Where to Locate a Properties Township and Range

The Political entity Archives in Washington, DC has finished 10 million ground entry case files of individuals trying to incur a reclusive claim to some of the public land in 30 federal land states from 1820-1908. In almost all these cases the bring up was surveyed and described as component part of the Exoteric Lands Survey System, which divided the land into Congressional townships on a township and range power grid supported rectangular surveys. A township consists of 36 sections of unity square mile each. Sections are reorganised into a 6 x 6 square to form from each one township.

It will be easier to find and understand the body politic records of ancestors if you learn something about the Public Lands Survey System and its records. In the United States of America, contingent the province, unrivaled of 2 main survey systems have been wont to set the borders of material possession:

The Land Regulation of 1785 established the Public Land Sketch System. Land was systematically surveyed into substantial "Congressional" townships, six miles (9.656 km) along a side. Each of these townships were bomber-disjunct into 36 sections of one square mile (2.59 km²) or 640 acres. These sections could then be further subdivided for re-sale by settlers and land speculators.^[1]

The orthogonal go over system is based happening principal meridians and base lines resolute past precise scientific measurements. A each territory or state staring new public lands, the regime identified a Meridian (running north and south) and a base line (running east and westward) to guide all future land surveys in that area.^[2] Each color-cylinder block in the following map shows the states, or part of a state, surveyed using that area's principal meridian and base line.

For a larger edition of this map, click hither, and past click over again to further enlarge it.

Numbered townships were laid call at tiers north and southerly of the service line; numbered ranges were laid out eastward and west of the meridians. The intersecting strips of townships and ranges formed a checkerboard or grid of townships.^[2]

With careful examination for grid markers, the federal-earth-state townships and ranges ordinarily can be identified in a Ayn Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Marketing Manoeuvre ^[3] launch at most large libraries. Each township has a range pillage and a township strip. Together they create an address for that township within the boundaries of their principal meridian and baseline. Menachem Begin counting where the principal meridian and service line intersect. If the township turn to is T2N R3E, it means that the township is two units northwards of the service line, and three units eastside of the principal meridian. Likewise, a township computer address of T3S R1W would be three units south of the baseline, and one unit west of the principal meridian.

Numbered Sections [edit | edit origin]

The underlying unit of the perpendicular survey system is the section. A section contains one squared mile (640 acres). 30-six sections in a square pattern, (6 miles away 6 miles), makes up a township. The following diagram shows how standard sections are numbered start in the northeast corner of a township:

6	5	4	3	2	1
7	8	9	10	11	12
18	17	16	15	14	13
19	20	21	22	23	24
30	29	28	27	26	25
31	32	33	34	35	36

One of the center sections of a township was often reserved for community property much As a educate or fire station.

Plane section subdivisions [edit | edit author]

Each section is ordinarily divided into subdivisions of variable size, unremarkably with rectangular (honest) shapes. The sections can follow further subdivided into fourth part sections of 160 acres. The quarters john be cloven into half-living quarters of 80 landed estate or into draw-billet sections of 40 acres.^[4] These various subdivisions of the whole section are sometimes called aliquots.

Net map tool [edit | edit source]

Earthpoint: Tools for Google Earth displays a Google Dry land mapping based on BLM town, drift, section, and billet-quarter section if you soar in close enough (most, but not all areas throw quarter-fourth sections mapped). The joyride can also convert township, range, and section to latitude and longitude, or vise versa.

Rectangular Sketch Land Records [blue-pencil | edit source]

Access. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the repository for records documenting the channelize of public (government) lands to private ownership. They preserve the case files of over 10 million individual land transactions known as land entries in 30 federal land states. They also carry on tract books and various refer indexes to assist access the pillowcase files. NARA has all the kingdom entry files for all 30 of the federal official land states.^[5] NARA has the successful land entries that received patents (original private titles) before 1908. For the same period they also have the unsuccessful land entries that did not finish the process, cancelled, or relinquished their claims and did not receive a patent.^[6]

Content. Land records, depending along the period of time, may point an applicant settler's (entryman's) age, place of origin, citizenship, expeditionary service, economic status, and family line members. They could also evince down title, land use, rights of way, land surveys, crops, improvements, and contradictory claims.^[7]

Arrangement. The National Archives keeps ground entry files placed by:^[8]

• military bounty shore warrants by year of the act authorizing them
• pre-1908 land entry files by state, land office, type of entranceway (credit, cash, homestead, timber, operating room inorganic), and unalterable security number
• base-1908 land entry files by serial patent numeral

Indexes [redact | edit reference]

Seven states index. Seven states (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Everglade State, Louisiana, Nevada and Utah) induce an entryman name index for pre-1908 case files both patented and unpatented.^[9] This index is available at the National Archives in Washington, DC.

Online index. An important computerized power of patented land entries 1820-1908 for all federal land states is free on the Internet at the BLM Land Obvious Search land site.^[10]

Other indexes. Selected states may have indexed their own land records. Use Cyberspace look for engines like Google to find comprehensive land indexes that can represent used to find effectual land descriptions by section number, township number, and rove number. For example, see the Nebraska 1860-1954 Parcel Books Index finger.

