Back to Top
Where is the Jackson Purchase located?
The Jackson Purchase, acquired from the chickasaw Indians in 1818, is located in far Western Kentucky.
Back to Top
What counties are located in the Jackson Purchase?
Counties include: Fulton (county seat: Hickman); Hickman (county seat: Clinton); Carlisle (county seat: Bardwell); Ballard (county seat: Wickliffe); McCracken (county seat: Paducah); Graves (county seat: Mayfield); Marshall (county seat: Benton); and Calloway (county seat: Murray).
Back to Top
Is additional information available for the Jackson Purchase counties?
Yes. You will find complete test of all Acts creating Kentucky counties on the Kentucky Counties database.
Back to Top
Is any other part of Kentucky mapped by the range-township method?
A few areas east of the Tennessee River are mapped by range-township, but the rest of the state is mapped by metes and bounds.
Back to Top
What types of patents are issued for the Jackson Purchase?
The two patent series that specifically address land appropriation in the Jackson Purchase, also known as the area West of Tennessee River, are the "West of Tennessee River Military Patents" and the West of Tennessee River Non-Military Patents." After 1835, we also see some patents in the "County Court Order Series" for the Jackson Purchase area. (Use the "Advanced Search" option to find patents by county name.) There are also patents in the Jackson Purchase filed with the "Kentucky Land Warrant Patent Series." However, the Kentucky Land Warrant Database is not online at this time.
Back to Top
Are there plans to put the "West of Tennessee River Military Patents" online?
The West of Tennessee River Military Patent Series, consisting of a database and scanned images for 242 patents authorized by Revolutionary War Warrants issued to Virginia veterans, their heirs or assigns, is included under "Military Registers & Land Records."
Back to Top
Are there plans to put the "West of Tennessee River Non-Military Patents" online?
Yes. All documents for the 9308 patent files in this series have been colorscanned. When indexing is completed, the entire database linked to scanned images will be added to this website.
Back to Top
Are there plans to put the "County Court Order Patent Series" online?
That series is included under "Non-Military Registers & Land Records." Images are linked to the first 8241 patents in the County Court Order Series.
Back to Top
How do I find land locations indexed by Jillson's "Kentucky Land Grants" in his chapter called "West of Tennessee River"?
If you find an ancestor listed in the "West of Tennessee River" chapter of Jillson's publlication, you can use the Jackson Purchase Land Locator to find the location of the tract. Use the "Jackson Purchase Land Locator" drop boxes to enter Township number, Range number, and E/W coordinates. The search will result in a county location and a link to an image from the 1885 Loughridge Map. A guide to the 36 sections is also included as well as a guide to NE, NW, SE, and SW section locations.
Back to Top
Are name searches the only types of searches available on the "Jackson Purchase Locator"?
No. All locations on the 1885 Loughridge Map have been entered into "Jackson Purchase Land Locator" database. On the "Location" search, you can access information regarding names of places, such as Mayfield or Fort Jefferson and citations bearing the words Indian, Mill, Ferr, Spring, or Buffalo, for example.
Back to Top
Why isn't Carlisle County included on the 1885 Loughridge Map?
Carlisle wasn't formed until 1886 (out of Ballard County).
Back to Top
Where can I find more information on the history of mapping the Jackson Purchase?
For more information on Henderson's Mapping of the Jackson Purchase, please see the article entitled "How the Jackson Purchase Was Mapped."