Dutch claims to North America date to Henry Hudson's 1609 voyage that gave his name to the Hudson River. Cornelis Jacobsen May made the earliest detailed examination of the Delaware Bay for the Dutch States General which chartered the United New Netherlands Company in 1615. After this charter expired in 1618, the Dutch West India Company was chartered in 1621 to established permanent trading posts at Manhattan Island and at Fort Nassau on the eastern side of the Delaware Bay nearly opposite the future site of Philadelphia. The first actual settlement by Europeans on the Delaware occurred in the spring of 1631 with the erection of Swanendael. This effort proved abortive, however, when local Indians massacred the inhabitants in 1632. Subsequent competition between the Dutch West India Company and the New Sweden Company beginning in the 1630s ended when Sweden abandoned its claims to the region in 1655, leaving behind in the Delaware River valley a few hundred Swedish and Finnish settlers. The English first seized control of the Delaware River basin from the Dutch in 1664. When the Dutch temporarily regained control of the region in 1673 they implemented a comprehensive administrative structure that divided the area into three jurisdictions and began granting patents to settlers. The new jurisdictions were centered on New Amstel (present-day Newcastle, Delaware), Upland (now Chester, Pennsylvania), and Whorekill (now Lewes, Delaware.).

When England regained control of the Delaware, the laws of James, Duke of York were put in place and the jurisdiction of Whorekill was divided by erecting a new district called Saint Jones. Under the Duke of York's laws, Swedish and Dutch patents were renewed and recorded and Swedish and Dutch settlers who had never obtained patents were given the opportunity to acquire legal title to their land. These new patents were signed by New York's Royal Governors Richard Nicolls from 1664-1668, Francis Lovelace from 1668-1673 and by Edmund Andros from 1674-1681. After William Penn received his charter from King Charles II in 1681, the district of Upland became Chester County, Whorekill (that had since become known as Deal) became Sussex County, Saint Jones became Kent County, and New Amstel became Newcastle County. At this period, approximately two thousand Europeans were living along the Delaware Bay, half of whom were Swedes and Finns living along the western shore. About five hundred Europeans were living along the lower Schuylkill River in the vicinity of what became Philadelphia and at Upland, now Chester, Pennsylvania. These records consist of transcripts of patents, surveys and warrants granted by the governors of New York for tracts located in what became the colonies of Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of patentee.

Transcript of patents granted by the royal governors of New York for lands lying in the lower Delaware valley of what became the colonies of Pennsylvania and Delaware. Information given is the location and boundaries of each tract patented, acreage patented, name of patentee, date of patent, the quitrent, and the name of the Governor General of New York under whom the patent was granted.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

The 1759 transcript of Book A of patents from the jurisdiction of the Upland Court on the Delaware River received from Secretary Richard Peters by John Hughes on July 21, 1759. Hughes was responsible for making official copies of all state records. (The title on the binding incorrectly reads "Patents, 1677-1682, Proprietary Warrants"). Among these are patents for land currently lying within the Passyunk section of Philadelphia and the surrounding region. Information given is the location and boundaries of the tract patented, acreage patented, name of patentee, date of patent, the quitrent, and the name of the Governor General of New York under whom the patent was granted.

Also present is a copy of "An Account of the Lands in Pennsylvania granted by William Penn, Esq. and Chief Proprietary of Government of that Province to Several Purchasers within the Kingdom of England, Scotland and Ireland" and the 1759 transcripts of warrants granted by William Penn from 1683. The transcripts of warrants give the name of each warrantee, acreage warranted, county and township where located, and the date of the warrant. Transcripts of these warrants may also be found on digitized microfilm in the Exemplification Records (8:423-54) of the Philadelphia Recorder of Deeds records at the Philadelphia City Archives.

Arranged chronologically by date survey was made.

Fifty descriptive surveys made by New York Surveyor General Walter Wharton of tracts located within the region stretching from present day New Castle County, Delaware into present day Bucks County, Pennsylvania. These surveys were made in order to prepare patents to be issued by the governor of New York. The surveys have been published as Walter Wharton's Land Survey Register, 1675-1679. edited by Albert Cook Myers (Wilmington: Historical Society of Delaware, 1955).

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

A deputy surveyors' book containing copies of warrants and surveys for land located primarily in Kent and Sussex counties of the present state of Delaware. The first 76 pages cover the period 1683-1686 and contain entries signed by J. Barkstead and the balance by Robert and William Shankland.

William Penn transferred land to Original Purchasers by deeds of lease and release. Occasionally, Original Purchasers also used deeds of release to transfer land to Under Purchasers or to the Commonwealth. The two-step transfer of the deed consisted of two indentures acting as one conveyance. The first indenture was a lease, or statement of intention to sell, and placed the land in the hands of the purchaser for a specified period of time, usually one year. The second indenture, a release, dated the day after the lease, removed the land from the jurisdiction of the Crown and placed it under the jurisdiction of the proprietor. Early deeds of lease and release were recorded in bound volumes also frequently containing letters of attorney, bills, bonds, certificates, and other types of conveyances.

