Land Patents

[gunny highway]

land patents were mentioned in another thread and i thought it needed it's own thread in the C&L subforum. i'll admit to knowing very little about these and was hoping someone (jetgraphics?) could offer other, and perhaps more accurate, information. from what i've read a land patent seems to be the answer to outright ownership of "private property". however, i am suspect because one has to be granted a land patent by a higher authority. if this authority can grant the patent, can't they also take the patent away?


Land Patents
Understanding how they work

There has been much talked about in relation to Land Patents lately. As far as most of that talk goes I am glad people are talking about them — It is about time. The problem with patents is the people are typically ignorant of them and of their effect.

Some say, “The only bad news is no news.”

It seems that most of the people in our nation today either have no idea what a Land Patent is, or they think it’s a good way to swindle, or otherwise avoid paying, a bank or tax collector some amount of funds. The simple truth is, a land patent does not eliminate your ability to otherwise contract and secure the property that sits upon the land to others as collateral against your promise to pay. People also think they own their land because they paid for it and they have a Warranty Deed—However, often that is not enough.

Though it is true, “Land, protected by Land Patent, can’t lawfully be seized for debt or taxes”, you must understand what ‘Land’ is before you will understand this rule of law correctly. Accordingly, in law, no forced mortgage or tax liability can stand against a Land Patent; but, by the same token, the land patent does not eliminate your private ability to contract. Further, knowingly entering into an agreement with the intent of not fulfilling said agreement constitutes fraud; not to mention, the honor bound moral responsibility that limits people from hiding from their agreements or obligations by any means. An honorable person simply will not do it.

Furthermore, hiding from nearly any kind of situation is likely not the best way to go and Team Law can likely help you discover far better ways to solve any legal problem equitably — call us.

Historically, we live in a nation that has not had elections in its central government since before 1944. The States individually stopped electing government officials at least by 1968. The main cause of that was electors were either ignorant of their responsibilities or part of the national takeover. The main cause of that was the people forgot about their abstracts and Land Patents and accepted Title Insurance instead. (An abstract is a document that contains all of the transfer documents used to assign Title to Land from the Patent to the present.)

Some ignorant people will tell you, "land patents don’t work." What that means is they don’t know how land ownership works. They speak from their ignorance.

For those who have tried land patents unsuccessfully, the cause of their lack of success is — ignorance. It’s time to put that ignorance to rest.

Think about it.

Where did the land within the United States of America come from?
It came from: England, France, Spain, Mexico, Russia, Hawaii, and from the Native American Indians.

How did the United States acquire the land?
By purchase like with Manhattan Island, the Louisiana Purchase, and Alaska;
By war power like with, Hawaii and much of the Native American Indian lands;
By Treaty like, The Northwest Territories Treaty, The Guadeloupe Hidalgo Treaty; and
By treaty as the end result of war like the Revolutionary War for independence from England.

The end result — regardless of how the land was acquired — a Treaty was ultimately designed whereby the land was resolved and reserved for the proper possession and individual ownership of the people of the United States of America. Security in land rights was, and is, found within the Treaty.

Once land was acquired in the nation it was held by the United States until someone proved their claim to it. Once the land was properly claimed and filed, the General Land Office certified that the surveys were paid for. According to the various land acts of Congress, the land was then made patent under the signature and seal of the President of the United States of America.

When a State enters the Union of the United States of America, an Enabling Act is agreed to. The Enabling Act requires that all of the unappropriated (unpatented) lands be forever granted to the Union for its disposition. For example, here is an "irrevocable ordinance" from Colorado’s Enabling Act:

"That the people inhabiting said territory do agree and declare that they forever disclaim all right and title to the unappropriated public lands lying within said territory, and that the same shall be and remain at the sole and entire disposition of the United States".

Without such transfer of control over the right and title to the land, there would be no effective authority in
a land patent sealed under the signature of the President. For example, with few exceptions, U. S. of A. land patents have no authority in the Republic of Texas because Texas never ceded its lands to the United States. Once the land is placed in trust under the sole disposition of the United States government it stands there until someone makes a proper claim for it and because the Constitution forbids the United States from owning it, they must grant it to the person that proves their proper claim to it; that is when the land is granted to the proper claimant and that grant is made patent under the hand and seal of the President.

