A: U.S. RECORDS
1: Records
2: Location, Maps, Geo
3: Regions / States
4: Timelines & Histories |
B: VITAL RECORDS
1: Vital Rec.
2: Birth
3: Adoption
4: Marriage
5: Death, Obits
6: Cemetery |
C: CENSUS
1: Records
2: By Decades |
D: IMMIGRATION
1: Records
2: Passenger / Nat.
3: Other
4: Migration |
E: MILITARY
1: Records
2: By Conflict |
F: OTHER RECORDS
1: Religious
2: Land, Probate, Tax
3: Court
4: News.
5: Arch. / Lib.
6: Help
7: Misc.
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Partners: FamilySearch Ancestry Findmypast MyHeritage | Websites: FS Wiki GenealogyLinks
Goal F2: Explore property records—Land and Probate.
Land and property records often provide clues about direct ancestors and their immediate relatives.
Choices
A Get an introduction to land records.
Vault
Class Outlines: Basic | Intermediate
- Land: Learn about U.S. land and property records.
FS—Beginning Research in United States Land Records
FS—Understanding U.S. Land Records - Use land records to track information about your ancestors.
AC—Introduction to Using Land Records—27:40 - 2012
- Learn about land distribution in "state-land" states.
CH—Land Records for State-Land States - 2021 - Here are 15 steps for moving beyond indexes for land records.
RT—Land Records: 15 Steps to Move beyond the Index - 2019 - Here are some things you might be missing in your land records research.
AJC: 5 Things You Might Be Missing in Land Records - 2016 - Deeds: Learn more about deeds and deed indexes.
TH—Digging for Deeds - 2017
FL—Back to the Basics with Land Records: Part 2 – Deeds - 2019 - Learn about practical ways to use deeds in your research.
CR: Deeds - How to Use Them in Genealogy Research—32:17 - 2022
- Locate sources for deeds online.
TH—Locating Historical Deeds Online - 2020
TH—U.S. Land Records Online - 2020
- * Good: Using the articles and videos in this Choice, write down key learnings for land and property records. Then use the learnings for searches for a U.S. ancestor.
- * Proficient: Same as above, for two or more ancestors.
B Explore BLM, Homestead, and Land Patent Records.
- BLM: Learn about federal land records from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
AC: The Bureau of Land Management Records (5:08) - 2016
- Learn about BLM land records, including land patents, survey plats and more, and then explore them on the
BLM General Land Office Records site. - Land Patents: Get an introduction to land patent records for research.
FL—Back to the Basics with Land Records: Part 3 – Land Grants & Patents - 2019
FL—Hooking Teens on Research with Land Patents - 2016 - Homestead Records: Learn about the types of information contained in federal homestead records.
AF—Federal Homestead Records and What You Might Find in Them - 2015 - Read this article for case studies on homestead records.
FL—Back To School: Those Valuable Homestead Records - 2016 - Learn more about homestead records in this video series.
AAC: Homesteads, an American Treasure (Video series) - Explore Homestead Records on the Fold3 site.
- Bounty Land Warrants: Learn about bounty land warrants awarded to military veterans.
TH—Bounty Land Warrants - 2019
Land Maps and Resources
- Learn to use land ownership maps in research.
BYU—Land Ownership Maps—11:11 - 2018
- Learn about using sections, townships, and ranges when researching land records.
TH—Sections, Townships, and Ranges - 2019
FS—Sections, Ranges, and Townships—52:35 - 2010 - Learn about the resources found in BLM tract books.
BYU: United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books (10:23) - 2019
FS—Tract Books - Learn more about using tract books in research.
TH—Sections, Townships, and Ranges - 2019
FS—Sections, Ranges, and Townships—52:35 - 2010
- * Good: Using the articles and videos in this Choice, write down key learnings for BLM and homestead records. Then use the learnings for searches for a U.S. ancestor.
- * Proficient: Same as above, for two or more ancestors.
Record Search Practice |
had land that was assessed by the BLM. Use the "FS: United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1800-1955" QUIKLink below to answer these questions:
- In what state was the land assessment?