Each volume is arranged chronologically by date of entry.

This series is contained in four volumes that are identified in Donna Munger's published guide Pennsylvania Land Records, A History and Guide for Research as:

• Lease and Releases, A-1, 1684-1706 (Binding 79) LO 25.33 PLR 41

• Lease and Releases, B [No. 2], 1703-1706 (Binding 80) LO25.33 PLR 41

• Lease and Releases, B [No. 3], 1703-1706 (Binding 81) LO25.33 PLR 41

• Bills, Bonds, Releases, D-2 [No. 4], 1697-1702 (Binding 78) p. 39, 42

All four volumes contain letters of attorney, bills, bonds, and certificates in addition to deeds of lease and release. Volume A-1 is the earliest book made by the Master of Rolls to record copies of original deeds of lease and release. The releases generally begin with a restatement of the charter bounds of the province, its formation into a seigniory, and the power given to Penn to make grants of land. The main part of the release gives the amount of acreage sold, states that the land was to be held in the right of Penn, and that it be surveyed as specified in Certain Conditions or Concessions (1681) or a subsequent superseding document. The deeds of lease and release give the total amount of land involved in the transaction but generally do not describe specific locations in Pennsylvania. A formal receipt was issued after the deed of lease and release was granted and completed the land transaction.

The contents of Volume B, Nos. 2 and 3 are slightly repaginated and the contents do not correspond exactly with the small index bound in the front but the releases in this volume are indexed in the General Index - Leases and Releases {series #17.6}. Volume 4 is a Philadelphia County Letter of Attorney Book containing primarily letters of attorney, assignments, deeds, and other similar legal records but also a few deeds of lease and release. Although the lease and release entries in this last volume were recorded beginning in 1697, some of the instruments themselves were drawn as early as 1690.

Arranged alphabetically by surname of grantor.

Contains the following indexes:

• A grantor index to the volumes in the master of rolls office including the Lease and Release {series #17.19 and Philadelphia Deed Book H at the Philadelphia City Archives.
• A grantor index of deeds that were the subject of court proceedings and the descriptions of which were recorded in four volumes that are possibly no longer extant.
• A grantor index primarily to the Book H volumes of deed books at the Philadelphia City Archives but also containing some entries for Books A, AA, D, I and X.

• An index primarily to patentees whose names appear in the AA series of Patent Books {series #17.142}.
• An index to Lease and Release Book B, No. 2 {series #17.19}.
• A one-page fragment of an index to the Letter of Attorney D {series #19.419} volumes for some last names beginning with the letter A.

During William Penn's administration an application was an oral request to locate, rent, or buy a particular piece of land. Originally, such requests were not recorded but from 1687 requests were recorded in the minute books of the Commissioners of Property. These can be found in the published Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, Volume 19 and Third Series, Volume 1. After William Penn's death in 1718 no land titles could be granted in Pennsylvania until estate litigation was settled. During these years, the provincial government issued tickets that would later serve as the basis for drawing up patents when the regular land office reopened. During the administration of the proprietary government the formal written application for a warrant became a regular part of the series of records necessary to warrant and patent land. Between 1732 and 1765 applications consisted of an individual's request for a warrant that was either written on a small scrap of paper or listed on a longer sheet of paper together with other requests originating from the same geographic area and carried to the Land Office by a representative. Unlike the applications for some other states, those in Pennsylvania rarely contain any information except the name of the applicant, the acreage, and the general location of the tract, nor do they normally bear the applicant's handwriting or signature. (The only exceptions are Proof of Settlement Certificates (series 17.214) issued under the Vacant Land Act of 1792 that sometimes provide a description of any buildings present, the state of cultivation of the land, or other improvements to the property.)

By the 1760s the assumption that all unwarranted country land within the purchases of 1754 and earlier was vacant and unimproved had given way to the realization that thousands of squatters had already settled upon the land. On June 17, 1765 a new application system was implemented making a formal application the required first step in the patenting process. The new procedures also introduced a new type of warrant, called a warrant to accept, that was granted after a survey was conducted. Under the new system, the applicant was to appear in person at the Land Office in Philadelphia where his name, the date of application, and the description of the land were entered in a special application book. To curb speculation, each applicant was limited to a maximum of 300 acres.

The Secretary of the Land Office sent copies of applications to the surveyor general who registered the receipt of the copies in his application book and these copies accompanied the orders to survey sent to the deputy surveyors. The survey was to be completed in six months and a drawing showing courses, distances, and adjoining owners returned to the surveyor general. The applicant had another six months to produce a certified statement of his settlement date and the nature of his improvement and to pay the receiver general for the land. After payment was made, a warrant was sent to the surveyor general telling him to accept the survey and to send a return of survey to the Secretary's office where the secretary made out a patent from the return of survey.