Notice the net effect of these Enabling Acts in relation to state taxes and state statutes:

‘After exclusive jurisdiction over lands within a State have been ceded to the United States, private property located thereon is not subject to taxation by the State, nor can state statutes enacted subsequent to the transfer have any operation therein.’ Surplus Trading Company v. Cook, 281 U.S. 647; Western Union Telegraph Co. v. Chiles, 214 U.S. 274; Arlington Hotel v. Fant, 278 U.S. 439; Pacific Coast Dairy v. Department of Agriculture, 318 U.S. 285

Every State within the Union of States (with the exception of the Republic of Texas) granted their unappropriated lands to the United States as a condition of statehood. Then as people acquired land, under various acts of Congress the President signed the patents securing the patented rights to the patent holders and their heirs and assigns forever.

There are many more cases where the United States Supreme Court has supported the fact that the Land Patent certifies absolute and supreme title to land. There are no cases where the courts ever ruled against the properly obtained Land Patent.

Summa Corp. v California, 466 US 198, is not listed above, yet it is one of the best cases describing how land patents work. In that 1980’s case the court noted that they had ruled and ruled and ruled and they were not going to rule again, the Land Patent is supreme title to land. The case was one where California was granted the tidewater lands in the California Republic Constitution and therefore California went after a family’s land, which land was secured under patent on an old Spanish Land Grant. Interestingly, the case doesn’t talk much about land patents; it talks about the Guadeloupe Hidalgo Treaty. Imagine that, a land patent case that speaks mostly about the supremacy clause of the Constitution, which clause states that Treaties are supreme law even over a State's foundational Constitution.

Don’t you get it? Here’s how land patents work:

The Land was originally acquired within the United States of America by some Treaty.
Your Land Patent secures the rights of the Treaty upon which the land was originally acquired within the territories of the United States from the Treaty to the individual person named on the patent.
The patent specifically grants the described lands to the party named on the patent and to their heirs and their assigns forever.
The party named on the patent then passes the inheritance, grants, or assigns the patented lands to someone else, which heir or assignee is now named on the patent by that assignment. The documents that demonstrate such an assignment are often called, "Deeds".
Because the granter can not compel you to accept the assignment it is necessary for you to take some action to signify your acceptance of the assignment. For this reason we use Team Law's copyrighted "Declaration of Land Patent".
Once you have accepted the proper assignment of the Land Patent with proper documentation, you are named on the physical Land Patent where it says, "and to his heir and assigns forever".
It doesn’t matter how many times the land is reassigned. The patent by its own creation lasts "forever" and belongs to the named party "and to their heirs and assigns forever".

So what do you do now to secure your Land Patent?
Follow the instructions presented on the following, "Steps to secure a Land Patent".

The most important use of your Land Patent

Our opinion is: "In America today, the most important reason to secure your land patent in your name is to secure your status as an Elector. An Elector is a land owning freeman. Only electors can vote for State Senators, Governors and Presidents of the United States of America. When the Government vacated its responsibility to dispensation of the land by not maintaining elected Presidents and Governors the elector’s responsibility to reelect those officials becomes critical. Do to the nature of land ownership in America, such elections can only be caused by electors. If we don’t reseat our state and national governments we will loose our nation to IMF’s New World Order. If we do reseat our governments we will have a chance to save our nation and our Constitution. This year Governor’s Elections are taking place in: New Jersey, Virginia. If you elect an original jurisdiction State Governor this year, they can reseat their national Senators and those original jurisdiction Senators will have the authority to reseat our nation’s original jurisdiction President. The entire world is watching us; and, most of the world wants Liberty.

http://www.teamlaw.org/LandPatents.htm

[Gknowmx]

Thanks for this topic.

This is where I would insert the popcorn smiley and wait for responses...

[Grog]

I've been doing some reading on this topic and will discuss with my attorney soon.

My big questions are, what does this give me that I don't already have? How does it help me? Or does it help at all?

At first glance, it seems like another endorsement. Kind of like having a federal hunting license and a state license.... The deed and the real deed and the super secret official deed.

These are my initial thoughts. I'm interested and not adverse. But at some point I wonder, where does deed and title end and the 30.06 ownership begin? Possession is 9/10 of ownership.