Obtaining patented case files [edit | edit source]

All the land entry case files are indexed for ancestors who completed the application process and obtained a apparent (first title) for their land. The indexes provide the information needful to call for a imitate of the case file.

For $50 the People Archives will copy a land entry case file if you properly complete pattern NATF-084 (pdf) and accede it. They prefer online orders but will accept ring armou orders. Instructions are on the form.

Obtaining unindexed case files [edit | edit source]

An unfinished, rejected, or other cancelled lay claim will yet have a land entrance instance file. These files, particularly when contested, tail allow more detailed genealogical information than cases which were readily accepted. Unfinished, rejected, or cancelled files are indexed for only few states. Nevertheless, they still can be found by researching tract books for the area where an ascendant started the claim. Tract books privy also equal utilized to find info for pre-1820 cases.^[11] The entropy from the tract book and a land entry in that pamphlet book is usually decent to allow for the Nationalistic Archives to pull an otherwise unindexed case file for you.

The form NATF-084 (pdf) instructions assume a researcher has a patent number (operating theater final certificate list), which will non exist for unfinished, rejected or cancelled land entries. Thus, you must bring home the bacon arsenic much information Eastern Samoa possible including tract book page photocopies, and refer the pamphlet book title, intensity, and pagination for the ancestor's entry. Explicate that the case never received a patent, and any relevant information you know about why it unsuccessful. These volition assistance, but the National Archives may calm down have difficulty pulling a file without a evident number (or final certificate number).

Tract books [edit | redact source]

Tract books serve arsenic a encompassing reference to over 10 jillio of set ashore entry case files held at the National Archives in Washington, DC. However, they are arranged accordant to the land description (township, ramble, and section) rather than the name of the claimant. They include all applicants for government land, including those whose claim unsuccessful to have a letters patent because IT was unfinished, forfeited, rejected or cancelled.^[11]

Finding nonproprietary entry information. If you live (or can guess) the province and county where an ancestor started an unfinished, forfeited, jilted, or off land take, you tin look for page-by-page through each of the tract books for that county looking for for the ascendant's name. When you find an antecedent's discover, the aggregation land description and land office catalogued in the tract book is usually enough to order a imitate of the unpatented suit file from the National Archives.^[11]

Access. Original tract books, Internet digital versions, and microfilms exist:

• Originals. The National Archives in Washington, DC has the primary tract books for 16 western states. The Bureau of Land Direction (BLM) Eastern State Office, 7450 Boston Blvd, Springfield, VA 22153 has custody of the pamphlet books for the 12 northeastern federal earth states (AL, AR, FL, IL, IN, IA, LA, Geographical mile, Mn, MS, OH, and Badger State).^[10] The tract books for Alaska and MO are lost.^[11]
• Internet. Digital copies of apiece federal-land-state's tract books (except Alaska and Missouri ) are in stock in FamilySearch Historical Records online at United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1820-1908
• Microfilms of tract books are too on 1,265 films for each federal-Land state (except Alaska and Missouri ) at the General Archives in Washington, and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Beehive State.

• Amalgamated States Bureau of Land Management, Pamphlet Books (Washington, District of Columbia : Records Melioration, Agency of Land Management, 1957). At varied libraries (WorldCat) 1,265 FHL Films starting with 1445277.

Self-satisfied. Pamphlet books show the type of land entry, its legal description (numbered subdivision, township and tramp), land area, price, entryman's mention, application date, and (if applicable) patenting date and numbers.^[10]

Learn which tract books to search. The following sources can help opinionated the number of tract books to hunt.

• Coverage mesa . Use the description of the townships and ranges covered in to each one tract book as described in the Tract Books Coverage Table to narrow down the volumes you bequeath need to view to find an ancestor's kingdom entrance. For example:
  

• Index . Or, if you have access to the Political entity Archives in Washington, DC, use the Index to Nerve pathway Books, Roentgenium 49, MLR# UD2321 ,^[12] to apiece state's tract books which allows researchers to identify the tract book number that covers the arena in which they are interested.^[13]
• Townships and ranges in each county . Additionally, "Appendix A" in Land and Property Research in the United States government lists each present-day federal land state of matter and county together with its farthest north-, eastmost-, south-, and west- township and range for that county, and the Meridian(s) that applies.^[14] This information toilet help you peg down the figure of tract books you will need to search.
• Land offices . Tract books for some states, such as Alabama and Ohio are unionised by land office. Others are organized for the whole state of matter. "Appendix B" in Land and Property Research in the United States shows the variable land power boundaries in each put forward over many eld.^[15]

Nerve tract record book musical arrangement. Tract book volumes are organized by commonwealth, in some states by land offices, and then by town number and set out number. Inside all tract book volume, the land entries are in order by their eligible kingdom description^{[11] [16]} (section, township, and place). Typical tract books list the land entries for anywhere from unrivaled to 30 townships; about 5 townships per tract book seems to follow the most familiar. Within almost townships the order is usually by subdivision number.

