Citations—Land Records
Land records were created to determine who owned the land. Deeds, conveyances, mortgages, and liens were recorded at the local county courthouse. In some instances, land records may have been the only records saved during a courthouse fire or during the Civil War due to their importance. The Recorder’s Office clerk transcribed the deed from the original into the deed book, giving an opportunity for transcription error. Some deed books have been recopied more than one time and each recopy provides an opportunity for transcription error again. Try to read the most original form of the records available.
Elements of the citation could include: the name of the city where the courthouse is located, the name of the county, the state, the name of office where land was recorded at the courthouse, the book number, the page number, the names of the grantor and the grantee, the date of the transaction, the date the transaction was filed, the Web page title, the URL, the author or compiler, the book title, publisher, publication location, date published, the creator of the microfilm with location, and the microfilm number.
| First Footnote or Endnote | Subsequent Footnote or Endnote | Bibliography | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLM-online | Bureau of Land Management, “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed [Date]), [Name of patentee] ([County], [State]), homestead patent no. [number].
OR [Name of patentee] ([County], [State]), homestead patent no. [number]; “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed [Date]) |
Bureau of Land Management, “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Record entry for [name of patentee] ([County], [State abbreviation], no. [patent number].
OR [Name of patentee] ([County], [State abbreviation]), homestead patent no. [number]. |
Bureau of Land Management. “Land Patent Search.” Database and images. General Land Office Records. http://glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : [Year searched]. |
| Example | Bureau of Land Management, “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed 27 September 2011), Adam Sontag (St. Louis County, Missouri), homestead patent no. 16471.
OR Adam Sontag (St. Louis County, Missouri) homestead patent no. 16471; “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed 27 September 2011). |
Bureau of Land Management, “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records entry for Adam Sontag (St. Louis Co., Mo.), no. 16471.
OR Adam Sontag (St. Louis Co., Mo.) homestead patent no. 16471. |
Bureau of Land Management. “Land Patent Search.” Database and images. General Land Office Records. http://glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : 2011. |
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| Court Record | [County name] County, [State], [Title of record book] [book or volume number or letter]:[page(s)], [Grantor name(s) & [Grantee name(s)], [date filed]; [Record repository name], [Record repository location]. [Comments about the record]. | [County name] Co., [State abbreviated], [Title of record book] [book or volume number or letter]: [page(s)]. | [State]. [County]. [Type of records], [year to year]. [Record repository name], [Record repository location]. |
| Example | St. Louis County, Missouri, Deed Book G: 365; Jean Baptiste Creely and Elizabeth his wife of St. Ferdinand township & Francis Crelis, 10 September 1818; Office of the Recorder of Deeds, City of St. Louis. [Page number in left margins]. | St. Louis Co., Mo., Deed Book G: 365. | Missouri. St. Louis County. Deed Books, 1804—present. Office of the Recorder of Deeds, City of St. Louis. |
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| Microfilm | [County name] County, [State], [Title of record book] [book or volume number or letter]:[page(s)]; [Creator of microfilm abbreviated] microfilm [number]. [Comments about the record]. | [County name] Co., [State abbreviated], [Title of record book] [book or volume number or letter]: [page(s)]. | [State]. [County name] County. [Series]. [Record repository name], [Record repository city]. [Creator of microfilm abbreviated] microfilm, [number] rolls. [Creator of microfilm], [Creator of microfilm location]. |
| Example | St. Louis County, Missouri, Deed Book G:365; FHL 529,941. [Jean Baptiste Creely and Elizabeth his wife of St. Ferdinand township sell to Francis Crelis…along land of John G. James]. | St. Louis Co., Mo., Deed Book G: 365. | Missouri. St. Louis County. Deed records of the city and county of St. Louis, Mo., 1804-1901. Office of the Recorder of Deeds, City of St. Louis. FHL microfilm, 901 rolls. Family History Center, Salt Lake City. |
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Last modified:
29-Jun-2016 17:49