Please note: Some of the links on this page may resolve to non-governmental agencies. The information on these pages is not controlled by the Office of the Secretary of State or the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
What is the “West of Tennessee River Non-Military Patents Series”?
Where can I find legislation involving the WTR Patents?
If these are patents, where are the warrants with wax seals?
What is a fractional quarter-section?
What is the “Jackson Purchase Locator”?
Are other areas of Kentucky mapped by Ranges, Townships & Sections?
The watercourse/location search results seem limited. Why?
My ancestor witnessed the assignment of a receipt. Does that mean he owned the land?
What other information is available on the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Land Office website regarding land patents in the Jackson Purchase area?
A “military survey” is mentioned in the grant for a “West of Tennessee River Non-Military Patent” I have located on this website. Is there a way to research the military survey?
Do you have Search Tips for these documents?
Do you have Printing Tips for these documents?
What is the significance of searching by Section or Township?
Why are these patents significantly important for researchers studying land title in the Jackson Purchase?
How do I research subsequent conveyances of these patents?
Some of the quarter-sections and quarter-section locations are not listed. Why?
Is the Loughridge Map available in paper format?
Did persons buying lands patented under the West of Tennessee River Non-Military Series complete an application that recited family information or state of origin?
Were these patents awarded for service in the War of 1812?
Why are these patents significantly important for researchers studying Kentucky emigration?
Where are the original records housed?
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What is the “West of Tennessee River Non-Military Patents Series”? The series of Kentucky land patents authorized by public land sales initiated in 1821 in the Jackson Purchase area. Although patent numbers range from 1 to 9308, the actual patent file count is approximately 8500 due to skipped patent numbers and patent number duplications.
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Where can I find legislation involving the WTR Patents? The “Legislation” channel in the “Land Office Reference Library” on this website includes Virginia Land Laws and Acts of the Kentucky General Assembly establishing and amending all land patent series including “West of Tennessee River-Non Military”.
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If these are patents, where are the warrants with wax seals? The patents in this series resulted from public land sales. The Receipt (proof of purchase) served as the Warrant, Entry and Survey. Receipts were assignable. As with all other patent series, title did not vest until the Governor’s Grant was issued. Although the name of the Receiver of Public Moneys and his office location were identified, no formal wax seal was affixed to the receipt.
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What is a fractional quarter-section? A section of 640 acres consisted of four quarter-sections of 160 acres each. The quarter-sections are identified as NW (North West), NE (North East), SW (South West), and SE (South East). In some instances the entire 160 acre quarter-section was not available due to prior claims (Treasury or Military) or topography. Patent acreage was determined by the amount of land covered by the patent. The selling price was determined by the cost-per-acre when the receipt was issued.
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What is the “Jackson Purchase Locator”? A searchable database that links to townships depicted on the 1885 map of the Jackson Purchase created by R. H. Loughridge. Researchers can search by Range, Township & East/West Coordinates or by locations included on the Loughridge map such as forts, mills, watercourses, and railroads. The database links to a printable map of the township and identifies the 1885 county location. (Note: Carlisle County was not formed until 1886 therefore it is not identified on the Loughridge Map.)
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Are other areas of Kentucky mapped by Ranges, Townships & Sections? A small portion of Kentucky east of the Tennessee River was surveyed by Ranges, Townships & Sections, however the area is not included on the Loughridge Map. The majority of Kentucky land patents were surveyed and described by metes and bounds.
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The watercourse/location search results seem limited. Why? The Receipt stated the tract location but the watercourse or other natural features were omitted. By linking to the “Jackson Purchase Locator” included with the search results on this website, the tract location, including watercourses, proximity to towns, etc., can be determined. In a few instances the patent includes a survey description that cites closest watercourse, island, towhead, etc. Those citations are listed in the “Watercourse/Location” drop box.
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My ancestor witnessed the assignment of a receipt. Does that mean he owned the land? As with other patent series, the name of the person who received the Governor’s Grant is the person to whom title was conveyed.
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What other information is available on the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Land Office website regarding land patents in the Jackson Purchase area?
• Open the “Treasury Warrants Database” and search for Clark. Search results will link to George Rogers Clarks’ Treasury Warrant patents in the northern area of the Jackson Purchase prior to 1818.
• To date “Sample Patents” under “Virginia & Old Kentucky Patents”, included in the “Patent Series” website under the “Non-Military Registers” channel indicates the following patents were issued in the northern to central portion of the Purchase area prior to the 1818 treaty: VA 8928.0, VA 8924.0; VA 3862.0; VA 8857.0; VA 9099.0; VA 8935.0; VA 9102.0, VA 9103.0; VA 8997.0.
• The “West of Tennessee River Military Patents Database” lists patents issued to Virginia Revolutionary War soldiers, heirs and assignees in the Purchase area after the Treaty of 1818.
• Open the “Advanced Search” on the “County Court Orders Database” and search by county to find patents issued after 1835 in the Purchase region.
• Databases for the Kentucky Land Warrant Series & South of Green River Series are under construction. Patent files may be requested by contacting the following repositories: the Kentucky History Center, P.O. Box 1792, Frankfort, KY 40601; Kentucky Department for Libraries & Archives, Coffee Tree Road, Frankfort, KY 40601; or the Secretary of State’s Land Office, Room T40, Capitol Annex, Frankfort, KY 40601. Use Jillson’s “The Kentucky Land Grants” to determine grantee, patent series, and reference citation when placing a request for copies.
