The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Eastern States, General Land Office
(GLO) Records Automation web site. This site provides live database and
image access to more than two million Federal land title records for the
Eastern Public Land States, issued between 1820 and 1908. Due to the
organization and binding methods utilized by the GLO, the data bases
accessible from this web site currently do not contain every Federal title
record issued for the states listed.
http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/
In December, 1998 the GLO automation process was expanded to include
"serial" patent records issued after June 30, 1908. Over 1.24 million
eastern and western "serial" patents will be added to the web site during
the next three years.
This site offers researchers a source of information on the initial
transfer of land titles from the Federal government to individuals. In
addition to verifying title transfer, this information will allow the
researcher to associate an individual (Patentee) with a specific location
(Legal Land Description) in time (Signature date).
Aside from the computer data, you can download a viewer to look at a
digitized version of the actual Land Deed document. To actually pinpoint
the location of the patent, you need to be familiar with the surveying system
used by the government for the various land tracts.
The States offered include the following:
Alabama Land Patents
Arkansas Land Patents
Florida Land Patents
Illinois Land Patents
Indiana Land Patents
Louisiana Land Patents
Michigan Land Patents
Minnesota Land Patents
Mississippi Land Patents
Missouri Land Patents
Ohio Land Patents
Wisconsin Land Patents