But if I can spend 5k and save taxes over the lifetime, etc.... Then I'm all ears. :)

[gunny highway]

Grog, i'm interested in what you find out.

[Grog]

I'll ask him this weekend or next. We are good friends.

Something to keep in mind, is my initial reading indicates that some states use Federal land patents while others use State land patents. I'm in Texas so we are different than the Federal stuff.

The implications here may differ than for you if you are in another state.

[steel_ag]

http://www.greatregistrypost.org

I'm following Keith Livingway's lead on the land patents. Already got the plat for my home and will be hiring a surveyor next month to survey my land in metes and bounds.

BTW, he's got a book out I'd like to read, based on his commentary on (talkshoe?, I forget) over a month ago, The Bosom of Yahweh, that looks interesting, think I'll drop of a money order in the mail tomorrow...

[gunny highway]

LAND PATENTS - What do you know about them

Have you heard of "LAND PATENTS"?

A land patent is a claim of ownership or "title" by a person who pays to file it with the land patent office by paying a fee for the patent and a surveyor to measure the specific tract of land ,allowing you to register the said land with the land patent office.

There may still be some unpatented land out west,but I understand that most all the land has been patented.already.Remember When former president Abraham Lincoln asked congress to give 20miles of land on both sides of the track to the railroads for every mile of track that they laid,in order to ecourage them to build rail lines as far as they could as quickly as they could.

The" land grant act" that congress passed also gave a certain amount of land to anyone who was willing to live on,or homestead land that they improved upon and lived on for I think it was for thirty years,and filed for the land patent in their name,without any encumberances ,(Debt) owing in order to get the land patent.Returning civil war solders were even given parcels of land to homestead.This is land that covers the midwestern and western states.

The land patent is signed and given by the president to the filer of the land patent as a party to the treaty we have with other countries ,you then become sovergns if you pay the filling fee and the cost of surveying the land.you Inhabit.If,done correctly the land is owned ,by you and your heirs in perpetuity ,meaning forever and the land that is patented cannot be taken for debts or taxes owed by you as the owner of that land after it has been lawfully and legally patented.As long as there is no flaw in your claim to the land patent. It cannot be taken away from you for any debt or taxes owed.after the patent is issued.If,you pass away and leave no heirs to you estate then the land should revert back to the unitedstates government in trust so that someone else can have the oportunity to file a land patent on it once more.The Federal government cannot use any land other than that land necessary for its use within the ten square mile area known as the District of Columbia.Although the states have let the federal government use state lands for federal court houses etc.This is specifically against the constitution,unless there is a constitutional convention convened in order to ammend the constitution to allow that to occur.

Today , someone owns the land patent,on the land and you and I are paying a fee for the right to live on.The land your house is built on.It's the same way with people who live in a trailer park,or mobile home park.You are paying the "owner" of the land for the right to live there.The thing is,the person who bought the land that your paying rent to,maynot even be the true owner.Buying a piece of land or even a house on a piece of land without doing a title search is done all the time.Today,we just buy title insurance in case the title is bad.In that case who ever has title to the land is the real owner and can kick you off their property,but why should they?You are improving his land ,by building a house or some other structure that makes his property worth more.

http://hubpages.com/hub/LAND-PATENTS-What-do-you-know-about-them

[gunny highway]

Where to Obtain Land Patents

(c) Linda Haas Davenport

Updated May 2006

If you are unfamiliar with Land Records please take a few minutes and read about how to use Land Records in your research. This essay will explain what Patents are, how you can find out if your ancestor was granted a patent and make this list much more valuable to you.

There are two types of states (as far as land records are concerned) - State Land States and Public Domain States. In State Land States land was either granted by a Proprietor or by the State Government. In Public Domain States the land was granted by the Federal Government. Both State Land States and Public Domain States may contain areas where land was granted by a Foreign Government. The first granting of land to an individual resulted in a Land Entry File (Patent File) and these files can be one of the most valuable sources of information for family historians. These files contain all kinds of information depending on the reason the patent was issued. Files can be as slim as a receipt for a cash purchase or may contain many pages of information to prove Just Cause. Locating Land Entry Files can be a challenge.

