Heartland Genealogy

Following the Land Through Generations Have you ever wondered what happened to your ancestor's land after they died? Did the farm pass to a son or daughter? Was it divided among several heirs? Or was it sold to someone outside the family? One of my favorite tools for answering these questions is a county range index. Most Kansas counties kept range indexes, although Doniphan County did not. I've used these indexes extensively to track land owned by my ancestors. I find them particularly useful when an ancestor was an original landowner, since they provide a way to follow the property through subsequent transactions and, sometimes, across several generations. Unlike a traditional deed index, which is organized by the names of buyers and sellers, a range index is organized by the land itself. That difference makes it an incredibly useful tool for genealogy research. What Is a Range Index? A range index, sometimes called a tract index, organizes recorded land transactions accordin...

Garrard County, Kentucky Deeds 1787-1902; indexes, 1899-1960 Vol. C 1793-1796 Family Search DGS 183284 Film 008141322 Book C page 554 - image 291 This Indenture made this 6th day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety five Between Charles Bland of the County of Madison and State of Kentucky of the one part and Fethergill Adams of the state and County aforesaid of the other part witnesseth that for an inconsideration of the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds current money of the aforesaid state to him in hand paid by the said Fethergill Adams, the receipt whereof the said Charles Bland do hereby acknowledges and himself therewith fully satisfied and contented hath granted bargained sold aliened and confirmed and by these presents doth grant bargain sell alien and confirm unto the said Feathergill Adams one certain tract or parcell of land containing one hundreds and twenty six acres situate lying and being in the County of Madison and on th...

Bartholomew County Indiana Land Records Deeds, Vols. M (cont.) - N, 1848-1849 FamilySearch Film 1301782 DGS 8059762 image 329 - start of item 2 Deed Record VOl N 17 Apr 1849 - 27 Dec 1849 Hall David form USA E SW S25 T20 R5 80 acres Nov 1822 Book N page 327 Certificate No 78 The United States of America. To all to whom these presents shall come Greeting. Wherein David Hall of Jefferson County, Indiana has deposited in the General Land Office of the United States, a certificate of the Register of the Land Office at Brookville, State of Indiana whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said David Hall according tot he provisions of the Act of Con- gress of the 24th of April 1820, entitled, “An act ma- king further provision for the sale of the Public Lands for the East half of the South West quarter of Section twenty-five in Township ten, of Range five, in the District of Brookville and State of Indiana containing

Bartholomew County Indiana Land Records Deeds, Vols. M (cont.) - N, 1848-1849 FamilySearch Film 1301782 DGS 8059762 image 329 - start of item 2 Deed Record Vol N 17 Apr 1849 - 27 Dec 1849 Hall David from USA S SW S25 T10 R5 80 acres Jan 1824 Book N page 326 page 326 Certificate No. 79 The United States of America. To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting: Whereas David Hall of Jefferson County, Ind- iana has deposited in the General Land Office of the United States, a certificate of the Register of the Land Office at Brookville, State of Indiana whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said David Hall according to the provisions of the Act of January the 24th of April, 1820, entitled