Mortgagee: One to whom property is mortgaged. Generally, you need to read the title register and plan together, but for our purposes here, well focus on the register. Even in the face of catastrophic record loss in some locations, land records are generally plentiful. Escheat: The reversion of property to the state, or (in feudal law) to a lord, on the owner's dying without legal heirs. Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. (If the value already exists, Windows will set its value to 1.). It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. land records at the National Archives here. Dont overlook them! and bounty land warrants and applications for veterans. Each township is divided into 36 sections of 640 acres each. Guide to land and property records as a genealogical source for researching ancestors. Plat map: A map that gives the legal description of a piece of land by lot, street, and block numbers. A tract. It serves as a centralized location to explore, view, and download BLM's geospatial data. A deed may show the distribution of land of a deceased parent to their children as an inheritance (check probate records, also). Well demonstrate how to do this, using our LastActiveClick registry hack, which makes a single click on a taskbar icon activate the last window you used from that programno multiple clicks necessary. In states that were part of the old Northwest Territory, such as Ohio and Indiana, as well as the other public land states (any state formed under the Constitution that was not carved out of one of the original colonies), grants from the federal government to the first recorded owner of that land can be found at the Government Land Office site created by the Bureau of Land Management. Land records are some of the most underutilized, yet most useful, records available in genealogy. Search County Clerk records, Real Estate records and Mineral Ownership Data. How can I find the history on the land I live on, Find answers to your research questions at, How to File a FOIA Request for Archival Records. RELATED: How to Make Your Own Windows Registry Hacks. Land records exist in the United States in abundance for most locations. Monitor mortgages, assignments and releases with . A township contains 36 square miles of land. Thus, when a land owner died, his first-born son would often inherit all or most of his land if he died intestate, or without a will. 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272, Land Entry Case Files and Related Records, Research in the Land Entry Files of the General Land Office, National Archives Building in Washington, DC, Pre-World War I U.S. Army Pension and Bounty Land Applications. Grantor: An individual transferring his or her interest in property to another person. Metes are the angles or corners of the property and bounds are the boundary lines of the property. Check out the GLO Records website. 15 November 2022 Guidance Applications to change the register are now digital by default for business customers. Warrant/Warranty: A land warrant instructs a state to issue land to someone. Thus, surviving deed books should always be checked for ancestors and their family members in every jurisdiction in which you do genealogy research. The Property Identification Number or PIN is another way to identify and describe a property. You can also use our online ordering service on our sister site. The Alaska Spatial Data Management System (SDMS) is a one-stop tool to view, research, print and download information such as surveyed land parcels, land status, mining claims, and Master Title Plats. Thereafter, the sale of that land from person to person is recorded in a deed. These case files cover land entries . The land records held at the state level for state land states (the original thirteen colonies and the states formed from them such as Maine and Kentucky) are usually indexed. The fifth line tells Windows to make a change at the following location, or key, in the registry: The sixth line tells Windows to create a DWORD value named LastActiveClick and set its value to 1. An online index for bounty land grants for the Mexican War is at FamilySearch.org. USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration The distances along or between these features were usually described in terms such as links (7.92 inches), poles, perches, or rods (16.5 feet), chains (66 feet), or furlongs (664 feet). County clerks and recorders will also sometimes do research via correspondence, though most are unable to do so due to time constraints. To learn how to plat or draw the property boundaries yourself, see the article. The Bureau of Land Management Tract Books for 1820 to 1908 is digitized and available at FamilySearch.org. MiTeC Windows Registry File Viewer is a viewer for Windows registry hives of all (e.g. Select PLSS tools under Map and then select "Get Lat/Lon from Land Description" and type in the information about the township and range you are interested in seeing on a map, or zoom into the township and range for which you are searching. The absence of a deed or will showing the transfer might be explained by checking the land tax books. With the opportunity of expansion west of the colonial states and because of the rural nature of America before 1850, as many as 90% of White men owned land, making the possibility of finding an ancestor in land records very high. FamilySearch Wiki; United States Land and Property. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Example of deed index, courtesy of FamilySearch. Youll be glad you did. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves. Et. Ownership and Sales Data. Many early land patents and grants are being digitized and placed online. The fifth and sixth lines are the meat of this particular file. Prior to 1994 most properties had a paper certificate of title issued for it. Assigns: Anyone acting on behalf of or in place of the owner. When we receive an application to register land for the first time, we investigate the title deeds and other information the applicant provides. The Spanish distributed headright grants of land in their colonies according to the ages and number of family members and the number of slaves. A reference to land that is no longer included in the title: (13.10.2003) The land edged and numbered in green on the title plan has been removed from this title and registered under the title number or numbers shown in green on the said plan. Types of Land Entry Files Land entry files at Archives 1 are divided into three rough categories: (1) surrendered military bounty land warrants, (2) pre-1908 general land entry files, and (3) 1908 and later land entry files. