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Canada Land and Property: Difference between revisions
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Naturalization information and other clues for further research. | Naturalization information and other clues for further research. | ||
Many people in Canada owned land, and a very high percentage of the population is named in land records. The availability of land attracted many immigrants to Canada and encouraged westward expansion. Land ownership was generally recorded in an area as soon as settlers began to arrive. These were often the first records available in an area. Although they may not be as easy to use, land records may give pedigree information for earlier times when other records were not kept. | Many people in [[Portal:Canada|Canada]] owned land, and a very high percentage of the population is named in land records. The availability of land attracted many immigrants to Canada and encouraged westward expansion. Land ownership was generally recorded in an area as soon as settlers began to arrive. These were often the first records available in an area. Although they may not be as easy to use, land records may give pedigree information for earlier times when other records were not kept. | ||
In eastern Canada, most land records begin in the late 1700s. They include land petitions, fiats and warrants, land grants and patents, and deeds. The federal homestead era in the Prairie Provinces lasted almost 60 years (1872 to 1930). Homestead record files cover those years. | In eastern Canada, most land records begin in the late 1700s. They include land petitions, fiats and warrants, land grants and patents, and deeds. The federal homestead era in the Prairie Provinces lasted almost 60 years (1872 to 1930). Homestead record files cover those years. | ||
Loyalists | === Loyalists === | ||
Special categories of land and property records applied to the American Loyalists, in Canada called United Empire Loyalists. Many Loyalists and their sons and daughters applied for land grants in present eastern Canada as compensation for war losses. Loyalists and their children were entitled to land grants without payment of fees. If a man could not prove service in a Loyalist corps, he or his children would have trouble claiming a Loyalist free land grant. Other loss claims were also presented. | |||
Some Loyalist records are in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under LAND AND PROPERTY headings. Others are in the Subject section under AMERICAN LOYALISTS and UNITED EMPIRE LOYALISTS. For more information on Loyalists, See the "[[Canada Military Records|Military Records]]" section of this outline. | Some Loyalist records are in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under LAND AND PROPERTY headings. Others are in the Subject section under AMERICAN LOYALISTS and UNITED EMPIRE LOYALISTS. For more information on Loyalists, See the "[[Canada Military Records|Military Records]]" section of this outline. | ||
Records of Land Grants and Transfer of Property in Eastern Canada | === Records of Land Grants and Transfer of Property in Eastern Canada === | ||
Landholding in New France was based on the seigneuries. Under this system, land was received as a feudal obligation in return for oaths of fealty and promises to perform certain duties. | Landholding in New France was based on the seigneuries. Under this system, land was received as a feudal obligation in return for oaths of fealty and promises to perform certain duties. | ||
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SASKATCHEWAN - LAND AND PROPERTY | SASKATCHEWAN - LAND AND PROPERTY | ||
Land Description Systems | === Land Description Systems === | ||
To use most land records you must know something about land description systems. Legal land descriptions in the western Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, and parts of British Columbia, are different from those in the eastern provinces. | To use most land records you must know something about land description systems. Legal land descriptions in the western Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, and parts of British Columbia, are different from those in the eastern provinces. | ||
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Diagrams of typical arrangements of farm lots in townships in the various provinces are in Eric Jonasson’s The Canadian Genealogical Handbook (see the "For Further Reading" section of this outline.) | Diagrams of typical arrangements of farm lots in townships in the various provinces are in Eric Jonasson’s The Canadian Genealogical Handbook (see the "For Further Reading" section of this outline.) | ||
Land Indexes | === Land Indexes === | ||
Petitions usually have good indexes or are filed alphabetically. Other land records for eastern Canada are often not indexed by surname but are arranged by land parcels within townships. You may have to trace a piece of property through time in order to use those land records, rather than try to trace the family name through indexes. | Petitions usually have good indexes or are filed alphabetically. Other land records for eastern Canada are often not indexed by surname but are arranged by land parcels within townships. You may have to trace a piece of property through time in order to use those land records, rather than try to trace the family name through indexes. | ||
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If you know the name of the eastern Canada locality where your ancestor was settled in 1871, Lovell’s Dominion Directory for 1871 shows the names of the townships and counties where the towns and villages were located. There are indexes to portions of Lovell’s directory (see "[[Canada Directories|Directories]]"). | If you know the name of the eastern Canada locality where your ancestor was settled in 1871, Lovell’s Dominion Directory for 1871 shows the names of the townships and counties where the towns and villages were located. There are indexes to portions of Lovell’s directory (see "[[Canada Directories|Directories]]"). | ||
Locating Land and Property Records | === Locating Land and Property Records === | ||
The Family History Library has: | The Family History Library has: | ||
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Land records for eastern Canada are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under all jurisdictional levels, including: | Land records for eastern Canada are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under all jurisdictional levels, including: | ||
[PROVINCE] - LAND AND PROPERTY [PROVINCE], [COUNTY] - LAND AND PROPERTY [PROVINCE], [COUNTY], [TOWNSHIP] - LAND AND PROPERTY [PROVINCE], [COUNTY], [CITY] - LAND AND PROPERTY | [PROVINCE] - LAND AND PROPERTY | ||
[PROVINCE], [COUNTY] - LAND AND PROPERTY | |||
[PROVINCE], [COUNTY], [TOWNSHIP] - LAND AND PROPERTY | |||
[PROVINCE], [COUNTY], [CITY] - LAND AND PROPERTY | |||
Land records in Saskatchewan and other western provinces are usually cataloged under: | Land records in Saskatchewan and other western provinces are usually cataloged under: | ||
[PROVINCE] - LAND AND PROPERTY | [PROVINCE] - LAND AND PROPERTY | ||
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[[Category:Canada]] | [[Category:Canada]] | ||