To avoid overloading the Land Office, the new application system was first implemented for settled unwarranted land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River and was extended to the lands on the western side of the river in 1766. The information contained in the East Side Applications has been published and indexed internally in Pennsylvania Land Applications, Volume 1: East Side Applications, 1765-1769 by Kenneth D. McCrea (Pennsylvania Chapter, Palatines in America: Strasburg, PA, 2002). The West Side Applications are indexed in the finding aid located in the Search Room Self Service Area.

In 1768 a New Purchase of land from the Indians opened a vast new region to settlement. Part of a broader agreement negotiated with the Iroquois at Fort Stanwix, the New Purchase opened western land that was better situated for settlers to compete for the Indian trade in the Illinois Territory. The New Purchase also encouraged Pennsylvanians to settle along the upper Susquehanna in order to prevent Connecticut settlers of the Susquehanna Company from moving further west into territory claimed by Pennsylvania. Originally recorded in New York in 1781, a copy of the New Purchase Treaty was entered in the Rolls Office in Philadelphia (Deed Book D-3, page 23). Another copy was also entered in Lancaster County Deed Book U, page 68 because one of the provisions of the purchase conveyed Conestoga Indian land located in Lancaster County to the proprietors. The information contained in the New Purchase applications has been published and indexed internally in Pennsylvania Land Applications, Volume 2: New Purchase Applications, 1769-1773 by Kenneth D. McCrea (Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, 2003).

The General Assembly used the Purchase of 1784, or Last Purchase, as an opportunity to implement new land laws and procedures. Land located west of the Allegheny River and Conewango Creek was set aside for Depreciation and Donation lands while land east of these rivers was opened to settlement as soon as preemption applications by squatters already living in the area between Lycoming Creek and Pine Creek were settled. Depreciation Land was sold to compensate veterans of the Revolutionary War who had received pay in depreciated currency and Donation Land was provided to officers and veterans of the Pennsylvania Line who served for the duration of the war. After the preemption claims were settled the initial sale of land in the eastern portion of the Last Purchase took place through the Northumberland Lottery.

From 1784-1794 an application for improved land was usually called an "entry" and was certified by two justices of the peace for the county. Between 1794 and 1817 entries were the only type of application accepted as the Land Office required settlement, improvement, and cultivation before granting land. After 1817, when most of the state's lands had been transferred to private ownership, the Land Office again accepted applications for unimproved land. Most applications have not been indexed but can be located by searching backward from the date of the warrant.

Arranged chronologically by date of warrant, except for the period 1762-1776 when they are filed first by year, then by first letter of surname of applicant, then by month and day. (If more than one applicant's name appears on the document, it will be filed by the name of the first applicant mentioned.).

Partially indexed only for the East Side and West Side Applications. Index for East Side Applications in Kenneth D. McCrea, Pennsylvania Land Applications, Volume 1: East Side Applications, 1765-1769 (Strasburg, PA: Pennsylvania Chapter, Palatines in America, 2002). Index to West Side Applications is located in the Search Roomn Self Service Area.

Original loose applications, 68 cartons of which are laminated. With an average of 36 folders per carton and 26 documents per folder, the series contains over 65,000 documents. The information given on each application is the date, the name of the applicant, the acreage, and a very brief description of the location of the land. From the mid-1870s the application is accompanied by a proof of publication record. The applicant's signature does not usually appear and the handwriting on the applications is usually that of local officials or other literate people residing in the county of origin, not the applicants themselves. There are few applications for the period prior to 1740. The series has been digitized through 1947.

Arranged chronologically by date of warrant.

Loose lists of applications giving the name of the applicant, the amount of money remitted, and a brief description of the location of the tract.

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

Approximately 550 papers, each containing several original warrant applications that were carried to the Land Office in Philadelphia by a representative from a particular geographical area. The information given is the date of the application, the name of the applicant, the quantity and location of the land, and generally a statement certifying the accuracy of the entries on the list and the signature of the person delivering the applications to the secretary of the Land Office.

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

Original applications for which warrants were never issued. The information given for each application is the date, the name of the applicant, the quantity and location of the land, and usually a statement certifying the accuracy of the entries and the signature of the person delivering the applications to the Secretary of the Land Office.

Arranged alphabetically by first letter of surname of applicant.

Approximately 230 documents containing either single applications for warrants or lists of multiple applications. The information given is the date of each application, the name of the applicant, and the quantity and location of the land.

Arranged sequentially by application number.

Indexed in Kenneth D. McCrea, Pennsylvania Land Applications, Volume 2: New Purchase Applications, 1769-1773 (Philadelphia: Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, 2003).