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A “military survey” is mentioned in the grant for a “West of Tennessee River Non-Military Patent” I have located on this website. Is there a way to research the military survey? If the name associated with the military survey is stated in the Grant, access the “West of Tennessee River Military Patents” on the Secretary of State’s Land Office website to access patent files under that surname. If there are multiple patents, match the watercourse citation in the military patent to the location depicted on the “Jackson Purchase Locator” for the WTR-Non Military Patent.
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Do you have Search Tips for these documents? During the indexing process for this patent series, we included names of all persons involved in the patenting process. The database search yields the names of the person(s) who acquired the receipt, assignees, witnesses to assignments, and the grantee(s). The name of the Receiver of Public Moneys and the Deputy Receiver are not included in the database search. The inclusion of persons involved in the patent, as well as their signatures on assignments, may prove useful to researchers comparing signatures to other documents such as marriage licenses and consents. Quick-search Tip: If researching a surname such as Smith or Brown as a grantee, open the “Sortable Grid” function and sort the names alphabetically by “Grantee”. The “Sortable Grid” function links to the patent file & “Jackson Purchase Locator”.
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Do you have Printing Tips for these documents? Click the “Hide All Options” box, click “Submit” then proceed with printing the document. OR insert the cursor inside the document, right-click on your computer mouse, and save the document in “My Picture”. Open your photo software, retrieve and print the document. OR save the entire patent file in TIFF format. Note: These documents are colorscanned. We recommend a color printer be used for optimal printing results.
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What is the significance of searching by Section or Township? By searching Sections and Townships, researchers can determine the names of adjoining patent grantees, and possibly, present and future kinsmen. The “Sortable Grid” function displays information regarding Grantees and the coordinates for Patent Location. Click a header to sort the search results. For example, to view the Quarter-Sections in numerical order for Township 1, Range 1, East, click “Quarter Section Number” on the results for “Sortable Grid”.
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Why are these patents significantly important for researchers studying land title in the Jackson Purchase? This database dramatically enhances title research for much of the West of Tennessee River area. By determining grantees acquiring quarter-sections, researchers can access county records, such as Deeds and Wills, to complete the chain of title.
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How do I research subsequent conveyances of these patents? After the Governor’s Grant is issued, subsequent conveyances recorded in Deeds and Wills are filed on the county level with the county clerk. To research county records, contact the county clerk’s office or the Department for Libraries & Archives, Coffee Tree Road, Frankfort, KY 40601. Tax Lists from 1795 to the mid-1830’s provide information regarding original patent recipients. (Note: The Land Office Reference Library includes a listing of “Kentucky County Officials”, the “County Formation Table” and an article entitled “Tax Lists” that explains the significance of tax list research.)
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Some of the quarter-sections and quarter-section locations are not listed. Why? Check the patent file information for a particular Section and see if the patent covered more than one quarter-section. It is also possible the land had been claimed by a prior Treasury Warrant patent (Virginia & Old Kentucky Patent Series) or a West of Tennessee River Military patent. Due to topography some quarter-sections were not available.
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Is the Loughridge Map available in paper format? Contact the Kentucky History Center Special Collections Division, P.O. Box 1792, Frankfort, KY 40601, 502-564-3490, for pricing and copying information. The map has been digitized by counties in the “Maps” section of the Kentucky Land Office Reference Library. For ease in viewing, enlarge the image by changing the zoom level in the lower right corner of your computer screen. As the Loughridge Map was produced in 1885, Carlisle County (established in 1886) is not included.
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Did persons buying lands patented under the West of Tennessee River Non-Military Series complete an application that recited family information or state of origin? No.
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Were these patents awarded for service in the War of 1812? No. Lands patented under the “West of Tennessee River Non-Military Series” were sold by the Kentucky government. Although many Kentuckians served in the War of 1812, Kentucky did not honor federally-issued bounty land warrants issued for service in that conflict. Bounty Land Warrants for service in the War of 1812 were used in public domain states such as Missouri and Illinois. Warrants were assignable if the veteran or his heirs did not wish to relocate. It is possible War of 1812 veterans sold their Bounty Land Warrants then used the proceeds to buy land in the Jackson Purchase, however, we have no way of determining if that occurred. Contact the Kentucky History Center for further information regarding War of 1812 research.
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Why are these patents significantly important for researchers studying Kentucky emigration? As lands opened in federally-controlled public domain states, such as Missouri & Illinois, settlers may have traveled through the Jackson Purchase. Land sales “West of the Tennessee River” and decreasing costs per acre could have resulted in land patent involvement or ownership in the Purchase area prior to relocation outside Kentucky. Conversely, settlers from nearby states may have acquired land in the Purchase area when the Jackson Purchase land sales were initiated in 1821. By featuring an all-names index on this website, researchers can determine the names of persons involved in the patenting process including those who simply witnessed an assignment on a given day.
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Where are the original records housed? The original documents for all Kentucky patents, including patents issued before Kentucky’s statehood in 1792, are housed with the Secretary of State’s Office, Frankfort, Ky.