Things to Keep In Mind As You Use The List:

For State Land States the Patent Files are usually found in the State's Archives. For Private Land Claims (land granted by a foreign government) files are found in different places. In Public Domain States the Land Entry Case Files are found at the National Archives. To order a Pubic Domain Land Entry Case File from the National Archives requires the information found on the patent (Land Act, State, Land District (county), Date of the Act and Patent or Warrant Number). To order a copy of a Land Entry Case File you will need form NATF 84. As of May 2006 this is the link to order the form from The National Archives web site.

The Bureau of Land Management is the governmental agency that has jurisdiction over the public domain land in Public Domain States. The BLM is divided between Eastern and Western States. The Eastern States office has jurisdiction over; Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. The western states have individual offices. It is the Eastern Bureau of Land Management that has a web-site and is in charge of putting on-line the millions of patents issued for Public Domain Land. For Patents issued between 1785-1906 only those states under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Bureau of Land Management are on-line. For the Western States only the patents after 1908 are either on-line or are being added.

The address for the Eastern Bureau of Land Management is: Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153-3121, Phone: (703) 440-1600, (703) 440-1609 (fax), e-mail: records@es.blm.gov .

If the state name below has a hyperlink it is to the Bureau of Land Management's site for that state.

Even for Public Domain States you should search the individual State's Archive holdings for additional information on land records and the history of your state or county of interest.



http://www.lhaasdav.com/learningcenter/patentlocations.html

continued in next post...

[gunny highway]

The list of states below will tell you where you may order a copy of a patent for a Public Domain State or what place or agency you should contact for a patent and/or patent file for State Land States. For Private Claim Land records I have listed the agency to contract for further information on obtaining copies of the files. And, let me say again -- You Can Not order a Land Entry Case file from the National Archives without having all of the information found on the individual's patent.

Alabama: Public Domain State: Patents on-line. Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153-3121 Phone: (703) 440-1600, Fax: (703) 440-1609, e-mail: records@es.blm.gov . BLM Office has original Plats and survey field notes. Be sure to read FQA - What is the Mississippi/Alabama and Florida/Alabama "Crossover"?

Alaska: Public Domain State: Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line check the site for current status and if not yet on-line or for patents prior to 1908 order from: BLM Alaska State Office, 222 W 7th Avenue #13, Achorage Alaska 99513, Phone: (907) 271-5960, Fax: (907) 271-3684 Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes.

Arizona: Public Domain State: Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line check the site for current status and if not yet on-line or for patents prior to 1908 order from: BLM Arizona State Office, 222 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004-2203, Phone (602) 417-9200, Fax (602) 417-9556 Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes.

Arkansas: Public Domain State: Patents on-line. Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153-3121 Phone: (703) 440-1600, (703) 440-1609 (fax), e-mail: records@es.blm.gov. Eastern Division of the BLM Office has original Plats and survey field notes.

California: Public Domain State: Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line check the site for current status and if not yet on-line or for patents prior to 1908 order from: BLM California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-1834, Sacramento, CA 95825-1886. Phone: (916) 978-4400, Phone: (916) 978-4416, TDD (916) 978-4419. Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes. The USGenWeb Project has some CA land records on-line.

Colorado: Public Domain State. Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line check the site for current status and if not yet on-line or for patents prior to 1908 order from: BLM Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield Street, Lakewood, Colorado 80215-7076, Phone 303-239-3700, FAX: 303-239-3933 - Information Center phone 303-239-3600 Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes.

Connecticut: State Land State. New England town surveys. Issued own land warrants/patents. Records are located at the Connecticut State Library, 231 Capitol Street, Hartford, CT 06115. See BLM site and read FQA - What about the Connecticut Western Reserve Lands? Contact - Western Reserve Historical Society, 10825 East Boulevard, University Circle Cleveland, OH 44106, (216) 721-5722. Some deeds from Middlesex Co are on-line. More information from the Archives

Delaware: State Land State. Land changed hands several times. No colonial jurisdiction for granting first land title. Contact the Delaware Public Archives, 121 Duke of York Street, Dover, DE 19901, for printed sources, microfilm and indexes.

District of Columbia (See Washington DC)

Florida: Public Domain State and Private Land Claims State: Patents on-line Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153-3121 Phone: 703-440-1600, Fax: 703-440-1609, e-mail: records@es.blm.gov. Eastern Division of the BLM has original Plats and survey field notes. Also a private land claims state. The Florida State Archives R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250 is scanning and putting on-line the Spanish land grants.