Original applications for land in the New Purchase acquired from the Indians in 1768. The information in these applications includes the application date, application number, name of applicant, number of acres, and a description of the location of the tract. All of the information has been copied verbatim into the New Purchase register. The tracts covered lie inside the present-day counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Washington, Greene, Fayette, Westmoreland, Indiana, Cambria, Somerset, Clearfield, Centre, Union, Lycoming, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia, Luzerne, Sullivan, Bradford, Wyoming, Susquehanna, Lackawanna, and Wayne Counties.

No apparent arrangement.

Applications, receipts, prevention certificates and related papers concerning tracts located primarily in the regions encompassed by the New Purchase and the Last Purchase but also including tracts in the earlier settled parts of the state. Many of the applications are undated and were formerly part of a larger collection of miscellaneous Land Office records. A few surveys are also found interspersed through these applications. The information typically found is name of each applicant, date of application, and the location and acreage of the tract.

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

Six folders dated May 4 through October 24, 1785 containing Last Purchase preemption applications filed by squatters who were already living on land located between Lycoming Creek and Pine Creek at the time of the Purchase of 1784. Information given is the name of applicant, the chain of title from original squatter, location of the tract, names of adjoining owners, a statement by at least one deponent, and certification by a justice of the peace. The Last Purchase covered all or a portion of the present day counties of Beaver, Allegheny, Butler, Armstrong, Jefferson, Clearfield, Clinton, Cameron, Clarion, Venango, Lawrence, Mercer, Crawford, Erie, Warren, Forest, Elk, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Bradford, and Lycoming Counties.

Arranged more or less chronologically by date of application.

Twenty-five folders containing multiple applications on single sheets of paper with a few single applications sheets filed among them. The information given for each application is the date, application number, applicant's name, number of acres, and a description of the location of the tract.

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

Original warrant applications filed after passage of the Vacant Land Law of 1792. Information given is the date of each application, the name of the applicant, the names of persons owning land bordering on two sides of the tract, and the name of the county where the tract was located.

Grouped alphabetically by name of river and thereunder chronologically by date of application.

Original applications for warrants issued under the provisions of the 1848 act to sell tracts of land in the beds of navigable rivers. Repealed in 1849, this law was revived in Allegheny County in 1856 and in Fayette County in 1864. Most of the resulting patents were granted for riverbeds over coal deposits on the northeast Branch of the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County.

Information provided by each application includes the applicant's name, the name of the river, and a brief description of the location. The waterways involved are the Allegheny River, Bald Eagle Creek, Beaver Creek, Cheat Creek, Juniata River, Kiskiminetas Creek, Monongahela River, Ohio River, Schuylkill River, Susquehanna River, Swatara Creek, and Youghiogheny Creek.

Arranged numerically by case number.

Correspondence, warrant applications, title search sheets, affidavits of title, published notices and professionally prepared surveys required for the sale of land by the Commonwealth. Though most functional series of land records consist of discrete types of records such as applications for warrants, warrants, surveys, returns of survey, patents, and deeds, the most recent grants of land in Pennsylvania have resulted in case files. Not until 1905 did the Land Office maintain a record of vacant tracts, making purchasers responsible for proving that no one else held title to the land. During the twentieth century the process of proving that land was free of prior claims became formalized in a way that generated files containing the complete set of records required to prove that the land being granted was adequately researched and advertised, professionally surveyed, and free of conflicting claims. Information given in each case file is the name and address of the applicant, location of the tract, names and addresses of any adjacent property owners, a history of previous occupancy or of prior legal claims, a survey showing courses and distances, the acreage of the tract, the date of survey, and materials documenting the nature and disposition of any competing legal claims.

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

Applications for land on which the Land Office refused to issue warrants. Information given is the date of the application, the name of the applicant, the name of the town and county where the applicant resided, the name of the county where the tract was located, the names of warrantees owning adjacent tracts and the date of refusal.

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

Warrant applications on which money was returned to the applicant after the application was invalidated. Information given is the name of the applicant, name of the town and county where applicant resided, the acreage of the tract, the name of the county where located, and the name of the justice of the peace who had sworn that no warrant had been issued.

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

Applications for warrants against which caveats were filed. Information provided is the name of the applicant, the location of the tract, the names of adjoining landowners, the signatures of the applicant and a justice of the peace, and attached depositions containing sworn testimony challenging the application. The caveat papers frequently include diagrams of the tract.

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

Applications for warrants that were withdrawn. Information given is the name of the applicant, the location of the tract, the names of adjoining landowners, the signatures of the applicant and a justice of the peace, and letters or depositions from persons objecting to the application.

Arranged alphabetically by name of applicant and thereunder chronologically.

Correspondence and legal opinions on applications for warrants and patents that were never assigned. Information given is the name and address of the applicant, the location of the tract, and occasionally maps, drawings, and detailed legal depositions and decisions.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Transcripts of warrant applications giving the name of each applicant, the acreage, and usually a vague description of the location where a tract was sought.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed internally by surname of applicant.

