Homesteaders working in garden. Austin Homesteads, Minnesota. fsa 8c51450 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8c51450Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, DC 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
You have heard me say this about all sort of things, but bear with me. Land records are awesome and full of hidden information! There, now that I have said that let’s talk about why I am excited to take the course US Land Records.
Yes, if you couldn’t tell, I have looked at and poked through land records in the past. I admit that I don’t know everything about them which is why I am looking forward to this course. Hopefully it will fill in any holes in my knowledge base and then I will wring more information out of them in the future.
As usual the syllabus is very extensive. I like that the first week looks like it will be all history, definitions, strategies for searching, and essentially a base to build from. From there the course takes us through colonial land records, grants, homesteading, deeds, and it ends with a state-by-state resources section. A lot of information, but information a good researcher needs to know.
For me land records come in handy because my ancestors hail from various burned counties. When a researcher deals with courthouses that had a disaster occur (natural or man-made) you become a pro at locating alternative record sets to investigate. Land records for me have been a go-to record set when I try to reconstruct a family or area.
I have to admit I am interested in learning a bit more on homesteading. While none of my ancestors, that I know of, were homesteaders it is a topic that has intrigued me. Could be because of my fascination with Little House on The Prairie, but perhaps it’s just curiosity. Those were hearty people and I know from history that not all of them completed the process for various reasons.
Then the sections on deeds and maps has me jumping up and down too. I love maps. You can learn a lot from maps if you know what to look for. Plus they are beautiful! The syllabus states we are going to look at geological surveys which I know can help in research.
Alright, off to start the first modules. Stick around and read about my experiences in this record set. I guarantee it will be fun!
See you online!