Georgia: State Land State. Also issued land through Land Lotteries. Georgia State Archives, 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260, Phone: 678-364-3700 holds the grants, surveys and related papers for GA from the colony's founding.

Hawaii: No private ownership, instead there was a hierarchy of use rights descending from the king through the chiefs and sub-chiefs to commoners until 1848. Original titles are in the state archives. Grants by purchase are at the Land Management Section of the Dept of Land and Natural Resources, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813.

Idaho: Public domain State. Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line check the site for current status and if not yet on-line or for patents prior to 1908 order from: BLM Idaho State Office, 1387 South Vinnell Way, Boise, Idaho 83709, Information: (208) 373-4000 Fax: (208) 373-3899. Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes.

Illinois: Public Domain State. Patents on-line Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153-3121 Phone: (703) 440-1600, (703) 440-1609 (fax), e-mail: records@es.blm.gov Original plats and surveys at the National Archives. Some helpful Information

Indiana: Public Domain State. Patents on-line Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153-3121 Phone: (703) 440-1600, Fax: (703) 440-1609, e-mail: records@es.blm.gov. Read FAQ - Why do some Indiana land records say the land is in Ohio? Original plats and surveys at the National Archives. Other helpful information

Iowa: Although a state under the jurisdiction of the Eastern BLM office not all patents are yet on line. Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line, Check the site for current status and if not yet on-line order from: Milwaukee Field Office 310 West Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 450 Milwaukee, WI 53203 414-297-4400. Other information can be found at: The Iowa BLM Information Page. Original plats and surveys at the National Archives.

Kansas: Public Domain State. Scattered documents on-line at BLM site. Order from: Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office, 1474 Rodeo Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505; Mailing Address: P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, NM 87502-0115, Phone: (505) 438-7400, Fax (505) 438-7435. Original plats and surveys at the National Archives.

Kentucky: State land state. All records are in the Kentucky Land Office, Capitol Building, Frankfort, KY 40602. All are microfilmed and indexed.

Louisiana: Public Domain State and Private Land Claims State. Patents on-line. Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153-3121 Phone: (703) 440-1600, Fax: (703) 440-1609, e-mail: records@es.blm.gov. Private Land Claim Files: Everything I've seen says that the Spanish & French land records are in Spanish and French, not transcribed into English and you should contact the State Archives Louisiana State Archives, 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809-2137 about these records, but in a search of the archive site I could find no mention of these records, however a search of The Louisiana Historical Society site states the following: "For a number of decades during the 19th century, the society was the official custodian of the colonial records of Louisiana, including the French Superior Council records and the Spanish Judicial Records of the Illustrious Cabildo (local governing body). In 1906 the Society promoted a legislative act to create a Louisiana State Museum to be housed in the old Cabildo on Jackson Square. When the Museum opened in 1911, the Society deposited there the colonial archives in its care, as well as thousands of other documents, paintings, prints, and other museum objects from its own collection."

Maine: State Land state. New England town survey. Order Land Records from Maine Land Office, 84 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0084, Phone: 207-287-5795; Fax: 207-287-5739

Maryland: State Land state. Order Land Records from the Maryland Archives, 350 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, MD 21401, Phone: (800) 235-4045 or (410) 260-6400, fax: (410) 974-3895, email: archives@mdarchives.state.md.us

Massachusetts: State Land State - the first to use the New England Town survey. Land records are found in the Massachusetts Archives, Secretary of the Commonwealth Massachusetts Archives, 220 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02125, Phone: (617) 727-2816, Fax: (617) 288-8429, e-mail: archives@sec.state.ma.us

Michigan: Public Domain State. Patents on-line. Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153-3121 Phone: (703) 440-1600, Fax: (703) 440-1609 e-mail: records@es.blm.gov BLM Office has original Plats and survey field notes.

Minnesota: Public Domain State. Patents on-line Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153-3121 Phone: (703) 440-1600, Fax: (703) 440-1609. e-mail: records@es.blm.gov BLM Office has original Plats and survey field notes.

