Did you know that when the US government acquired land through purchases or treaties, the lands became public lands? The states which have been founded in these areas are known as public-land states. This land was then sold to private individuals or firms through land patents.
To acquire a land patent, one had to apply for a parcel of land, and a survey was ordered to define the boundary lines. Once these were established and recorded, the person applying for the purchase paid cash or provided proof of credit and received a receipt for the purchase.
After a waiting period, during which the land owner could make the improvements that are required by law, the applicant could then apply for a title to the parcel as well as request a copy of the land patent.
Over 5 million land patents have been digitized by the Bureau of Land Management and are searchable at glorecords.blm.gov.
These records cover mostly the states of Mississippi, Alabama, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Florida.
The patent will contain the following genealogical research information:
The name of the applicant and place of residence at the time of the application.
The location of the land office, which could help you find additional information
The legal land description of the parcel
Confirmation of the purchaser
The photo above is part of a land patent for Jones County, Mississippi. Henry T. Tisdale was my great-great-grandfather. It was signed on the 26th day of August 1896. By utilizing the legal land description on the land patent, I can compare it to a map in the Family Maps of Jones County, Mississippi, by Gregory A. Boyd, J. D., to find the approximate location of the land. The image below is from The Family Maps book, page 178.
By utilizing a map from Google Earth, the approximate location of this land is off of MS Hwy 590, not very far from the Crosby Cemetery, where Henry Thomas Tisdale is buried. I have enjoyed researching this Tisdale line, and my work is far from done.
I had someone ask me once, "Do you ever finish your genealogy research?" My answer was, "I don't think you ever do!"
Please feel free to contact me for assistance with your family research. Contact information is listed on the homepage of this site, but can also be found by visiting our website, www.laurel.lib.ms.us
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