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 1 Contents of Land Title Document 1.1 Types of land title 1.2 Ownership Number 1.3 Size and Location of Property 1.4 Type of Land 1.5 Conditions of Ownership 1.6 Layout of Land 2 Types of Lands 2.1 Freehold 2.2 Leasehold 2.3 Bumiputera reserved land 3 Types of Titles 3.1 Master Title 3.2 Individual Title 3.3 Strata Title Other land records that might prove essential in solving genealogy puzzles are mortgages. Indeed, land ownership was more widespread in the Thirteen Colonies and the United States than most any other nation on earth. Federal land patents may also be found recorded in county deed books. The person whose passage had been paid would serve as an indentured servant for seven years, receiving his freedom, 50 acres of land, and a certain amount of money when the seven years were finished. Or these legal documents may be in related books found in the county recorders office such as mortgage books, lease books, delinquent tax books, etc. Land ownership map: A map that divides and identifies land according to who owns it. D. As long as the land or property is in England or Wales and is registered, you can: Whether you download an extract of the register or apply for an official copy, you can rely on it to show the state of the register at the date and time shown. This page was last edited on 20 December 2022, at 17:42. Land descriptions are based on the location of the lot within the section and township. The Land Ordinance of 1785 was the first of over 300 laws that started the sale of lands in the Public Land States in the United States and was applied to the Northwest Territory (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and the northeastern part of Minnesota). The land patent was the document which granted him ownership of the land. download a title register apply for an official copy using form OC1 (costs 7 per document) Whether you download an extract of the register or apply for an official copy, you can rely on it to. Heres what our Last Active Click registry hack looks like: The first line, Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00, just lets you know what type of file this is. But many of us live far away from where our ancestors owned land and lived out their lives. The site also has images related to survey plats and field notes dating back to 1810. To find land registration records, you need to know the following: The name of one or both parties The township or town where the property was located The county or northern district the township or town is part of The lot and concession (or the address or subdivision number in towns and cities). Update: Many of the sub-systems and databases are being migrated to the General Land Office Records and the Mineral and Land Records System over the next year. Do a Google search for historical land records, or land grants with the name of the state being searched to learn what is available online or go to the FamilySearch Wiki state page to find the website for the state archives. The ordinance also resolved Indian claims to public land and private claims by settlers who had received grants from Spain, Mexico, or France. You can change your cookie settings at any time. You have rejected additional cookies. Also at this time, some land that had belonged to individual colonies was ceded to the new federal government. The Windows Registry is a database where Windows and some third-party applications store settings and other data. Thank you for helping to keep our articles and the Genealogy Gems Podcast free. Texas Land Records and Deed Records. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected]. The 30 Federal land states are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Looking at historical maps of the time period you are searching will help you know which county to search. LockA locked padlock Call or write the county clerk or recorders office to find the correct department that will tell you how to access the deed indexes and records for the particular county you are searching. As long as you clicked Edit, you can click Run to continue. Land records are the earliest, largest, and most complete type of record in the United States beginning when the colonists settled the land to show legal proof of ownership. If he sold more land than he purchased, he may have inherited some land or acquired land through marriage. This page includes a discount code for full service projects, or scroll to the bottom of the page for information about their 45-minute genealogy consultations. How can we access these records if we dont have the time or budget to travel to the areas in question? Private Land Claims can be found at individual state archives. If there are changes waiting to be made to the register, your copy will be backdated to the time immediately before the first change was applied for. Indexes to deeds are often divided into a direct index (grantor/seller) or an indirect or reverse index (grantee/buyer) and indexes list the parties, the type of instrument (warranty deed, quit claim, trust, etc. We select and review products independently. Found most often in public domain states. The person selling the land, his wife, and, Granting clause, specifying the interest being transferred and consideration (money). Land registration is any of various systems by which matters concerning ownership, possession, or other rights in land are formally recorded (usually with a government agency or department) to provide evidence of title, facilitate transactions, and prevent unlawful disposal.The information recorded and the protection provided by land registration varies widely by