Land Records

The use of land records are often overlooked in doing genealogical research and yet they have a vast amount of information available.  Looking at the Grantor and Grantee can sometimes give clues to family relationships.  Building a neighborhood picture also helps in defining relationships.  I recently began using  land records available from the Bureau of Land Management http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/  according to their website, "they provide image access to more than three million Federal land title records for eastern Public land states, issued between 1820 and 1908." I was fortunate enough to find records on a couple of my ancestors.

transfer between William Mays and Ephraim B Tillotson

The land transfer is between William Mays, Private, Captain Harris's Company, Virginia Volunteers, War of 1812.  Now if I were looking for more information on William Mays, I would have gain an entirely new avenue to explore in his military records.  The deed states he was a Private in Captain Harris's Company. This information isn't something that people are traditionally looking for when they are accessing land records but can be a tremendous help in locating information about family members.

Luther Tillotson, Warren County Indiana

The above is an example of land acquired by Luther Tillotosn in Warren County Indiana, and lead to the discovery of a family journal about life on the frontier.

Happy Hunting:
MJ