Each land entry in a parcel of land book was recorded across two pages.^[17] Each page set covers part or all of one township; tract books rarely have two different townships listed along the same page. The townships ordinarily only change i range come surgery one township number at a time after several pages within a tract book volume listing single townships.

• If you make love the land description, locate put down entry in the appropriate tract book subordinate the appropriate numbered section, town, and range listed on the left English of apiece page in the volume.
• If you do NOT know the land description, explore each appropriate pathway book line-by-line of descent and page-past-page for the name of an ancestor.

When you find an ancestor's debut. Erst you find the commemorate of the land entry, live sure to

• photocopy both tract book pages of the entry
• write push down the exact statute title, volume number, and page number (reservoir information) of the pathway book mass in which the ancestor's entry was found

This information is important to helping the National Archives retrieve the land entry casing file away for you.

Age-related Wiki Articles [edit | cut source]

• Tract Books history, preparing for them, how to use them, easygoing, entree, and related case files.
• United States, Bureau of Land Direction Tract Books - FamilySearch Historical Records describes the online federal tract book collection for 28 federal land states from 1820-1908.
• Grants from the Federal Government (Public Domain) explains public lands, how individuals claimed some of IT, and the paperwork created during the process.
• BLM Bring down Apparent Research discusses the power to eight meg patented (ruined) land applications, and military bounty land papers. Each entry in this power includes the land description useful for determination an ancestor in a pamphlet book.
• Land Entry Case Files describes the 10 million files in the Nationalistic Archives created to text file individual claims to Union soldier land exploitation cash entry, credit, homestead, military bounty landed estate, private land claims, mineral or woodland rights. A case file exists for each tract playscript ingress.
• United States Domain and Property page is a general discussion of land commemorate research for genealogists. It serves American Samoa a contents to related Wiki pages about American land records including tract books, related landed estate entry case files, and the BLM land patent search.
• Canada Land and Attribute where a rectangular survey organisation was ace of four main types of surveying systems, peculiarly in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces.

[edit | edit germ]

• Authority of Land Management Broad Land Office Records includes the Land Patent Search, operating instructions, and search tips.
• Organise NATF-084 (pdf) secondhand to order bring down entry case files from the National Archives.
• Land Records: Introduction and Links to Resources on Landed estate Entry Case Files and Related Records National Archives explain landed estate record search.
• Texas General Landed estate Post Land Grant Search over 665,000 Lone-Star State earth entries. Also includes grants from Spain, United Mexican States, and the Republic of TX.

For Foster Reading [cut | edit rootage]

• Kenneth Hawkyns, Research in the Farming Entry Files of the General Body politic Office: Record Group 49, Reference Data Composition, 114 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 2007), 9. Internet version (pdf) At various repositories (WorldCat) FHL Ref Book 973 J53hrL
• Range Maps for Dummies in RootsWeb (Ancestry.com).
• Range Map out Instructor in "Attala Historical Social club, Kosciusko, Mississippi" at RootsWeb (Pedigree.com).
• E. Wade Hone, Land and Prop Enquiry in the U.S. government (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks Lake City, Utah : Ancestry Pub., c1997), chapters 8 and 9. At various repositories (WorldCat); FHL Account book 973 R27h.

References [edit | edit informant]

1. ↑ Land Ordinance of 1785 in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia (accessed 25 November 2014).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Kenneth Hawkins, Research in the Body politic Entry Files of the General Commonwealth Office: Record Chemical group 49, Reference Data Paper, 114 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 2007), 9. Net version (pdf) At various repositories (WorldCat) FHL Ref Book 973 J53hrL
3. ↑ Rand McNally and Accompany, Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide (Chicago : Rand McNally, 1989). At various repositories (WorldCat).
4. ↑ The Semipublic Ground Survey System (PLSS) in Department of the Interior - Bureau of Farming Management (BLM) at GeoCommunicator.gov (accessed 28 November 2014).
5. ↑ Hawkins, 1.
6. ↑ Hawkins, 4.
7. ↑ Sir John Hawkins, 1-2.
8. ↑ Hawkins, 2-3.
9. ↑ Hawkyns, 3-4.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} Hawkins, 5.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4} E. Wade Hone, Res publica and Property Research in the Conjugated States (Sharp Lake City, Utah : Lineage Pub., c1997), 113. At various repositories (WorldCat); FHL Volume 973 R27h.
12. ↑ Index to Tract Books, RG 49, MLR# UD2321, maps unreal away state. Copies of these maps are available for interview in room G28 of the Political unit Archives Edifice, Washington, DC, as cited in Coleman Hawkins, page 6.
13. ↑ Hawkins, 4.
14. ↑ Perfect, 213-67.
15. ↑ Hone, 269-497.
16. ↑ Hawkins, front internal cover, and page 6.
17. ↑ Hawkins, 6.

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Where to Locate a Properties Township and Range

Source: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Rectangular_Surveys

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