Transcripts of original warrant applications giving name of each applicant, acreage, the name of an adjoining purchaser, and a brief description of the location.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Transcripts of original warrant applications giving name of each applicant, acreage, name of an adjoining land owner, and a brief description of the location.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Transcripts of original warrant applications submitted in the right of others. Information given is the name of applicant, acreage, name of an adjoining landowner, and a brief description of the location.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Transcripts of original warrant applications giving name of applicant, acreage, name of an adjoining landowner, and a brief description of the location.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Transcripts of applications for warrants giving the name of the applicant, the acreage, the name of an adjoining landowner, the location and the date from which interest and quitrent was due.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Transcripts of warrants to accept a survey. Information given is the name of the applicant, the acreage of the tract, the name of an adjoining owner, the township and county where located, and the date from which interest and quitrent was due.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed in Index to New Purchase Register {series #17.52}.

Transcripts of applications for warrants to accept a survey. Information given is the date of each application, the application number, the name of the applicant, the acreage of the tract, the name of an adjoining owner, the township and county where located, and the date from which interest and quitrent was due. The term Last Purchase in the title refers to the most recent purchase made by the proprietary government at that time, this being the purchase of 1768, usually now referred to as the New Purchase. The tracts covered lie inside the present-day counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Washington, Greene, Fayette, Westmoreland, Indiana, Cambria, Somerset, Clearfield, Centre, Union, Lycoming, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia, Luzerne, Sullivan, Bradford, Wyoming, Susquehanna, Lackawanna, and Wayne Counties.

Arranged sequentially by application number.

An incomplete register of applications received by Surveyor General John Lukens for vacant land on the east side of the Susquehanna River that were surveyed and returned under the conditions published by the Secretary of the Land Office on August 5, 1765. On June 17, 1765 a new application system was implemented making a formal application the required first step in the patenting process. The new procedures also introduced a new type of warrant, called a warrant to accept, that was granted after a survey was conducted. Under the new system, the applicant was to appear in person at the Land Office in Philadelphia where his name, the date of application, and the description of the land were entered in a special application book. To curb speculation, each applicant was limited to a maximum of 300 acres.

The Secretary of the Land Office sent copies of applications to the surveyor general who registered the receipt of the copies in his application book and these copies accompanied the orders to survey sent to the deputy surveyors. The survey was to be completed in six months and a drawing showing courses, distances, and adjoining owners returned to the surveyor general. The applicant had another six months to produce a certified statement of his settlement date and the nature of his improvement and to pay the receiver general for the land. After payment was made, a warrant was sent to the surveyor general telling him to accept the survey and to send a return of survey to the Secretary's office where the secretary made out a patent from the return of survey.

To avoid overloading the Land Office, the new application system was first implemented for settled unwarranted land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River and was extended to the lands on the western side of the river in 1766. The information contained in the East Side Applications has been published and indexed internally in Pennsylvania Land Applications, Volume 1: East Side Applications, 1765-1769 by Kenneth D. McCrea (Pennsylvania Chapter, Palatines in America: Strasburg, PA, 2002).

Information given is the application number (1 through 1,644), date of application, acreage, applicant's name, and occasionally the date survey was received, date returned, and the number of acres and perches returned.

Arranged sequentially by application number.

Register of applications taken for vacant land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River under the terms published by the Secretary of the Land Office on August 5, 1765. On June 17, 1765 a new application system was implemented making a formal application the required first step in the patenting process. The new procedures also introduced a new type of warrant, called a warrant to accept, that was granted after a survey was conducted. Under the new system, the applicant was to appear in person at the Land Office in Philadelphia where his name, the date of application, and the description of the land were entered in a special application book. To curb speculation, each applicant was limited to a maximum of 300 acres.

The Secretary of the Land Office sent copies of applications to the surveyor general who registered the receipt of the copies in his application book and these copies accompanied the orders to survey sent to the deputy surveyors. The survey was to be completed in six months and a drawing showing courses, distances, and adjoining owners returned to the surveyor general. The applicant had another six months to produce a certified statement of his settlement date and the nature of his improvement and to pay the receiver general for the land. After payment was made, a warrant was sent to the surveyor general telling him to accept the survey and to send a return of survey to the Secretary's office where the secretary made out a patent from the return of survey.

To avoid overloading the Land Office, the new application system was first implemented for settled unwarranted land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River and was extended to the lands on the western side of the river in 1766. The information contained in the East Side Applications has been published and indexed internally in Pennsylvania Land Applications, Volume 1: East Side Applications, 1765-1769 by Kenneth D. McCrea (Pennsylvania Chapter, Palatines in America: Strasburg, PA, 2002).

Information given is the application date, application number (1 through 2,240 only), name of the applicant, number of acres, the name or names of purchasers of adjoining tracts, and a brief description of the location. Scattered through the volume are certifications that the Surveyor General had received all fees up to that date.

Arranged numerically by application number.

