Red River, LA - Louisiana Land Records
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   Land records are an invaluable source for genealogists. The indices 
of the Louisiana Land Office in Baton Rouge has on file many records of 
interest, including original and official field notes, survey plats and 
maps from the earliest U. S. Surveyors.

   When Louisiana was admitted to the Union in 1812, there was not a 
single acre in its own name. Therefore, all property in Louisiana has 
emanated from the Federal Government. The Government recognized old 
land grants from the British, French and Spanish, in an Act of 
Congress, passed in 1811, and in order to enable private ownership by 
other individuals, Congress had to act many times. 

   Louisiana was purchased in 1803 for $15 million -- averaging about 
three cents an acre -- and from its entirety 13 states were formed. The 
first Act of Congress in 1804 divided the territory into two districts: 
the Land above the 33rd degree of latitude was termed the Territory of 
Louisiana; and the land below the 33rd degree of latitude was called 
the Territory of Orleans. The Territory of Orleans, (the only one that 
concerns today's Louisiana property-owners) was then divided into 12 
counties: Acadia, Attakapa, Concordia, German Coast, Iberville, 
Lafourche, Natchitoches, Opelousas, Orleans, Ouachita, Point Coupee and 
Rapides.

   In 1807 these counties were re-divided into 19 entities drawn along 
old Spanish ecclesiastical boundaries, and the term changed from 
counties to parishes.

   But prior to this, in 1805, the President was authorized by Congress 
to appoint district land registers, whose duties it was to translate 
and record land documents to private claims, and for this purpose three 
land districts which still exist were formed: Ouachita; Natchitoches; 
and Greenburg. At that time the government sent land surveyors to 
Louisiana to subdivide the land.

   The system they used was a method of laying out a square six miles 
long and six miles wide, then re-dividing the square into 36 sections. 
Each section was one mile square. The sections were numbered from east 
to west, from one to 36, beginning at the top row of each township 
(except along the banks of streams and rivers, which were in the shape 
of cross-strips). An Act of 1811 gave "preference rights" to 
individuals purchasing vacant land and who held a valid grant bordering 
a navigable river or stream.

   Practically speaking, however, it was the Act of September 1841, 
that was most instrumental in bringing settlers to Louisiana. That act 
granted Louisiana the right to select title to some 500,000 acres of 
vacant Federal lands. Under an Internal Improvement Program, the State 
was enabled to sell the lands for not less than $1.25 an acre and use 
the revenues to build canals, roads, etc. in order to encourage 
settlement. In 1844, Congress established a Land Office for the State 
of Louisiana.

  The U. S. Bounty Lands Act of Feb. 11, 1847 allowed soldiers and 
officers of the War of 1812, the Indian Wars, and the Mexican War to 
select vacant lands up to 160 acres, wherever they desired. In 
addition, Louisiana allowed bounty lands to Confederate veterans or 
their widows, for 160 acres. 

   Shortly before that act, in 1836, the Great Red River Raft, a 
tremendous log jam, about ten miles upstream from Natchitoches, was 
removed, clearing one hundred ten miles of rich river bottom land 
for navigation and settlement and the influx of settlers to 
Natchitoches (the original parish from which Red River Parish was 
carved) began.

    By the Act of May 20, 1862 (the Homestead Act) the Federal 
Government allowed a person who was 21 years old or a head of a family 
to homestead 160 acres. This program ended in Louisiana in 1962, as 
unowned lands were no longer available. Any land purchased in Louisiana 
must have been from the Federal Government and is on file in the 
Louisiana Land Office.
 
    This was based upon a fascinating account, which is available on-
line from the State Land Office. It is a 25-page tract by Ory G. Poret 
with helpful illustrations by Mrs. Joy Davis. Look for THE HISTORY OF 
LAND TITLES IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. 

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Copyright. All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by
Carolyn Shank - Carolynshank@msn.com
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