Kentucky Land Office Records

A CVGS colleague passed the Kentucky Secretary of State web page to me to check out for Kentucky Land Records.

There is a PowerPoint presentation, with accompanying notes, on this web site that provides historical information about colonial history, colonial land claims, the land patent process in the 1800's, and how to obtain these records.

The Powerpoint presentation (warning, over 10 mb) of the Land Office program from the May 10, 2008 workshop co-sponsored by the Kentucky Genealogical Society and Kentucky Historical Society is here. The accompanying supplemental notes are here in PDF format.

The information that is online at the Kentucky Secretary of State web page includes (see http://sos.ky.gov/land/search/default.htm for all databases):

* Virginia & Old Kentucky Series: Patents authorized by: Revolutionary War Warrants; Certificates of Settlement & Preemption Warrants; and Treasury Warrants
* West of Tennessee River Military Series
* Jackson Purchase Locator
* County Court Order Series Database (over 8200 patents link to scanned images)

Land records that are not online include:

* South of Green River Series
* Kentucky Land Warrants Series
* Tellico Series* South of Walker’s Line Series (Tennessee Land)
* West of Tennessee River Non-Military Series (use the online Jackson Purchase Locator to determine location of these patents)

This is a wonderful resource for historians and genealogists. If only every state or county would do something like this, our research efforts would be enhanced and quicker.

Thanks to Susi P for passing this on from the KYMERCER mailing list.