jurisdiction. If youre unsure about the class of title stated in your register or what it means, you should consult your legal adviser. A mortgage is a promise by a borrower to repay a loan using real estate as collateralin effect deeding title to the real estate to the creditor if the loan is not repaid. However, the land patent spelled out that the original applicant had died and his son was the person actually receiving the patent. Browse-Only Databases at FamilySearch are Easy to Use. Other types of records associated with federal land, include: These are all held at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Land grants and patents issued by the various colonial, state and federal governments are also an important resource, including land lotteries in states like Georgia. This system of land description leaves no confusion as to the precise boundaries of a property. One other land record that could crack the case is land tax records. It contains a description of the property, its tenure, the name and address of the current owners, purchase price (recorded for sales after 2000), name & address of mortgagee and details of other charges, covenants, easements, cautions, notices and restrictions. HM Land Registry blogs Blog post Read our latest blogs where we talk about. He's written about technology for over a decade and was a PCWorld columnist for two years. Then, there are three other sections, which include the Charges Register, the Proprietorship Register and the Property Register. This means land records can be found at different government levels, including federal, state, and county. View Alaska records in SDMS. ), sometimes a brief description of the property, date (sale or recording), and the deed book and page number where the deed can be found. Look carefully at deeds of people with the same surnames in the county you are searching, as these people may be related. If the application was approved, a warrant (a certificate that authorized the petitioner to receive a certain amount of land) was issued to the individual. This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. The Recorder of Deeds and the County Clerk are therefore often the genealogists best friends. In some areas, land records are the only records that survive which state relationships or can be used to provide indirect evidence of them. Mortgagor: One who mortgages property. The BLM General Land Office Records website provides online access to federal land conveyance records for the Public Land States, which are states that were created out of the public domain. Why is this important? Information from land records will lead to other types of records to search, such as probate or court records, marriage records, military records, or immigration and naturalization records to learn more about your ancestor and his family. The GLO Records also includes Master Title Plats (MTP), a mapping of current land status for a specified township. Do a Google search by typing your county and state with the words online land records after the name of the state being searched. ), and the certificate number or patent number. Enfeoffment: Giving ownership in fee. Information in the charges register might include: Read our guide onhow to get information about property and land. Anyone can search for land records. I'm seeking informations and archive documents about Carpetbaggers 801st / 492d Bombardment Groups during WW2 operating in France, especially the dropping zones and missions. Most title registers are split into 3 parts: Some also have schedules, where further details about some of the entries are set out. Chattel: A physical article of personal property. Information from land records will lead to other types of records to search, such as probate or court records, marriage records, military records, or immigration and naturalization records to learn more about your ancestor and his family. This can assist the researcher in establishing timelines for ancestors. The thirty new states created from the newly acquired Federal land are commonly called Public Domain States, Federal Land States, or Public Land States. The last two books are available at Ancestry.com. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. We cover a lot of registry hackschanges to the Windows Registryhere at How-To Geek. Also keep in mind that not all states required the recording of deeds throughout their history, or did not require them to be recorded in a timely fashion. (20.02.2002) Restriction: No disposition of the registered estate by the proprietor of the registered estate is to be registered without a certificate signed by a conveyancer that that conveyancer is satisfied that the person who executed the document submitted for registration as disponor is the same person as the proprietor. Metes and bounds property descriptions were not always completely accurate and the geographical or physical features could change over time, sometimes causing land disputes. Understanding what kinds of land records exist, where to find them, and how to use them is often critical to solving genealogical mysteries. Home; Help. Ux: And spouse. Everyone who owned land had to pay taxes on it, at least in theory. Some of the documents found in the land-entry case files could include a testimony of the claimant showing he had complied with the requirements of that particular act, a declaration of his intention to become a citizen of the United States, installment payments, a period of residency on the land, witnesses, date of purchase, property descriptions, or other residences. Firstly, there will be header - this will provide you with the Title Number, the relevant Land Registry office, the date this Official Copy was produced and when it was last updated. The 36 sections are numbered in a snake-like pattern starting in the upper right hand corner and leading to the bottom right hand corner. REG files can be created in several waysyou can use the Export option in the Registry Editor or write the REG file by hand in a text editor like Notepad. the title summary (which includes the lender's name and whether the property is freehold or leasehold). Since we launched in 2006, our