Waterloo County GenWeb

The following explanation of Ontario Land Records was posted on Ontario-L Mailing List by Lorine McGinnis Schulze of Olive Tree Genealogy and is posted here with permission

Land records are very useful. Originally all land in Ontario belonged to the Crown. Although there were small areas of settlement in 1763 after the British took over, major settlement of Upper Canada began in 1783 and utilized Crown Grants.

The CLRI (Computerized Land Record Index) is an index (not on computer!) which summarizes land grants from sales of of Crown Land in Ontario from Canada Company sales and leases, and from Peter Robinson settlers' grants. It provides invaluable clues for further research! Most settlers bought land soon after arrival, although of course there were exceptions to this - some lived with family previously settled, others had no urgent need for land (a blacksmith didn't need land as urgently as a farmer for example)

The CLRI only shows the first time owner of Crown Land so if your ancestor purchased land from someone else his name will not show on this index but it is still a very useful tool. Not only does it provide you with exact location (township, lot #, concession #) it provides you with a date of transaction, whether or not there were special circumstances surrounding the transaction (a free grant, a hardship grant, a military grant, etc), and it provides you with an Archival Reference number.

This Archival Reference number can provide more detail; often it does not but it is still a stone that should be turned. With a date of transaction you have narrowed the field for immigration. Beyond that the value of the CLRI is in the interpretation of the one line index entry which can lead you to other avenues of research. I have a more detailed explanation of the CLRI and other land records in Ontario on my site under my ONTARIO RESEARCH section.

Once you have the exact land location for your ancestor (lot, concession #, township and county) you can venture into more records such as the Abstract Indexes to Deeds and Township papers, which can contain a wealth of genealogical treasure!

Location of Land Records

Upper Canada Land Petitions

Upper Canada Land Petitions (UCLP) are the actual Petitions for land which were submitted in Upper Canada (Ontario). They frequently contain information about the petitioner and his or her family. Loyalists and discharged soldiers often mentioned the regiment in which they served.

Land Books

Land Books are basically a summary of land grants. They rarely contain more info than name, date and location. Sometimes they have little gems in the comment section. But they're helpful because if you can't find a petition in the UCLP it may be in the Land Book so at least you have some record of the event.

Township Papers

Township Papers are a miscellaneous group of land-related records have been arranged by township name, then by concession and lot or by town name and lot number. They're a mixed bag - they may contain correspondence re land, some petitions, copies of orders-in-council, etc

Abstract indexes to Deeds

The Abstract Indexes to Deeds are the indexed record of every transaction on a plot of land since it left Crown ownership. Fathers willed land to sons or to wives or daughters. Men parcelled off smaller sections of land and sold it to sons. Brothers settled near each other, or on the same land. Armed with the Abstract Indexes to Deeds you can check for every instance of your name of interest on that parcel of land. By referring to the date and Instrument Number found with each transaction, you can look up the complete record. You may find a will (Many wills are filed in the Land Records Offices) or other important document.

