Entries

Once a warrant is obtained, a filing is made in the county surveyor's Entry Book reserving the land for patenting.

Marginal notations listed the date of entry. The entry included the name of the person, the type of warrant used, the location of the land to be surveyed, including the closest watercourse, if known. In some instances, historical information, such as "Heir of...." or "Near the encampment of 1776...." is mentioned. Entries protected applicants' claims until surveyors plotted the tract. Kentucky county entries, or entries prior to October 1780, are listed as Jefferson County entries in OLD KENTUCKY ENTRIES & DEEDS, by Willard R. Jillson.

On August 20, 1781, Nathaniel Hart reserved several parcels for patenting. All tracts were authorized by treasury warrants. Marginal notations indicate which entries were later withdrawn.

Entry books for early Fayette & Lincoln counties are housed in the Secretary of State's office. The original entry books for Jefferson County are located at Jefferson County Archives, Louisville, Kentucky. Surveyors' entry books for counties formed out of Jefferson, Lincoln, and Fayette counties are kept on the local level. They are available on a limited basis from the county surveyor, county clerk or the Department for Libraries & Archives, Frankfort.