articles have been read billions of times. Researchers can search the BLM's GLO Records website to find the information needed to request each type of land entry file. This restriction helps to guard against fraud. There might not be any record of this transfer, so knowing the law of the land can prove to be instrumental in cracking the case. Tract book: A book used to track the sale/purchase of an individual piece of property from the first transfer of the property from a government or sovereign to the current owner. Also, remember to check published abstracts of deeds if they exist, as witnesses to deeds were not included in most indexes to the original deed books. It is necessary to register in order to complete the order. As you plan your research, consider this question: how does my research topic interest intersect with the US Federal Government? For example, you can write your own REG file to quickly make your favorite changes to any new Windows PC. So, planning a trip to the courthouse or archive where land records are held is still a good idea. REG files can continue many lines of changes, but theyll all be in a similar format. The images of patents are available at this website, as well as the information needed to obtain the land-entry case files. Incumbrance/encumbrance: A burden on a property, generally one that affects the ability to transfer title, or one which affects the condition of the property. Silver Springs Township). The companies or proprietors then issued land grants or patents to settlers coming into their colonies. From 1853-1855 land in Washington and Oregon Territories was no longer offered for free; settlers had to pay $1.25 per acre, were limited to 320 acres, but the residence requirement was reduced to two years. Cash entry: The process of purchasing land from the federal government. Their purpose is usually to make sure that specific legal requirements are complied with. One of the land records said my 3x great-grandmother was a seamstress! We use some essential cookies to make this website work. Deeds can provide many clues about your ancestor and their family. Note that while the collection is extensive, this site does not contain every federal title record issued. They must instead be searched in the Catalog search page. Headright grant: Public land given to the head of a household or to an individual who paid another person's passage to America. This vast trove of land records is almost completely unindexed by FamilySearch and will thus not appear in results using their Records search page. Some acts limited land purchases to cash sales only, while other acts accepted credit. Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867 and Hawaii in 1898. 55,840. A reference to light or air and/or boundary structures: (13.10.2003) The Conveyance dated 19 October 1959 referred to in the Charges Register contains the following provision: AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION that the Purchaser should not be entitled to any right of light or air to the said land thereby conveyed. Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. Use NATF Form 85 ("Military Pension/Bounty Land Warrant Applications") available at www.archives.gov. Patent: A certificate that conveys ownership of a piece of land from the government to a private institution or individual. RELATED: How to Make Your Taskbar Buttons Always Switch to the Last Active Window. About Us When we register a property, we give it a unique reference called a title number and prepare both a register and, in most cases, a title plan. If this evidence establishes the applicants ownership we will register them with a class of title, depending on whether the property is freehold or leasehold. Appraiser: One who estimates officially the worth or value or quality of things. As of current, paper certificates of titles are now being phased out and all states and territories only issue electronic copies of a title. In some deed indexes, names are also indexed by the first letter of the first name. Section, land: A piece of land within a township that is 640 acres (1 square mile) in size. Youll often see this where a management company is appointed to provide certain shared services. There are over ten million such individual land transactions in the custody of the National Archives. Records held by the National Archives that can be of great use to researchers include, but are not limited to Land Entry Case Files, Right of Ways, Mineral Surveys, township surveys, and water rights. It is now known as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Once the information is in order the documents will be registered. Deeds were usually written up by a county clerk, a lawyer, a justice of the peace, or someone else familiar with the needed legalities of a deed. Metes-and-bounds system: Metes/bounds/chain/link/rods/degrees: A method of surveying land that uses compass directions and distances from one boundary to another. At the end of the Revolutionary War, the 1783 Treaty of Paris enlarged boundaries of the United States from the Great Lakes on the north to Florida on the south, and from the Atlantic Ocean on the east to the Mississippi River on the west. Take note about whether or not a landowner sold the same amount of acreage he originally purchased. In the case of New Jersey, deeds only began to be recorded in the various counties around 1785. Open Help Ticket; Pricing . Cash entries are generally the least genealogical useful of the federally-generated record sources. Tract: A piece of land. Fee simple: Ownership of land that can be inherited by any heirs. When you purchase through our links we may earn a commission. Documents can be ordered from the Land Registry either through their Portal (if you have an account) or through the post. Thank you for a great article! Online land registry services Land registration services, including self-service options, are only accessible online. Convey: To transfer property from one person to another. Also, when a clerk was listing names into the index, he may have run out of room on that page and would write a notation that a particular letter was continued on another page.