Researcher: __________________________________
Address: _______________________________________
City/State/Zip: ________________________________
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Ohio Historical Society
Research Service Department
1982 Velma Ave.
Columbus, OH 43211- 2497
(614) 297 - 2510
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Ohio Land Office Records Research Request
RESEARCH REQUESTS
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$20.00 base fee covers research on one name or property in a specific record group during a specified time period. The fee includes up to 4 pages of copies plus postage. The charge for each additional page is 25 cents, plus additional postage. Research requests must be PREPAID with check or money order payable to the Ohio Historical Society. DO NOT SEND CASH.
INSTRUCTIONS:
A separate form must be completed for each request. All request forms are available at
http://www.ohiohistory.org/ resource/archlib/refemail.html . For general information about land record research in Ohio, please refer to the reverse side of this form. Please complete the form to the best of your knowledge.
For Congress Lands and United States Military District:
Property owner: _____________________________________ County: _________________________________________
Range: ___________________________ Township: ______________________________ Section: ______________________
Land office or Survey Section (i.e. 7 Ranges East, Miami Rivers Survey, 18 Ranges): __________________________________
For Virginia Military District:
Property owner: _____________________________________ County: ____________________________________________
Warrant #: ______________________________________ Survey #: _______________________________________________
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Please indicate which source you obtained your information from, as it can help us to determine the best way to locate the data you are seeking.
- General Land Office Records Website (
www.glorecords.blm.gov)
- Early Ohio Settlers, Volumes 1-3
, by Ellen T. Berry & David A. Berry
- Federal Land Series, Volumes 1-4
, by Clifford Neal Smith
- Revolutionary War Records: Virginia
by Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh
- Early Ohioans' Residences from The Land Grant Records
, compiled by Mayburt Stephenson Riegel
- Ohio Lands: Chillicothe Land Office
by Marie Taylor Clark
- Ohio Lands: Steunbenville Land Office, 1800-1820
by Carol Willsey Bell
Additional Information: ______________________________________________________________________________________
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Ohio lands were surveyed and sold by the federal government, private individuals, and by two other states, Virginia and Connecticut. Since parts of the state were surveyed at different times, Ohio was divided into areas called survey "districts" or "land grants."
What materials are available at the Ohio Historical Society?
Tract and Entry Books from some Ohio federal land offices
Indexed by surname; arranged by original survey, range, township, and section; list the names of entrymen (those applying for the purchase of land); list the date of their entry or application for purchase; # of acres included in purchase (most original entry records predate the year 1855).
Virginia Military District In 1770, Virginia had claimed part of the area that became Ohio. Virginia established the Military Reserve between the Scioto and Miami Rivers. These lands were available to veterans of the Virginia and Maryland Militias who had served during the American Revolution
. These lands were passed out using the older survey procedures of Virginia, and they were not always fair to every veteran. Because of this, many new landowners learned that they were not the only ones who owned their land. Other veterans "owned" the same piece of land, and landowners were forced to go to court to have a judge decide who the true owner was. After Virginia gave out the land that its veterans wanted, it turned over the unclaimed lands to the United States government. In 1852 and 1871, these lands were turned over to the State of Ohio.
The Seven Ranges Except for lands under the control of the states of Virginia and Connecticut, Congress controlled all of the Ohio lands. In 1786, employees of the Congress made the first federal survey west of the Ohio River. Lying just downstream from Fort Pitt, the chosen area was the most easily reached part of the western lands for survey and sale. Because of the way in which the survey was done, it was called the "Seven Ranges." This survey was the first to use the system that was established by the Land Ordinance of 1785.
The Ohio Company Also in 1786, the Ohio Company, founded in Massachusetts, talked Congress into selling it 1.5 million acres of land in the Ohio Country. The first purchase was made in 1787, and the second in 1792. Also in 1792, Congress granted an additional 100,000 acres called the "Donation Tract". This was intended to put some protective distance between Marietta and the Indians. Although the Company intended to sell land, much of it was hilly and poorly suited for agriculture.
Symmes' Purchase In 1794, Judge John Cleve Symmes purchased a large piece of land between the Great Miami River and the Little Miami River. During the Revolutionary War Symmes had donated a lot of money to help support the Continental Army. Because of his donations, Symmes received most of the land without cost to himself.
United States Military Lands Beginning in 1796, Congress provided 2.5 million acres to pay officers and soldiers for their services during the Revolutionary War.
Refugee Tract In 1798, Congress provided land for Canadians (refugees) who had helped the American colonies during the Revolutionary War. The state capitol of Ohio (Columbus) is located within this area.
Congress Lands Between 1798 and 1821, Congress allowed anyone the chance to buy large pieces of land. These "Congress Lands" increased the amount of possible agriculture Ohio.