Land

Landholding in Colonial North Carolina

In 1663 His Majesty Charles II, out of the abundance of his American lands, granted the province of Carolina to eight of the chief nobles of his court. These gentlemen retained the property until 1629, when they sold it to the King. Here it remained until the War of the Revolution. Although these two supremacy’s, the one of the Lords Proprietors and the other of the King, represent the two distinct periods in the history of the colony, they indicate but little interruption in the history of its private law. This is especially true of the law relating to land. … Read more

Running the Blockade from Confederate Ports

One of the most thrilling phases of the history of the Civil War is that which deals with running the blockade from, and into, the Southern ports. The absolute dependence of the South on European markets, both to sell her cotton and to obtain military supplies, induced the Confederate government early in its existence to foster blockade running as much as possible. The convenience of neutral harbors in the West Indies, the Bahamas, and the Bermudas was especially fortunate for such plans, and the year 1861 was not half gone before a number of fast sailing, low built, duskily painted … Read more

1806 2nd Ordinance Selling Land Lots in Athens

On the 2nd of April, 1806, Rufus Putnam and Dudley Woodbridge were appointed a committee to conduct a second sale of town lots, which took place November 25, 1806. Some of the lots previously sold were sold again, payments having not been made. The following is the report of the second sale No. of lot. Purchaser. Price. 1 Joel Abbott, $72 00 2 Joel Abbott, 40 50 3 Ebenezer Currier, 36 50 4 William Skinner, 15 00 5 Silvanus Ames, 15 00 6 Leonard Jewett, 15 00 8 Leonard Jewett, 15 00 9 Leonard Jewett, 13 00 10 John Walker, … Read more

1804 Ordinance Selling Land Lots in Athens

Sec. 1 appointed Rufus Putnam and Samuel Carpenter to survey and lay off the town of Athens agreeably with the rule of the resolution of the legislature of December 18th, 1799. Sec. 2 directed the treasurer of the university to have the town plat recorded. Sec. 3 directed Putnam and Carpenter, after due notice, to sell on the first Monday of November, 1804, at public auction, twenty-seven house-lots and an equal number of out-lots at their discretion, excepting and reserving house-lots number 57 and 58. The remaining sections related to the form of certificate and lease to be given. The … Read more

Residents Lands, Ames Township, 1807

Legend: 1: Acres 2: Range 3: Township 4: Section 5: Dollars 6: Cents Last First 1 2 3 4 County Orignal Proprietor 5 6 Comments Ames Silvanus 108 13 6 4,9 Athens Manasseh Cutler 43 Brown John 132 13 6 14 Athens Winsor 87 Brown Benjamin 200 13 6 4 Athens Manasseh Cutler 80 Brown William 140 13 6 4 Athens Manasseh Cutler 56 Bullard Joseph 60 16 Athens Elisha Whitney 24 Beaumont Samuel 320 13 6 18 Athens John Meigs 1 28 Boyles Jacob 100 13 6 2 Athens Israel Thorndike 40 Case David 100 14 Athens Amos Porter … Read more

The Cherokee Land Lottery

1830 Map of Cherokee Territory in Georgia

The Land Lottery dataset contains the names and residence of all the fortunate drawers in the Land Lottery of the Cherokee country, arranged by districts in numerical order, all carefully copied from the originals in the Executive Department and the office of the Surveyor General, designating also the lots which have been granted. We have given the quality of the lots in some instances, but not generally, deeming it altogether unimportant, from the well known inaccuracy of the surveyors in classing their value, and from the additional fact that very few individuals engage in contracts for real estate until they are enabled by personal observation to place a proper estimate upon the premises. By reference to the numerical list, the drawer’s name and residence can be readily ascertained.