Mississippi: Public Domain State and also Private Land Claims state. Patents on-line Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153-3121, Phone: (703) 440-1600, Fax (703) 440-1609, e-mail: records@es.blm.gov. BLM Office has original Plats and survey field notes.. For information about Private Land Claims see the many printed sources in the MS Archives 200 North Street. Jackson, MS 39201, Mailing Address: P. O. Box 571, Jackson, MS 39205-0571, Phone: (601) 576-6850, Administration fax (601) 576-6975, Archives and Library Division fax (601) 576-6964, and also records in the West Florida Archives R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250. Some records are still in Seville, Spain.

Missouri: Public Domain State and also Private Land Claims state. Patents on-line Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153-3121 Phone: (703) 440-1600, Fax: (703) 440-1609, e-mail: records@es.blm.gov. Original plats and surveys at the National Archives. For Private Land claims and other land records contact Missouri Archives 600 West Main Street, P.O. Box 1747, Jefferson City, MO 65102, Phone: (573) 751-3280, Fax (573) 526-7333, e-mail; archref@sos.mo.gov microfilm copies are also found at the Missouri Historical Society P.O. Box 11940, St. Louis, MO 63112-0040

Montana: Public Domain State. Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line check the site for current status and if not yet on-line or for patents prior to 1908 order from: BLM Montana State Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, PO BOX 36800, Billings, MT 59107, Phone: 406 896-5012, Fax: 406 896-5299. Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes. The USGenWeb Project has a lot of land records, but they are scattered throughout the county pages. If you know the county - start at the state page and go from there. http://www.rootsweb.com/~mtgenweb/

http://www.lhaasdav.com/learningcenter/patentlocations.html

[gunny highway]

Nebraska: Public Domain State. Patents not yet on-line. Order from: BLM Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone, PO Box 1828, Cheyenne, WY 82003, Public Desk: 307-775-6256, Fax: 307-775-6082 Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes. See also Nebraska Land Laws

Nevada: Public Domain State. Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line check the site for current status and if not yet on-line or for patents prior to 1908 order from: BLM Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, NV 89502, (P.O. Box 12000, Reno, NV 89520) Phone: 775-861-6400, Fax: (775) 861-6606, Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes.

New Hampshire: State Land State. New England Town surveys. Land Records 1641-1679 found with Massachusetts land records. The State Archives, 71 South Fruit Street, Concord, NH 03301, (603) 271-2236, has early land records 1679-1769. First counties were formed in 1769 and land records are found in the counties after that date. Check the State Archives for printed indexes.

New Jersey: State Land State although the state never owned any land. New Jersey is unique among the 13 colonies in that its proprietors retained their rights after the Revolution to grant lands and receive back escheated land. They still retain these rights. Proprietary shares pass down the generations by inheritance and purchase like other property. Consequently, proprietary land records (warrants, surveys and patents) remain at the proprietary offices in Burlington & Perth Amboy. Most have been microfilmed and are now in the State Archives. Deeds after 1785 are found in the counties. 32 boxes of Alexander papers are found in the New York Historical Society. Similar papers are located at the PA archives in Philadelphia. Make the state archives your first stop for this state. One land patent Gloucester County on-line

New Mexico: Public Domain State also Private Land Claims State. Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line, Check the site for current status and if not yet on-line order from: BLM New Mexico State Office, 1474 Rodeo Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505; Mailing Address: P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, NM 87502-0115, Phone: (505) 438-7400, FAX (505) 438-7435. Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes. For Private Land claims - New Mexico State Records Center and Archives, 1205 Camino Carlos Rey, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507, (505) 476-7908, Fax: (505) 476 -7909.

New York: State Land State and Private Land Claim State, uses Metes & Bounds, New England Town and some Sections & townships Surveys. Very large private land grants. There are many different collections of land papers. Begin with the State Archives, Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY 12230 also see New York Historical Society, 2 West 77th Street, New York, NY 10024, For general information, call: (212) 873-3400.

North Carolina: State Land State. Grainville District records and grants from the early proprietary, the royal colony and the state government were moved in 1992 from the state land office to the State Archives, 4610 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-4610, Phone: (919) 807-7280, Fax: (919) 733-8807

North Dakota: Public Domain State. Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line check the site for current status and if not yet on-line or for patents prior to 1908 order from: BLM Montana State Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, PO BOX 36800, Billings, MT 59107, Phone: 406 896-5012, Fax: 406 896-5299 Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes. The ND USGenWeb Project has a lot of land records, but they are scattered throughout the county pages. If you know the county - start at the state page and go from there.

