Before the United States Printing Office was created, the U.S. Congress had not yet established any legal provisions for the printing of official government documents. There were no guidelines to define which documents should be printed or how the printed texts would be distributed. Among the early documents that were reproduced, many were likely annihilated in the fire that destroyed the Capitol building in 1814.
But in 1821 Congress passed a bill that authorized all existing government documents to be printed. Two private printing companies were contracted, and 750 total copies were made. The printed documents are called the American State Papers and are divided into nine content categories: foreign affairs, Indian affairs, finance, commerce and navigation, military affairs, naval affairs, post office department business, public land, and claims. The last two categories–public lands and claims–are relevant to family historians.
Author Clifford Neal Smith has compiled a valuable book for those researching the earliest land grants and claims in the Vincennes area. This volume is titled Selections from the American State Papers, Monograph Numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4, French and British Land Grants in the Post Vincennes (Indiana) District, 1750-1784. This book combines the four monographs which Smith had previously published as individual works.
The book contains the names of roughly 3,000 early pioneers of the Indiana District, both French and British. In some cases, a researcher can at least establish that an ancestor was present in the area at a particular time, and, in other instances, a researcher can actually learn about the specific land claim, the spouse’s or another relative’s name, and the names of surrounding neighbors who also had claims.
The four sections cover such subjects as: heads of families settled at Post Vincennes on or before 1783 and residents here at this time (1790), ancient French or British grants, claims under court deeds, claims in right of improvements, claims for the donations as heads of families, claims to the donation as militiamen, claims rejected for want of evidence, cases not embraced by any act of Congress (these include claims of the Wabash and Illinois Land Companies, a claim by the French inhabitants of Vincennes, claims to the “upper Prairie,” and claims of the heirs of Francois Bosseron and Ambrose Dagenet), special cases, list of lands confirmed by the different governors in virtue of French or British grants and of court and commandant deeds, and list of lands confirmed by the different governors in virtue of militia rights (surveyed on the White River).
All of these sources are brought together in the four sections of this publication, each with its own index of names. The text is very easy to search, as all names are in boldface.
This book is published by the Clearfield Company and is printed through the Genealogical Publishing Company. It sells for $32.50 plus $4 shipping and handling. It can be ordered by calling 1-800-296-6687 or at www.genealogical.com.
Look for this book in the Vigo County Public Library as well as other publications by Clifford Neal Smith, who is a specialist in the area of federal land policy. Check out information in his Federal land series; a calendar of archival materials on the land patents issued by the United States government, with subject, tract, and name indexes. This has four volumes: v. 1, 1788-1810; v. 2, Federal bounty-land warrants of the American Revolution, 1799-1835; v. 3, 1810-1814; v. 4, Grants in the Virginia Military District of Ohio
History
Genealogy: Book helps with earliest land grant research of Vincennes area
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GENEALOGY: Columnist seeks info on families from Dana
Perhaps someone out there can help me with something I’ve been working on for quite a few years
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Early Terre Haute theater includes Billy Emerson
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Radiant heating — a hot idea
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LOOKING BACK: 1987: Record-breaking temps hit Vigo
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSON: Emperor Constantine changes the world
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GENEALOGY: Library archives contain tons of information
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Historic efforts to open Center Street from Cherry to Swan
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LOOKING BACK: 2002 — Valley drenched in wettest spring in 107 years
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star. -
HISTORICAL TREASURE: Some history wreathed in hair
From the unfortunate occurrence of Prince Albert’s death in 1861 came the social mores of proper mourning practices and accoutrements witnessed and endorsed by the admirers of Queen Victoria in her reign-long state of grieving.
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LOOKING BACK: 1987: League of Women Voters reorganizes
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Here comes the bride
The newest major exhibit at the Historical Museum, which opens Tuesday, showcases wedding gowns worn by Vigo County residents.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Downtown changes featured in early 1927
During March and April of 1927 – about 85 years ago – the owners of interests in four major downtown Terre Haute theaters were negotiating to transfer their interests to representatives of Paramount Studios.
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GENEALOGY: Genealogy isn’t for the easily embarrassed
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: The long, lost, last — the 27th —Amendment
Our very last constitutional amendment — the 27th Amendment — was ratified this week (May 7) in 1992 when Michigan became the 38th state to approve it.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: The Haymarket Square Massacre
One unhappy byproduct of the Industrial Age was the growing discontent of its industrial workers, who constantly agitated for better pay and more humane working conditions.
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LOOKING BACK: 1962: Stands packed as Wiley takes county track title
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and the Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Death of Terre Haute jeweler gains national headlines
Terre Haute sought national publicity in 1910 through “Boosterism,” lauding the city’s significant advancements during the decade ending Dec. 31, 1909.
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GENEALOGY: Cemetery Committee to conduct restoration workshop
The Wabash Valley Genealogy Society’s Cemetery Committee will conduct an all-day cemetery restoration workshop on Saturday at the Smith Cemetery near Youngstown, Honey Creek Township, Vigo County, Ind.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Harmonious history
In 1923, a group of singers calling themselves the Harmony Four entertained regularly over the radio and at civic and various club events.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: Cleveland observes Lincoln’s funeral
The death of America’s greatest president, Abraham Lincoln, resulted in an outpouring of national mourning, the apex of which came in late April of 1865 when a specially outfitted train carried his body on a thirteen-day, 1,700-mile, eleven-city funeral procession from Washington, D.C., to his home and final resting place in Springfield, Ill.
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GENEALOGY: Many people can trace ancestry to Titanic
This month marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, which occurred on April 14-15, 1912.
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LOOKING BACK: 1987: ISU bowling team at nationals again
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Sullivan County mine explosion kills 8 in 1878
Shortly after 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 21, 1878, an enormous explosion rocked the Handford Brothers mine about one-half mile north of the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad depot in Sullivan County.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: A common feature, but memorable
As an absolute architecture nerd, I tend to look at buildings noticing the odd ball things such as door hinges and door locks in addition to admiring the overall building.
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSONS: MLK’s letter written from a jail cell in Birmingham
This week (April 16) in 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. sat in a jail cell in Birmingham, Ala., having been arrested for violating a trumped-up court order that prohibited him and his followers from conducting various protest activities, most of which you can read about in the First Amendment.
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LOOKING BACK: 1962: Swope celebrates 20th anniversary
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: 1955 Babe Ruth League championship team to be feted
Currently in his 25th year as a college baseball coach, Rick Heller is in the midst of his third winning season at Indiana State and has embraced the university and the community.
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GENEALOGY: Long-awaited 1940 census is now available for the public
The long-awaited release of the 1940 census took place on April 2.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Memories baked from scratch
On my Historical Treasure hunt, I was drawn to a pasteboard barrel 28 inches high and 18.5 inches across with the words “Calumet Baking Powder Bakes Best, Received Highest Award” on one side and “Calumet Baking Powder Always Pleases, Try It” on the other.
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: Thomas Jefferson's flights of fancy
Thomas Jefferson, born this week (April 13) in 1743, is — deservedly so — in the pantheon of American heroes.
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GENEALOGY: Columnist seeks info on families from Dana
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