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Campbell County Deeds 1806-1810

Copies of Homestead Applications

Reproductions of land entry files (such as credit, cash, homestead, and mineral) or surrendered military bounty-land warrants files (Acts of 1788, 1812, 1847, 1850, and 1855)

can now be ordered online

 What is a Land Patent?                    

Land patents document the transfer of land ownership from the federal government to individuals. In the very early years of the United States, the Congress of the Confederation declared it would sell or grant the unclaimed lands in "the West" (given up by the States to the United States) for the common benefit of the United States. The States gave up their claims to what is now Alabama, Michigan, part of Minnesota, Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The United States could then sell this unclaimed land to raise money for the Treasury. In turn, the United States gave up its claims to any land within the boundaries of the Colonies.

The land was disposed of by the authority of many acts of Congress - sale, homesteads, military warrants for military service, timber culture, mining, etc. One of the primary purposes of these public land laws was to encourage people from the East to move West. In the early 1800's people could buy public land for $1.25 an acre. For a time, they could buy up to 640 acres under this law. The sale of public land under the "Cash Act" is no longer in effect.
 
Several Military Warrant Acts granted public land to soldiers instead of pay. These acts have been repealed.
 
The Homestead Act of 1862, allowed people to settle up to 160 acres of public land if they lived on it for five years and grew crops or made improvements. This land did not cost anything per acre, but the settler did pay a filing fee. This act is no longer in effect.

Animated Atlas

Animated Atlas, Growth of a Nation is a free, ten minute movie which depicts the geographic history of the United States from the beginning of the nation to fifty states. Geographic elements are interactive, as is the timeline. Click the image or below to go to the movie. It will take sixty seconds to load with a 56K modem.

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