Ohio: 1st Public Domain State Land Opening. Patents on-line Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153-3121 Phone: (703) 440-1600, (703) 440-1609 (fax), e-mail: records@es.blm.gov. Read FAQ - Why do some Indiana land records say the land is in Ohio? And Why do some Ohio warrants have no legal land descriptions? And What about the Connecticut Western Reserve Lands? Western Reserve Historical Society, 10825 East Boulevard, University Circle, Cleveland, OH 44106, (216) 721-5722 Original plats and surveys at the National Archives.

Oklahoma: Public Domain State. Scattered documents only on-line so far. Prior to 1907 the state of Oklahoma was called the Twin Territories (Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory). Oklahoma Territory was a public domain territory and the earliest land records are from the famous Land Runs. Land in the panhandle was a no-man's land for years as it was bounced between Texas and Oklahoma. Land in Indian Territory was granted by the Federal government to the different Indian tribes. The Tribal Nations in-turn divided the land granted to the Nation among the Nation's citizens. Most tribal offices have plats and information on the first granting of land to its citizens. The granting of land by the Federal Government to the individual nations occurred in late 1890s. Prior to 1907 Indian Territory land records were recorded in the Federal Divisions courthouses. In 1890 three Judicial Districts were established in Indian Territory: First District, covering the area of Cherokee and Creek Nations with Muskogee as the court seat; Second District covering the area of the Choctaw Nation with South McAlester as the court seat; Third District covering the area of Seminole and Chickasaw Nations with Ardmore as the court seat. Visit the Oklahoma USGenWeb Site for information and locations for the Twin Territories land records. . Eastern Division of the BLM Office has original Plats and survey field notes. Patents for Oklahoma Territory prior to 1907 and all of Oklahoma after statehood in 1907 can be ordered from: BLM, New Mexico State Office, 1474 Rodeo Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505; Mailing Address: P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, NM 87502-0115, Phone: (505) 438-7400, FAX (505) 438-7435. Field Office: Tulsa, OK 7906 E. 33rd Street, Suite 101, Tulsa, OK 74145-1352, Phone: (918) 621-4100, Fax: (918) 621-4130.

Oregon: Public Domain State. Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line check the site for current status and if not yet on-line or for patents prior to 1908 order from: BLM Oregon State Office, 333 SW 1st Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2965, Portland, Oregon 97208, Phone: 503-808-6002, Fax: 503-808-6308 Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes.

Pennsylvania: State Land State. Land office established in 1682 - Records are available on microfilm contact the Division of Land Records, Bureau of Archives and History, 300 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120, phone: (717) 787-3362, fax: (717) 783-9924. Good History of PA Land Records. Also see Land Transfers PA

Rhode Island and Providence Plantations: State Land State. New England Town Surveys. Records are at the State's Archives, 337 Westminster St., Providence, RI 02903, Phone (401)222-2353, Fax: (401) 222-3199.

South Carolina: State Land State. Records are in the State Archives South Carolina Archives & History Center, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, SC 29223, Phone: (803) 896-6100, Fax: (803) 896-6198

South Dakota: Public Domain State. Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line check the site for current status and if not yet on-line or for patents prior to 1908 order from: BLM Montana State Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, PO BOX 36800, Billings, MT 59107, Phone: 406 896-5012, Fax: 406 896-5299 Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes. The SD USGenWeb Project has a lot of these records on-line

Tennessee: State land State. Complicated land records, some townships west of the TN River. Washington county bounced between being a part of Tennessee, North Carolina and declaring itself an independent state. First Stop should be the Tennessee State Library and Archives, 403 Seventh Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37243-0312, Phone (615) 741-2764. Article that includes information on Tennessee Land divisions and history. The USGenWeb TN site provides information on the formation of TN. Excellent article by Billie McNamara on TN Land