- What is the date of the assessment?
- What is the lot number for Frank's land?
- Click the QUIKLink mentioned above.
- In the search screen, enter "Frank D" as the first name and "Terry" as the last name.
- In the search results screen, click the document icon for Frank D Terry.
- Read the information in the center column. Click View Original Document for the lot number
- The land was assessed in Utah.
- The land was assessed on 11 Feb 1927.
- Frank owned the land in Lot 2.
(Contributed by Brent Bunker )
QUIKLinks
C Explore probate records.
Class Outlines: Basic
- Get an introduction to probate records in this video.
AAC: Probate Records—5:12 - Introduction: Learn about probate records in the U.S and how to use them to trace ancestors.
FHD—Probate Records Could Be the Key to Unlocking Your Family's Hidden Past - 2019
FS—Wiki: Beginning Research in United States Probate Records - Get started with probate records in this video.
AC—Getting Started with Probate Records—29:10 - 2015
- Guides: Here are some helpful research guides for probate records.
AC—Finding Your Family in Wills and Probate Records—4 pgs. - 2016
Research Guide – U.S. Probate Records - Here are some practical things to know about probate records.
AJC: 5 Things to Know about your Ancestor's Probate - 2017 - Estate Records: Learn about research clues that can be found in estate records.
LG—Uncover Hidden Family Relationships in Estate Records - 2020 - Case Studies: Follow this case study for basic American probate research.
PR—Panning for Gold: A Case Study in American Probate Records - Read these case studies in probate records from the Family Locket site.
FL—Back to the Basics with Probate Records – Part 1 - 2017
FL—Back to the Basics with Probate Records – Part 3 - 2017
Wills
- Overview: Learn the basics of wills and genealogy.
MH Wiki—Wills
How to Read and Understand a Will—54:48 - 2024
- Learn about the types of information typically found in wills.
AC—What's in a Will?—28:00 - 2014
GC—Wills and Testaments - Terms: Learn about terminology used in wills.
FL—Back to the Basics with Probate Records – Part 2 - 2018 - Examination: Learn how to critically examine wills in your research.
BYU—How to Read and Understand a Will—54:48 - 2024
BYU—Critically Examining Wills—65:00 - 2016
- Children: Learn how to identify children of an ancestor when no will was left.
AJC—Identifying Children When Your Ancestor Didn't Leave a Will - 2017 - * Good: Using the articles and videos in this Choice, write down key learnings for church records. Then use the learnings for searches for a U.S. ancestor.
- * Proficient: Same as above, for two or more ancestors.
Exercises
D Use tax records in your research.
Vault
- Introduction: Get an introduction to U.S. tax records for genealogy.
AC—Historical Tax Lists
RT—Life’s Second Certainty—Early United States Tax Records - 2019 - Get an overview of tax records in these Family Locket articles.
FL—Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 1 - 2019
FL—Back to the Basics with Tax Records: Part 2 - 2019 - Learn how to use tax records in your genealogy research.
AR—Using Federal Direct Tax Records
BYU—Tax Records for Genealogists—64:59 - 2017
- Here are some additional tips for using tax records.
APL—Using Tax Records in Genealogical Research—63:12 - 2022
APL—How Taxes Help You Find Your Ancestors—12:29 - 2023
- Resources: Find resources for tax records online.
FL—Back to the Basics with Tax Records, Part 3 - 2019 - Learn about records for the U.S. Direct Tax of 1798 ("window tax").
LT—The Window Tax: A Window into Your Ancestry
Record Search Practice |
James Hannigan paid taxes in Illinois. Use the "AC: Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918" QUIKLink below to answer these questions:
- What is the tax year in the record?
- What is James Hannegan's occupation?
- Where was he located?
- Click the QUIKLink mentioned above.
- In the search screen, enter "James" as the first name and "Hannigan" as the last name.
- In the search results screen, click the document icon for James Hannigan.
- Read the information in the center column.
- The tax year is 1863.
- James was a retail dealer.
- He was located in Chicago, Illinois.
(Contributed by Brent Bunker )
QUIKLinks