Waterloo County Land Documents

*Declarations of Title to Land, one made by David B. Eby and the other by Aaron Kraft, regarding Lot 32 German Company Tract, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County.
*Indenture Deed July 16, 1875 between Joseph E. and Samuel B. Schneider for three parcels of land including two parts of Lot 17, German Company Tract, Berlin, Waterloo County, Ontario.
*Deed dated July 2, 1896 between David B. Eby and Martin Snyder for part of Lot 32 German Company Tract, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Ontario.
*Deed dated April 1, 1903 between Martin Snyder and Irvin Hallman for part of Lot 32 German Company Tract, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Ontario.
*Deed dated February 18, 1877 between Elias B. Snyder and Samuel Y. Shantz for Lot 13 in the Broken Front Concession of Richard Beasley’s Lower Block, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Ontario.
*Deed dated April 10, 1848 between John B. Bowman and Jacob C. Snyder for Lot 36 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated August 18, 1898 between Samuel S. Snider and William Hebebrand for Lots 7 and 8 in the Town of Waterloo, Ontario
*Deed dated November 30, 1867 between Joseph E. Schneider and Valentine Gildner for Lots 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95 and 96 in the town of Berlin, Waterloo County, Ontario.
*Deed 393 dated June 17, 1819 between Jacob Snyder Sr. and his son, Jacob Snyder, for Lots 6 and 7, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Canada
* dated August 1, 1836 between Jacob Schnider Sr. and Jacob J. Schnider for Lot 71, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
* Deed dated June 18, 1839 between Jacob Shantz Jr. and Jacob Snider Sr. for Lot 69, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
* Deed dated October 4, 1833 between Jacob Erb Sr. and Jacob J. Snyder for Lot 79, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated October 25, 1842 between Samuel Shenk and Jacob J. Snyder for 350 acres, Lot 93, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated June 22, 1843 between Jacob J. Snider and Commissioners of Common Schools for the Township of Waterloo. Part of Lot 6 Waterloo Township was purchased for a school
*Deed dated May 13, 1844 between the executors for Daniel Erb and Jacob Erb, both deceased, and Jacob J. Snider, for Lot 53, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated April 4, 1848 between Anthony Reizel and Jacob C. Snider for Lot 37 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated April 10, 1848 between Henry B.K. Bauman and Jacob C. Snider for Lot 8 in Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated April 4, 1849 between Ephraim Cress and Jacob C. Snider for part of Lot 7 German Company Tract , Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated 20th October 1808 between Christian Eby and David Eby for Lot 32 Block 2 German Company Tract, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated March 24, 1834 between John Eby and David Eby for part of Lot 32 in Dutch Company's Land, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated October 7, 1850 between David Eby and David B. Eby for part of Lot 32 German Company Tract, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Ontario
*Deed dated February 4, 1848 between David and Barnabas Devitt for part of Lot 32 German Company Tract, Upper Block, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated January 25, 1849 between Barnabas Devitt and David Eby for part of Lot 32 German Company Tract, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated March 27, 1827 between Philip Steel and John Eby for 100 acres in Waterloo Township adjoining lands of David Eby and Jacob Snider.
*Deed dated May 1, 1860 between Joel Good and John L. Wideman, creditors of George Weaver Eby, and Jacob E. Eby & Bros., Millers for Lot 8 in St. Jacobs, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated July 25, 1861 between Jacob E. Eby, Daniel E. Eby, Peter E. Eby, Martin E. Eby, and Peter Eby for parts of Lots 7, 8, 9, 36 and 37 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Canada.
*Deed dated March 20, 1857 between Henry Fletcher Joseph Jackson, and George W. Eby for parts of Lots 7, 8, 9, 36 and 37 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township (St. Jacobs).
*Deed dated June 27, 1863 between Jacob E. Eby and Benjamin D. Snyder for village Lots 238, 239, 240 and 268 in St. Jacobs, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated June 27, 1863 between Peter Eby and Benjamin D. Snyder for Lots 93 and 94 in St. Jacobs, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated June 27, 1863 between Jacob E. Eby and Benjamin D. Snyder for Lots 7, 8, 9, 36 and 37 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
*Deed dated July 20, 1864 between Jacob E. Eby and Benjamin D. Snyder for part of Lots 8 and 36 German Company Tract known as the Woolen Factory Property, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, CW.
*Deed dated July 20, 1864 between Benjamin D. Snyder and Jacob E. Eby for part of Lot 7 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.p;
