Entry Takers Index to Plats & Surveys
~ from 1824 ~
INTRODUCTION
In Warren County, from 1807 into 1824, land entry and survey records are
part of Tennessee’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Surveyors’ Districts.
In 1824, this process was changed to a county level duty, so that is
where the we see a change in the records. From 1824, we need to look at
the Warren County records.
ABOUT THE SURVEYS
The Entry Taker’s Index herein is from his Plat and Survey Book.
If you see the
name you need, you must go elsewhere to find the original document. See
“SOURCES” below. Later,
with the original document in hand, you will see
the names of the Applicant for survey, chain carriers, and surveyor. You might also see
the names of the neighbors. Do not expect to find maiden names or other genealogical
information that is what we might call “proof positive.”
We have a sample 1824 Warren County survey for you to peruse. So take
moment and examine the type of information contained in a typical survey.
A survey for the
heirs of Jacob Hawk
THE
CAVEAT
What is presented here is the original “Index for Entry Taker’s
Books of Warren County, Tenn.” 1824-1894. This version of the Index was
transcribed from the original Index Book
and this transcription of the Index is a public domain
record. You will find the
surnames are arraigned alphabetically, however there are anomalies in the original
transcription. Within the surname letter groups (A, B, C, etc.), you will find some names
are out of alphabetical order, and some given names are out of alphabetical order
within certain
specific surname letter groups (i.e. Wm, Adam, John). You are urged to scan through the whole surname letter
group for the name of your choice. Additionally, you may find double entries of the
same record.
Just remember, an index is never the whole story. A well done abstract
or a full transcription is superior to an index. And when you find what
you want, please check the original microfilms.
The Warren County
Genealogical Association first published this Index their Journal. They
graciously supplied their file to us. The text for this Index was
formatted for HTML by Nancy Cole. These pages were coded and graphics made by
Fred Smoot. No copyright is implied for this Index, however, the page coding and graphics are copyrighted by Fred Smoot.
THE
ORDER
First the applicant would enter on the land.
There would be survey of sorts, then the land was “entered” with the“Entry Taker.” This “Entry” was also called a “Location” in some Districts.
Then the land was surveyed, and in Warren County, it was the usually the
Deputy District Surveyor who did the job. Of course, from 1824 and on, we would expect the work to be done by a county surveyor.
He would need helpers to handle the measuring chain. Those fellows were
required to be sworn in, and so they were officially called Sworn Chain
Carriers. Often, the Chain Carriers were the sons of the applicant. The
CCs should have been the age of majority.
In 1806, the Tennessee Assembly had required within their instructions to the surveyors, “And
each chain carrier shall, before the principal or deputy surveyor, take
an oath that he will truly and impartially measure every line, of which
he is chain carrier, and render a true account thereof to his surveyor.”
(Land Laws of Tennessee, Henry D. Whitney 1893, p 120)
There could be a marker, usually the applicant himself. The marker would
make a pile of rocks at a corner, or he might make a blaze on a tree
(called a pointer) or set a stake in the ground.
If all went well, the entry, survey and finally the grant would have
about the same language.
SOURCES
LAND GRANT CARD FILE INDEX
If a short cut is in your plans, you could check with TSLA and see if
there is a grant issued to your ancestor. There is a fee for this but it is not excessive.
Also, Byron Sistler and Associates of Nashville sells soft
cover books, alphabetically by surname, of the TSLA grant card file
index.
MICROFILMS
A microfilm of the Warren County Plat Books can be made available for viewing at the Family History Libraries of the Church of Jesus Christ, Later Day Saints. You will need to pay a small mailing fee to have the microfilm shipped to your local LDS library.
The TSLA microfilm, No. 184, Warren Co. contains the original index and the four Plat Books.
Surveyors’ Districts microfilms are available for purchase from the Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville, in Record Group 50 (RG50).
Also, TSLA can supply a copy of a particular survey by mail for a small fee. Write to them for
information.
BOOKS
Abstracts of all the Warren Surveys done for applicants for land grants are available for purchase in book form.
Author Nona Williams writes:
“Warren County, Tennessee Plat Books include of land surveys from 1824 though
1894 in four volumes. Abstracts of each entry provides the original land
record by date and entry number and gives the original page number, date of
entry, date of survey, date of land transfer when appropriate, owner(s),
including owners of adjoining land, land descriptions, chain carriers (often
useful in establishing family relationships) and witnesses to land
transfers. These records are especially valuable to researchers because
early Warren County court records have been lost.”
Note: the books at the top of the
page are links to the surname files.
You may also use the links below.
|A
|B
|C
|D
|F
|F
|G
|H
|I
|J
|K
|L
|M
|N
|O
|P
|Q
|R
|S
|T
|U
|V
|W
|X
|Y
|Z|
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