United States...Land Patents-Alabama, 1837; Mississippi, 1841
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of three United States Land Patents dated March 10, 1837; March 30, 1837; and January 5, 1841. One patent conveys land in the south central part of Covington County, Mississippi, sold to William Watts through the Augusta, Mississippi, Land Office. The other two pertain to land lying within the state of Alabama, possibly in Sumter County, which was sold through the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Land Office. Blake Little received final title to the Alabama lands as the assignee of both Daniel Green and William Key.
All three documents contain the signature of President Martin Van Buren by his secretary; H.M. Garland signed two documents as the Recorder of the General Land Office and Samuel D. King signed as Acting Recorder on March 30, 1837.
Dates
- Majority of material found within March 20, 1837; March 30, 1837; and January 5, 1841
Creator
- United States. General Land Office. United States Land Office. (Organization)
- Van Buren, Martin, 8th President of the United States, 1782-1862 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Noncirculating; available for research.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection may be protected from unauthorized copying by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code).
Biographical / Historical
Sale of public lands in Mississippi and Alabama was handled through a United States Land Office established in a fort or local population center. Land was first offered at public auction; then any land remaining unsold was available for "private-sale" or "private entry." A partial payment was made for a tract of land, and when final payment was received and the final certificate issued, a patent was recorded and sent to the land office to be given to the owner. Frequently, a settler making payments would assign his title to the land to another individual, noted on government documents as the "assignee."
Sumpter County is located in the west central part of Alabama. It was formed in 1832 from lands of the Choctaw Session of 1830.
Covington County, Mississippi, was formed in 1819, the fourteenth county to be organized from the lands of the original Mississippi Territory. It is located in the south central part of the state.
No other biographical information is available on William Watts or Blake Little.
Extent
1 Folder (3 items) : MC1/D5
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Patents for land in Alabama and Mississippi.
Provenance
Unknown. Donated by John Conner.
- Covington County (Miss.). Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Deeds. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Land titles. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mississippi -- History -- 19th century. Subject Source: Local sources
- United States. General Land Office. United States Land Office.
- Title
- United States...Land Patents-Alabama, 1837; Mississippi, 1841
- Status
- Completed
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Historical Manuscripts and Photographs Repository
118 College Drive - 5148
Hattiesburg MS 39406-0001
601.266.4345
