This page illustrates a typical land patent issued by the General Land Office. This particular patent is for my great-great-great-grandfather's farm in Raisin Township, Lenawee County, Michigan.
A transcript of this patent follows:
385
Certificate No. 1273
The United States of America
To all to whom these presents shall come, Greetings:
Whereas, Fulton Jack of Livingston County New York has deposited
in the General Land Office of the United States, a certificate
of the Register of the Land Office at Monroe whereby it appears
that full payment has been made by the said Fulton Jack
according to the act of Congress of the 24th day of April, 1820,
entitled "An act making further provision for the sale of
the Public Lands," for the North East Quarter and East half
of the North West Quarter of Section Ten, in Township Six South
of Range four, East, in the District of Lands subject to sale at
Monroe, Michigan, containing Two Hundred and forty acres,
according to the official plat of the survey of the said Lands,
returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General,
which said tract has been purchased by the said Fulton Jack.
NOW KNOW YE, That the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in consideration
of the premises, and in conformity with the several acts of
Congress, in such case made and provided, have given and
granted, and, by these presents, do give and grant, unto the
said Fulton Jack, and to his heirs, the said tract above
described: To Have and to Hold the same, together with all the
rights, privileges, immunities and appurtenances, of whatsoever
nature thereunder belonging, unto the said Fulton Jack, and to
his heirs and assigns forever.
In testimony whereof, I, Andrew Jackson, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA, have caused these Letters to be made Patent,
and the seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto affixed.
Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, the eighth day
of February in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred
and thirty one, and of the Independence of the United States the
fifty fifth.
By the President, A.J.
E. A. [?] Commissioner of the General Land Office
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In modern terminology, we would describe this parcel as follows:NE Quarter Section 10 Town 6 South Range 4 East and East Half of NW Quarter Section 10 Town 6 South Range 4 EastThe location of this property is identified on the following map:
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Source: United States Geological Survey Topographic Map (7½-minute series) of the
Tecumseh South (1972) Quadrangle.