Dates of Significance
1763
France lost the French and Indian War, also known in Europe as the Seven Years' War. The Louisiana territory in North America was divided between the British and the Spanish with the British taking the territory east of the Mississippi River and Spain taking the territory to the west.
1800 Oct 01
Treaty of San Ildefonso. Spain traded the Louisiana territory back to France.
1803 Apr 30
The United States purchased the Louisiana territory west of the Mississippi River from France.
1803 Dec 20
The United States took possession of Lower Louisiana.
1804 Mar 10
The United States took possession of Upper Louisiana.
Acts of Congress
The following is a list of some of the acts of Congress that affected the confirmation of private claims. The full text of these acts can be accessed by clicking on the link for “U. S. Congressional Documents.”
Act of March 2, 1805, chapter 26, An act for ascertaining and adjusting the titles and claims to land, within the territory of Orleans, and the district of Louisiana (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 2, page 324). This act authorized the first board of commissioners to examine the private claims to determine their validity.
Act of April 21, 1806, chapter 39, An Act supplementary to an act intituled “An act for ascertaining and adjusting the titles and claims to land, within the territory of Orleans, and the district of Louisiana (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 2, page 391).
Act of March 3, 1807, chapter 36, An Act respecting claims to land in the territories of Orleans and Louisiana (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 2, page 440).
Act of June 13, 1812, chapter 99, An Act making further provision for settling the claims to land in the territory of Missouri (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 2, page 748). This act provided for the confirmation of town or village lots, out lots, common field lots and commons and also gave the recorder of land titles the authority to continue to examine private claims for confirmation, subject to the approval of Congress.
Act of March 3, 1813, chapter 44, An Act allowing further time for delivering the evidence in support of claims to land in the territory of Missouri, and for regulating the donation grants therein (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 2, page 812).
Act of August 2, 1813, chapter 59, An Act giving further time for registering claims to lands in the late district of Arkansaw, in the territory of Missouri, and for other purposes (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 3, page 86).
Act of April 12, 1814, chapter 52, An Act for the final adjustment of land titles in the State of Louisiana and territory of Missouri (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 3, page 121).
Act of February 17, 1815, chapter 45, An Act for the relief of the inhabitants of the late county of New Madrid, in the Missouri territory, who suffered by earthquakes (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 3, page 211).
Act of April 29, 1816, chapter 159, An Act for the confirmation of certain claims to land in the western district of the state of Louisiana and in the territory of Missouri (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 3, page 328).
Act of April 9, 1818, chapter 42, An Act limiting the time for claims being produced for lands authorized to be granted to the inhabitants of New Madrid (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 3, page 417).
Act of April 26, 1822, chapter 40, An Act to perfect certain locations and sales of public lands in Missouri (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 3, page 668).
Act of May 26, 1824, chapter 173, An Act enabling the claimants to lands within the limits of the state of Missouri and territory of Arkansas to institute proceedings to try the validity of their claims (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 4, page 52).
Act of May 26, 1824, chapter 184, An Act supplementary to an act passed on the thirteenth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, entitled “An act making further provisions for settling the claims to land in the territory of Missouri” (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 4, page 65).
Act of March 2, 1827, chapter 34, An Act supplementary to “An act to perfect certain locations and sales of the public lands in Missouri,” passed April the twenty-sixth, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 4, page 219).
Act of May 24, 1828, chapter 90, An Act to continue in force for a limited time, and to amend an act entitled “An act to enable claimants to lands within the limits of the state of Missouri and territory of Arkansas, to institute proceedings to try the validity of their claims.” (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 4, page 298).
Act of January 27, 1831, chapter 12, An Act further supplemental to the act entitled “An act making further provision for settling the claims to land, in the territory of Missouri,” passed the thirteenth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and twelve (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 4, page 435).
Act of March 2, 1831, chapter 92, An Act for the relief of certain holders of certificates issued in lieu of lands injured by earthquakes in Missouri (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 4, page 482).
Act of July 9, 1832, chapter 180, An Act for the final adjustment of private land claims in Missouri (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 4, page 565). This act provided for a second board of commissioners to further examine the unconfirmed private claims.
Act of March 2, 1833, chapter 84, An Act supplemental to the act entitled “An act for the final adjustment of land claims in Missouri” (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 4, page 661).
Act of July 4, 1836, chapter 361, An Act confirming claims to land in the State of Missouri, and for other purposes (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 5, page 126).
Act of June 2, 1858, chapter 81, An Act to provide for the Location of certain confirmed Private Land Claims in the State of Missouri, and for other Purposes (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 11, page 294).
Act of June 22, 1860, chapter 188, An Act for the final Adjustment of Private Land Claims in the States of Florida, Louisiana, and Missouri, and for other Purposes (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 12, page 85).
