Kentucky. Land Office

Historical note: In an 1835 Act of the Kentucky General Assembly the counties lying East and North of the Tennessee River were given all vacant and unappropriated land within their boundaries. Following this Act, land grants continued to be made by the state but were authorized by county court order.

From the description of County Court orders, 1836-1993. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 191915477

Historical note: Dr. Thomas Walker, in running his line for the southern boundary of Kentucky in 1779 and 1780, failed to establish the true parallel of thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes, his line falling variously from six to ten miles north of the true parallel. The line was accurately established in 1819 by Robert Alexander and Luke Munsell. Since the old Walker line had been established as the southern boundary of Kentucky, the lands indicated in these grants were actually in Tennessee. To settle the matter an agreement was reached in 1820 by commissioners selected by both states which allowed Kentucky to issue grants for all of the territory lying north of parallel thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes and east of Tennessee River.

From the description of Grants south of Walker's Line, 1825-1923 (bulk 1825-1859). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 191915476

Historical note: Veterans of the American Revolution living in the Jackson Purchase Region of Kentucky were required to patent their land following an 1818 treaty with the Chickasaw Indians.

From the description of Grants west of the Tennessee River (military), 1821-1828. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 191917734

Historical note: Land grants were issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia based upon warrants given, in some cases, as consideration for military service in the French and Indian War, and later in the American Revolution. When Kentucky became a state in 1792, all Virginia grants relating to lands west of the Big Sandy River were transferred to the Commonwealth of Kentucky and placed in the custody of the Register of the Land Office.

From the description of Virginia grants, 1774-1792. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 191915470

Historical note: The state of Virginia issued warrants to veterans of the French and Indian War and the American Revolution as compensation for military service. The amount of acreage alloted was based on military rank. The warrants entitled veterans to survey the land and obtain a land grant.

From the description of Military warrants, 1770-1800. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 191915478

Historical note: Following an act of the Kentucky General Assembly on December 24, 1795, lands were made available to non-veterans residing in the area south of Green River. Previously, Virginia had restricted settlement of this land to veterans of the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, as compensation for service. The General Assembly's action made land available in 100 to 200 acre plots to persons over twenty-one years of age who were heads of households. One year of residence was necessary prior to the granting of land.

From the description of South of Green River grants, 1790-1850. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 191915472

Historical note: In 1815, the Kentucky General Assembly passed an act concerning land distribution; the records written in fulfillment of this statute are now known as Kentucky Land Warrants. The act of the General Assembly governing this group of grants opened for sale, at $20.00 per 100 acres, all the vacant lands to anyone in Kentucky, except an alien. The method followed was similar to that originally employed by Virginia, with the purchaser securing a receipt from the State Treasurer which was in turn converted into a land office warrant, authorizing the owner to locate and survey a certain acreage. When this had been completed and returned to the Land Office it was registered and a land patent was issued to the owner within about six months. This law did not apply to lands west of the Tennessee River.

From the description of Kentucky land warrants, 1816-1873 (bulk 1816-1849). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 191915474

Historical note: Following the acceptance of the treaty with the Chickasaw Indians, drawn by Andrew Jackson and Isaac Shelby in 1818, and approved by Congress in 1819, the United States possessed all lands lying between the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers in what is now both Kentucky and Tennessee. The Kentucky portion became known as the Jackson Purchase and consisted of what is now McCracken, Ballard, Carlisle, Hickman, Fulton, Graves, Marshall, and Calloway Counties. These lands were opened up for settlement in 1820 with the Kentucky General Assembly appointing a surveyor to lay off this great boundary into sections and townships.

From the description of Grants west of Tennessee River, 1820-1858. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 191915475

Historical note: Acting under its own sovereign authority, Kentucky began the allocation of its lands in 1793 under a plan similar to that used by Virginia. Grants awarded up to 1856 were recorded in a group of record books which have come to be known as the Old Kentucky Grants.

From the description of Old Kentucky grants, 1793-1856 (bulk 1793-1810). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 191915471

Acquisitions policy: The office is required by statute to maintain original land warrants and surveys, and copies of grants for all state-issued land patents.

From the description of Repository description, 1770-[ongoing]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 191915465

Historical note: The Tellico grants were made for lands ceded to the United States by the Cherokee Indians subsequent to the Treaty of 1805.

From the description of Tellico grants, 1803-1830. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 191915473