A 19^th-century working register used by the Land Office staff before the 1949 register was prepared. Information given for all 4,160 East Side Applications is the date, application number, name of applicant, number of acres, and a description giving the names of purchasers of adjoining tracts.On June 17, 1765 a new application system was implemented making a formal application the required first step in the patenting process. The new procedures also introduced a new type of warrant, called a warrant to accept, that was granted after a survey was conducted. Under the new system, the applicant was to appear in person at the Land Office in Philadelphia where his name, the date of application, and the description of the land were entered in a special application book. To curb speculation, each applicant was limited to a maximum of 300 acres.

The Secretary of the Land Office sent copies of applications to the surveyor general who registered the receipt of the copies in his application book and these copies accompanied the orders to survey sent to the deputy surveyors. The survey was to be completed in six months and a drawing showing courses, distances, and adjoining owners returned to the surveyor general. The applicant had another six months to produce a certified statement of his settlement date and the nature of his improvement and to pay the receiver general for the land. After payment was made, a warrant was sent to the surveyor general telling him to accept the survey and to send a return of survey to the Secretary's office where the secretary made out a patent from the return of survey.

To avoid overloading the Land Office, the new application system was first implemented for settled unwarranted land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River and was extended to the lands on the western side of the river in 1766. The information contained in the East Side Applications has been published and indexed internally in Pennsylvania Land Applications, Volume 1: East Side Applications, 1765-1769 by Kenneth D. McCrea (Pennsylvania Chapter, Palatines in America: Strasburg, PA, 2002).

Arranged numerically by application number.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of applicant.

Prepared in 1949, this volume contains the complete abstracts of all 4,160 East Side Applications giving such information as the date, application number, number of acres, the copied survey volume, a description, and the township and county where located. Also present are several alphabetical indexes for current counties, for townships within current counties, and a complete alphabetical listing correlating applicant's names with application numbers.On June 17, 1765 a new application system was implemented to increase the sale of land by speeding up the purchase procedures, the first step of which was making a formal application. The new procedures also introduced a new type of warrant, called a warrant to accept, that was granted after a survey was conducted. Under the new system, the applicant was to appear in person at the Land Office in Philadelphia where his name, the date of application, and the description of the land were entered in a special application book. To curb speculation, each applicant was limited to a maximum of 300 acres.

The Secretary of the Land Office sent copies of applications to the surveyor general who registered the receipt of the copies in his application book and these copies accompanied the orders to survey sent to the deputy surveyors. The survey was to be completed in six months and a drawing showing courses, distances, and adjoining owners returned to the surveyor general. The applicant had another six months to produce a certified statement of his settlement date and the nature of his improvement and to pay the receiver general for the land. After payment was made, a warrant was sent to the surveyor general telling him to accept the survey and to send a return of survey to the Secretary's office where the secretary made out a patent from the return of survey.

To avoid overloading the Land Office, the new application system was first implemented for settled unwarranted land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River and was extended to the lands on the western side of the river in 1766. The information contained in the East Side Applications has been published and indexed internally in Pennsylvania Land Applications, Volume 1: East Side Applications, 1765-1769 by Kenneth D. McCrea (Pennsylvania Chapter, Palatines in America: Strasburg, PA, 2002).

Arranged numerically by application number.

The Secretary's East Side Application books giving each application number, name of applicant, number of acres, and a description including township and county. Binding 108 ends with application number 3,499 dated July 29, 1768 and Binding 109 continues through application number 4,160 dated September 6, 1769.On June 17, 1765 a new application system was implemented making a formal application the required first step in the patenting process. The new procedures also introduced a new type of warrant, called a warrant to accept, that was granted after a survey was conducted. Under the new system, the applicant was to appear in person at the Land Office in Philadelphia where his name, the date of application, and the description of the land were entered in a special application book. To curb speculation, each applicant was limited to a maximum of 300 acres.

The Secretary of the Land Office sent copies of applications to the surveyor general who registered the receipt of the copies in his application book and these copies accompanied the orders to survey sent to the deputy surveyors. The survey was to be completed in six months and a drawing showing courses, distances, and adjoining owners returned to the surveyor general. The applicant had another six months to produce a certified statement of his settlement date and the nature of his improvement and to pay the receiver general for the land. After payment was made, a warrant was sent to the surveyor general telling him to accept the survey and to send a return of survey to the Secretary's office where the secretary made out a patent from the return of survey.

To avoid overloading the Land Office, the new application system was first implemented for settled unwarranted land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River and was extended to the lands on the western side of the river in 1766. The information contained in the East Side Applications has been published and indexed internally in Pennsylvania Land Applications, Volume 1: East Side Applications, 1765-1769 by Kenneth D. McCrea (Pennsylvania Chapter, Palatines in America: Strasburg, PA, 2002).

Grouped alphabetically by county and township and thereunder arranged numerically by application number.