*Deed dated December 31, 1870 between Benjamin D. Snyder and Elias Snyder the younger for parts of Lots 7, 8, 9, 10, 36 and 37 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Ontario.
*Deed dated February 26, 1873 between the Municipal Corporation of the Township of Woolwich and Elias W.B. Snider regarding road closures in the village of St. Jacobs, Waterloo County, Ontario.
*(Deed dated June 10, 1873 between Jacob Weber and Elias W.B. Snider for part of Lot 10 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Ontario.
*Deed dated August 18, 1875 between William Snider and Elias W.B. Snider for Parts of Lots 7, 8, 9, 10, 26 and 37 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Ontario.
*Quit Claim Deed dated May 29, 1877 between Matthias Stricker and Elias W.B. Snider on part of Lot 9 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Ontario.
*Deed dated June 13, 1884 between John S. Brubacher and Elias W.B. Snider for part of Lot 40 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Ontario.
*Deed dated September 22, 1891 between Jacob Menger and Elias W.B. Snider for part of Lot 8 German Company Tract, St. Jacobs, Waterloo County, Ontario.
*Deed dated May 10, 1901 between John Lehman Wideman, executor for John Ortwein et. al., and Elias W.B. Snider for Lots 4 and 5, and part of Lot 36, German Company Tract, St. Jacobs, Ontario.
*Deed dated May 28, 1901 between William W. Hoeflin and Elias W.B. Snider for Lots 1, 2 and part of Lot 36 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Ontario.<
* *Deed 2846 dated April 13, 1867 between Enoch Snyder and Benjamin D. Snyder for Lot 8 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, St. Jacobs, Ontario.
* Deed 3303 dated July 7, 1869 between Matthias Stricker and Benjamin D. Snyder for parts of Lots 8 and 9 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
* Deed 3304 (33011) dated August 6, 1869 between Jacob Weber and Benjamin D. Sndyer for Lot 10 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Ontario.
* Deed 3287 dated September 13, 1869 between Henry Fletcher Joseph Jackson and Benjamin D. Snyder for Lot 8 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Ontario.
* Deed 2345 (Indenture of Bargain and Sale) dated May 1, 1865 between Benjamin D. Snyder and Enoch Snyder for part of Lot 8 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
* Deed 505 dated February 20, 1855 between Jacob C. Snider and Jacob C. Snyder Jr. for Lot 8 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
* Deed 1102 dated April 4, 1849 between Ephriam Cress and Jacob C. Snider, Jr. for Lot 7 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
* Deed 272 dated August 29, 1853 between Anthony Reitzel and Jacob C. Snider, Jr. for Lot 37 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
* Deed 520 dated December 15, 1855 between Matthias Stricker and Jacob C. Snider, Jr. for part of Lot 9 German Company Tract, Woolwich Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
* Deed 1516 dated December 10, 1842 between Samuel Erb and Benjamin Bowman for the southern part of Lot 54, upper block, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, CW.
* Deed dated September 9, 1912 between Moses C. Bowman and Simon E. Bowman for parts of the block of land marked 11,12, 13, 14 and 15 in Berlin, Ontario.
* Deed dated February 1, 1851 between Benjamin Shantz and Tobias Kolp for the middle part of Lot 32, Concession 12, Dumfries Township, Waterloo County, Canada.
* Deed dated September 7, 1906 between Cleason Shantz and Levi Graybill for part of Lot 14, German Company Tract, town of Waterloo, Ontario.
* Deeddated September 7, 1906 between Cleason Shantz and Interior Hardwood Company for part of Lot No. 414 of John Hoffman's Survey and part of Lot No. 14 German Company Tract, Waterloo, Ontario.
* Deed 8938 dated July 7, 1883 between Samuel Y. and Jacob E. Shantz for part of Lot 13, Broken Front Concession of Richard Beasley's Lower Block, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Ontario.
*Deed dated October 2, 1890 between Peter E. Shantz and Abraham Oberholtzer, Executors for George C. Clemens, and Issac M. Clemens. The deed concerns Lot 8, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, Ont.
*Deed dated May 30, 1899 between Ontario Mutual Life Assurance Company, Senator Samuel Merner, Peter Shantz, Abraham Oberholtzer and Isabella Clemens for Lot 8, Waterloo Township, Waterloo County.
*Description of Property Handwritten and typewritten copies of a description of land - Lot 39 in the J. & J.E. Schneider Survey, Berlin - cited in the agreement, Estates of Isaac L. and Eliza M. Bowman.

Ontario Land records are organized by townships, concessions and lots. Early townships were divided into concessions. A BF concession refers to a Broken Front which is an uneven piece of land along a river or other geographical feature. A Gore may be a leftover piece of land in a township after being surveyed; it is not as wide as a regular concession.

Archives of Ontario(AO)
77 Grenville Street
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2R9
416 327-1600

Waterloo Land Registry Office
200 Frederick St., 3rd Floor
Kitchener, Ontario N2H 6H9
Phone: 519 571-6043
Fax: 519 571-6067


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