives and Records Administration]] (NARA) is the repository for records documenting the transfer of public lands to private ownership. They preserve the case files of over 10 million individual land transactions called land entries. They also house tract books and various name indexes to help access the case files. NARA has the land entry files for all 30 of the [http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/United_States_Land_and_Property#United_States federal land states].<ref>Hawkins, 1.</ref> NARA has the successful land entries that received patents (original titles) before 1908. For the same period they also have the unsuccessful entries that did not finish the process, cancelled, or relinquished their claims and did not receive a patent.<ref>Hawkins, 4.</ref> | '''Access.''' The [[National Archives and Records Administration]] (NARA) is the repository for records documenting the transfer of public lands to private ownership. They preserve the case files of over 10 million individual land transactions called land entries. They also house tract books and various name indexes to help access the case files. NARA has the land entry files for all 30 of the [http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/United_States_Land_and_Property#United_States federal land states].<ref>Hawkins, 1.</ref> NARA has the successful land entries that received patents (original titles) before 1908. For the same period they also have the unsuccessful entries that did not finish the process, cancelled, or relinquished their claims and did not receive a patent.<ref name=Haw4">Hawkins, 4.</ref> | ||
'''Content.''' Land records, depending on the time period, may show an applicant settler's (entryman's) age, birthplace, citizenship, military service, economic status, and family members. They could also show land title, land use, rights of way, land surveys, crops, improvements, and conflicting claims.<ref>Hawkins, 1-2.</ref> | '''Content.''' Land records, depending on the time period, may show an applicant settler's (entryman's) age, birthplace, citizenship, military service, economic status, and family members. They could also show land title, land use, rights of way, land surveys, crops, improvements, and conflicting claims.<ref>Hawkins, 1-2.</ref> | ||
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'''Online index.''' An important computerized index of <u>patented</u> land entries 1820-1908 for all [http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/United_States_Land_and_Property#United_States federal land states] (''except '' '''''Montana''''', '''''Nebraska''''', and '''''Oklahoma''''') is available on the Internet at the [http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/ BLM Land Patent Search] site.<ref name="Haw5">Hawkins, 5.</ref> | '''Online index.''' An important computerized index of <u>patented</u> land entries 1820-1908 for all [http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/United_States_Land_and_Property#United_States federal land states] (''except '' '''''Montana''''', '''''Nebraska''''', and '''''Oklahoma''''') is available on the Internet at the [http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/ BLM Land Patent Search] site.<ref name="Haw5">Hawkins, 5.</ref> | ||
===== Obtaining patented case files ===== | ===== Obtaining patented case files ===== | ||
===== Obtaining incomplete case files ===== | ===== Obtaining incomplete case files ===== | ||
Only about 40 percent of entrymen completed the filing process and received their patent from 1820 to 1908. Case files prior to 1820, and unfinished case files that did not receive a patent may have as much genealogical information as those with patents which are indexed. Tract books may help find the case file information needed to retrieve records of the 60 percent of entrymen who never completed the process. | Only about 40 percent of entrymen completed the filing process and received their patent from 1820 to 1908. Case files prior to 1820, and unfinished case files that did not receive a patent may have as much genealogical information as those with patents which are indexed. Tract books may help find the case file information needed to retrieve records of the 60 percent of entrymen who never completed the process. | ||
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'''Content.''' Tract books show the type of land entry, its legal description (numbered section, township and range), acreage, price, entryman's name, application date, and patenting date and numbers.<ref name="Haw5" /> | '''Content.''' Tract books show the type of land entry, its legal description (numbered section, township and range), acreage, price, entryman's name, application date, and patenting date and numbers.<ref name="Haw5" /> | ||
'''Arrangement.''' The National Archives in Washington, DC has a map index to each state's tract books which allows researchers to identify the tract book number that covers the area in which they are interested.<ref | '''Arrangement.''' The National Archives in Washington, DC has a map index to each state's tract books which allows researchers to identify the tract book number that covers the area in which they are interested.<ref name=Haw4" /> | ||
==== For Further Reading ==== | ==== For Further Reading ==== | ||