Texas / Texas: State Land State, Public Domain State and Private Land Claims State. Combination of metes & bounds and Public domain survey. Texas is considered a State Land State since it reserved the right to distribute land within its boundaries, but it also has areas that are Public Domain Lands. Patents for Jefferson Davis county are on-line at the BLM site. And it is a Private Land Claims state - from 1716 until 1836 26 million acres was granted by the Spanish & Mexican governments. All claims were validated in 1836. Texas' Patent files appear to be found in the New Mexico Archives, the Texas General Land Office and the BLM. Your first stop should be The Texas General Land Office to check its searchable data base of 446,000+ land grant records that are on-line (Stephen F. Austin State Office Building, Room 811, 1700 N. congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701). The office also has transcribed 8 volumes of Spanish Private land claims. You should also contact the New Mexico State Archives, 1205 Camino Carlos Rey, Santa Fe, NM 87507, phone: 505-476-7900, fax: 505-476-5901 for Private Land Claims.

Utah: Public Domain State. Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line check the site for current status and if not yet on-line or for patents prior to 1908 order from: BLM Utah State Office, Utah State Office, PO Box 45155, Salt Lake City, Utah 84145-0155, Phone: (801) 539-4001, Fax: (801) 539-4013 Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes.

Vermont: State Land State. New England towns survey. Contact the Vermont State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, 109 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05602. Phone: 802-828-2308. Land records to 1850 have been microfilmed. Check here for a list.

Virginia: State Land State. Land Records are found in the Virginia State Library, 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000, phone: 804-692-3500. Patent files are microfilmed and indexed. Searchable index is available.

Washington: Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line check the site for current status and if not yet on-line or for patents prior to 1908 order from: BLM Oregon State Office, 333 SW 1st Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2965, Portland, Oregon 97208, Phone: 503-808-6002, Fax: 503-808-6308 Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes.

Washington, D.C. [District of Columbia]: Federal District. Neither a public domain state or state land state. Land records microfilmed on 694 rolls located at the National Archives. (and if anyone can find the Microfilm Group Number I would appreciate the information since I've searched the microfilm catalogs several times without find the number - Thanks Linda)

West Virginia: State Land State. Land records prior to the Civil War are found in Virginia Records. After the Civil War - West Virginia State Archives, The Cultural Center; 1900 Kanawha Boulevard E., Charleston, WV 25305-0300.

Wisconsin: Public Domain State. Patents on-line Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 7450 Boston Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22153-3121 Phone: (703) 440-1600, (703) 440-1609 (fax), e-mail: records@es.blm.gov BML Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes.

Wyoming: Public Domain State. Patents after 1908 are in the process of being placed on-line check the site for current status and if not yet on-line or for patents prior to 1908 order from: BLM Wyoming State Office, 5353 Yellowstone, PO Box 1828, Cheyenne, WY 82003 Public Desk: 307-775-6256, Fax: 307-775-6082 Eastern Division of the BLM Office has duplicate Plats and survey field notes.

http://www.lhaasdav.com/learningcenter/patentlocations.html

[jetgraphics]

A land patent is not the solution.

There are two types of ownership: absolute (i.e., private property) and qualified (i.e., estate).

A land patent does not establish absolute ownership. It only establishes that property that was once in the public domain is now in the private domain.

More info:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NASP/message/454

[7th trump]

A land patent is not the solution.

There are two types of ownership: absolute (i.e., private property) and qualified (i.e., estate).

A land patent does not establish absolute ownership. It only establishes that property that was once in the public domain is now in the private domain.

More info:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NASP/message/454

Havent really read all this thread but Jet wouldnt you think since most have volunteered themselves into the public debt that a land patent would be neccessary to take their land from real estate (public domain) to the private domain.

[iOWNme]

The question should be:

"Who can lawfully own private property"?

[jetgraphics]

As far as I can determine, the three facts that establish ownership of private property are:
1. Right to own (status, age, etc)
2. Alienate title with lawful money (U.S. coin)
3. No superior claim exists (due notice)

Any American who has not impaired his status at law can alienate title with lawful money, and with due notice, establish that no superior claim exists to his land and house.

However, the vast majority of Americans are impaired. As a U.S. citizen / subject / socialist / contributor each is an obligated party, who has pledged himself and his property as a surety on the public debt (*unpayable, due to usury).

You will have to investigate your local laws, but to the best of my knowledge, I have yet to find one law that impairs the natural and personal liberty of the American national, free inhabitant, domiciled upon his private property, absolutely owned, and located within the boundaries of the United States OF AMERICA.