An index prepared during the nineteenth century for accessing applications for land granted on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River under the conditions published by the Secretary of the Land Office on August 5, 1765. The information given is the application number, name of the applicant, and the volume, book, and page number where copied.On June 17, 1765 a new application system was implemented making a formal application the required first step in the patenting process. The new procedures also introduced a new type of warrant, called a warrant to accept, that was granted after a survey was conducted. Under the new system, the applicant was to appear in person at the Land Office in Philadelphia where his name, the date of application, and the description of the land were entered in a special application book. To curb speculation, each applicant was limited to a maximum of 300 acres.

The Secretary of the Land Office sent copies of applications to the surveyor general who registered the receipt of the copies in his application book and these copies accompanied the orders to survey sent to the deputy surveyors. The survey was to be completed in six months and a drawing showing courses, distances, and adjoining owners returned to the surveyor general. The applicant had another six months to produce a certified statement of his settlement date and the nature of his improvement and to pay the receiver general for the land. After payment was made, a warrant was sent to the surveyor general telling him to accept the survey and to send a return of survey to the Secretary's office where the secretary made out a patent from the return of survey.

To avoid overloading the Land Office, the new application system was first implemented for settled unwarranted land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River and was extended to the lands on the western side of the river in 1766. The information contained in the East Side Applications has been published and indexed internally in Pennsylvania Land Applications, Volume 1: East Side Applications, 1765-1769 by Kenneth D. McCrea (Pennsylvania Chapter, Palatines in America: Strasburg, PA, 2002).

Grouped alphabetically by county and township and thereunder arranged numerically by application number.

A recopied index covering all applications numbered 1-4,160 for lands located west of the Susquehanna River. Information given is the application date, application number, applicant's name, and the volume, book, and page number where copied. On June 17, 1765 a new application system was implemented making a formal application the required first step in the patenting process. The new procedures also introduced a new type of warrant, called a warrant to accept, that was granted after a survey was conducted. Under the new system, the applicant was to appear in person at the Land Office in Philadelphia where his name, the date of application, and the description of the land were entered in a special application book. To curb speculation, each applicant was limited to a maximum of 300 acres.

The Secretary of the Land Office sent copies of applications to the surveyor general who registered the receipt of the copies in his application book and these copies accompanied the orders to survey sent to the deputy surveyors. The survey was to be completed in six months and a drawing showing courses, distances, and adjoining owners returned to the surveyor general. The applicant had another six months to produce a certified statement of his settlement date and the nature of his improvement and to pay the receiver general for the land. After payment was made, a warrant was sent to the surveyor general telling him to accept the survey and to send a return of survey to the Secretary's office where the secretary made out a patent from the return of survey.

To avoid overloading the Land Office, the new application system was first implemented for settled unwarranted land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River and was extended to the lands on the western side of the river in 1766. The West Side tracts lie inside the present day counties of York, Adams, Franklin, Fulton, Bedford, Blair, Huntingdon, Cumberland, Perry, Juniata, Snyder, Union, and the southern portions of Mifflin, and Centre.

Arranged numerically by application number.

A complete register for all 5,595 West Side Applications giving for each the date, application number, name of the applicant, acreage, and a brief description of the location of the tract. On June 17, 1765 a new application system was implemented making a formal application the required first step in the patenting process. The new procedures also introduced a new type of warrant, called a warrant to accept, that was granted after a survey was conducted. Under the new system, the applicant was to appear in person at the Land Office in Philadelphia where his name, the date of application, and the description of the land were entered in a special application book. To curb speculation, each applicant was limited to a maximum of 300 acres.

The Secretary of the Land Office sent copies of applications to the surveyor general who registered the receipt of the copies in his application book and these copies accompanied the orders to survey sent to the deputy surveyors. The survey was to be completed in six months and a drawing showing courses, distances, and adjoining owners returned to the surveyor general. The applicant had another six months to produce a certified statement of his settlement date and the nature of his improvement and to pay the receiver general for the land. After payment was made, a warrant was sent to the surveyor general telling him to accept the survey and to send a return of survey to the Secretary's office where the secretary made out a patent from the return of survey.

To avoid overloading the Land Office, the new application system was first implemented for settled unwarranted land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River and was extended to the lands on the western side of the river in 1766. The West Side tracts lie inside the present day counties of York, Adams, Franklin, Fulton, Bedford, Blair, Huntingdon, Cumberland, Perry, Juniata, Snyder, Union, and the southern portions of Mifflin, and Centre.

Arranged numerically by application number.

Indexed internally.

The register from which the digitized microfilm was prepared. Information given is the application date, application number, applicant's name, acreage, copied survey number, and description or location of land. The names of the current county and township have been added to most of the entries. On June 17, 1765 a new application system was implemented for settling unwarranted land on the western shore of the Susquehanna River. The purpose of the new process was to increase the sales of land by speeding up the purchase procedures, the first step of which was the submission a formal application. The new procedures also introduced a new type of warrant, called a warrant to accept, that was granted after a survey was conducted. Under the new system, the applicant was to appear in person at the Land Office in Philadelphia where his name, the date of application, and the description of the land were entered in a special application book. To curb speculation, each applicant was limited to a maximum of 300 acres.