Act of June 6, 1874, chapter 223, An act obviating the necessity of issuing patents for certain private land-claims in the State of Missouri, and for other purposes (U. S. Statutes at Large, Volume 18, part 3, page 62).
See the following articles for additional information
- “GLO Surveys of Town and Village Lots,” Missouri Surveyor, December 2012, page 9.
- “New Madrid Claims,” Missouri Surveyor, June 2015, page 30.
Series
Definition: A Series is a group of surveys that begin with Number 1 and are numbered consecutively.
General Series (Survey #s 1-3344)
Private claims approved by the First Board of Commissioners
Private claims approved by the Recorder of Land Titles
Private claims approved by the Second Board of Commissioners
Private claims confirmed by the Supreme Court & U. S. District Court in Missouri
Private claims confirmed by special acts of Congress
New Madrid claims
Military Reservation (Jefferson Barracks)
Town or Village Lots, Out Lots, Common Field Lots and Commons:
Portage des Sioux Series (Survey #s 1-173)
St. Charles Series (Survey #s 1-328)
St. Louis Series (Survey #s 1-400+)
St. Ferdinand Series (Survey #s 1-194)
Village à Robert (Marais des Liards) Series (Survey #s 1-43)
Carondelet Series (Survey #s 1-128)
Sainte Genevieve and New Bourbon Series (Survey #s 1-365)
New Madrid Series (Survey #s 1-50)
Little Prairie - not surveyed - washed away by the Mississippi River
Mine à Breton Series (Survey #s 1-59)
Field Notes
Missouri Public Surveys
- Original Volumes 1 - 650
- Copied Volumes 1 - 658, copied by the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office
Missouri Private Surveys
- Original Volumes 1 - 71, containing field notes
- “Record of Missouri Private Surveys,” Volumes 1 - 21, copied descriptions
The field note volumes of Missouri Public Surveys that were copied by the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office have been microfilmed, scanned and indexed and are available through the Missouri Land Survey Index.
The original field note volumes of Missouri Public Surveys have been microfilmed, but have not been scanned or indexed, except for a few isolated cases, and are not available for public access.
The “Record of Missouri Private Surveys,” volumes 1 through 21, which are compiled copies of the last description, have been microfilmed, scanned and indexed and are available through the Missouri Land Survey Index. Many of the descriptions in these volumes do not note the Surveyor performing the work or the date of the survey. That information would have to be found in other sources. In addition, there may or may not be an indication of the series in which the survey is included. It cannot be assumed that the survey is included in the General Series.
The original field note volumes of Missouri Private Surveys, volumes 1 through 71, have been microfilmed, but have not been scanned or indexed and are not available for public access.
In many cases, field notes for General Series Surveys were recorded in the original field note volumes of Missouri Public Surveys instead of the original field note volumes of Missouri Private Surveys. In some of these cases, the survey may only be indexed in the Missouri Land Survey Index to the “Record of Missouri Private Surveys.” Another issue is that descriptions in the “Record of Missouri Private Surveys” may not have the original field note information for an older survey when it adjoins a later survey.
Missouri Land Survey Index: https://apps.mda.mo.gov/molandsurveyindex/
Land Survey Index Location of Original Document Codes
720 General Land Office Township Plats
721 General Land Office Field Notes
724 General Land Office Surveys and descriptions of Town & Village Lots, Out Lots & Common Field Lots and some General Series Surveys
Distinguishing Characteristics
New Madrid Claims - on the GLO township plat, these surveys include the notation, “Certificate No.” followed by the number of the location certificate issued by the Recorder of Land Titles.
Private Claims approved by the Second Board of Commissioners - on the GLO township plat, these surveys include the notation, “Decision No.” followed by the number corresponding with the description of the claim listed in the American State Papers, Public Lands, Volume 6, pages 703-901, No. 1173 (Decisions 1-142), Volume 7, pages 773-907, No. 1336 (Decisions 143-255) and Volume 8, pages 20-243, No. 1340 (Decisions 256-345).
Private Claims confirmed by the U. S. Supreme Court - the notation, “Confirmed by the Supreme Court of the United States,” appears on the GLO township plat. There are only five of these: General Series Survey #s 2969, 2971, 2976, 3016 and 3033.
Private Claims confirmed by the U. S. District Court in Missouri - the notation, “Confirmed by th U. S. Court for the district of Missouri,” appears on the GLO township plat. There are only three of these: General Series Survey #s 3085, 3310 and 3311.
Town or Village Lots, Out Lots, Common Field Lots and Commons - if these are included on the township plat, the Survey number will be shown in red on a color image.
Research Tip
As usual when researching metes and bounds tracts, be sure to get the information for all U. S. Surveys that adjoin the U. S. Survey that you are working on. Recognize the time at which the U. S. Surveys were surveyed and be sure that you get the field notes that apply.
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from original presentation by Steven E. Weible on October 8, 2015