The Secretary of the Land Office sent copies of applications to the surveyor general who registered the receipt of the copies in his application book and these copies accompanied the orders to survey sent to the deputy surveyors. The survey was to be completed in six months and a drawing showing courses, distances, and adjoining owners returned to the surveyor general. The applicant had another six months to produce a certified statement of his settlement date and the nature of his improvement and to pay the receiver general for the land. After payment was made, a warrant was sent to the surveyor general telling him to accept the survey and to send a return of survey to the Secretary's office where the secretary made out a patent from the return of survey.

To avoid overloading the Land Office, the new application system was first implemented for settled unwarranted land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River and was extended to the lands on the western side of the river in 1766. The West Side tracts lie inside the present day counties of York, Adams, Franklin, Fulton, Bedford, Blair, Huntingdon, Cumberland, Perry, Juniata, Snyder, Union, and the southern portions of Mifflin, and Centre.

Arranged numerically by application number.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of applicant.

This is the second of two West Side register volumes, the first of which is missing. The entries commence with application number 3,037 dated March 1, 1767 and run through 5,595. Information given is the date, application number, applicant's name, acreage, copied survey number, and description or location of land. On June 17, 1765 a new application system was implemented making a formal application the required first step in the patenting process. The new procedures also introduced a new type of warrant, called a warrant to accept, that was granted after a survey was conducted. Under the new system, the applicant was to appear in person at the Land Office in Philadelphia where his name, the date of application, and the description of the land were entered in a special application book. To curb speculation, each applicant was limited to a maximum of 300 acres.

The Secretary of the Land Office sent copies of applications to the surveyor general who registered the receipt of the copies in his application book and these copies accompanied the orders to survey sent to the deputy surveyors. The survey was to be completed in six months and a drawing showing courses, distances, and adjoining owners returned to the surveyor general. The applicant had another six months to produce a certified statement of his settlement date and the nature of his improvement and to pay the receiver general for the land. After payment was made, a warrant was sent to the surveyor general telling him to accept the survey and to send a return of survey to the Secretary's office where the secretary made out a patent from the return of survey.

To avoid overloading the Land Office, the new application system was first implemented for settled unwarranted land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River and was extended to the lands on the western side of the river in 1766. The West Side tracts lie inside the present day counties of York, Adams, Franklin, Fulton, Bedford, Blair, Huntingdon, Cumberland, Perry, Juniata, Snyder, Union, and the southern portions of Mifflin, and Centre.

Grouped alphabetically by county and township, and thereunder arranged numerically by application number.

Indexed internally alphabetically by surname of applicant.

A handwritten register of New Purchase applications giving application date, application number, name of applicant, number of acres, a description of the location, and the survey volume, book, and page number. The tracts covered lie inside the present-day counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Washington, Greene, Fayette, Westmoreland, Indiana, Cambria, Somerset, Clearfield, Centre, Union, Lycoming, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia, Luzerne, Sullivan, Bradford, Wyoming, Susquehanna, Lackawanna, and Wayne Counties.For a depiction of the actual boundaries of the New Purchase see the Genealogical Map of the Counties that appears in Donna Bingham Munger, Pennsylvania Land Records, A History and Guide for Research (Wilmington: Scholarly Resources, Inc., 1991).

Grouped alphabetically by county and township, and thereunder arranged numerically by application number.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of applicant.

A typed register of applications for land in the New Purchase of 1768. Information given is the date of application, application number, name of applicant, acreage, a description of the location, names of adjoining landowners, the county and township, and the volume, book, and page where recorded. The tracts covered lie inside the present-day counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Washington, Greene, Fayette, Westmoreland, Indiana, Cambria, Somerset, Clearfield, Centre, Union, Lycoming, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia, Luzerne, Sullivan, Bradford, Wyoming, Susquehanna, Lackawanna, and Wayne Counties. These entries provide some of the earliest documentary evidence of individual settlers in central and western Pennsylvania. For a depiction of the actual boundaries of the New Purchase see the Genealogical Map of the Counties that appears in Donna Bingham Munger, Pennsylvania Land Records, A History and Guide for Research (Wilmington: Scholarly Resources, Inc., 1991). The first several pages of this register contain entries identifying officers who served in the 1st and 2nd battalions under Colonel Bouquet during Pontiac's Rebellion in 1764. They were rewarded for their service by a grant of 24,000 acres located along the waters of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River in parcels of not less than 8,000 acres and then divided amongst themselves. These grants were authorized on February 3, 1769 and laid out in three locations. The Susquehanna River Tract lies entirely in present day Northumberland County and extends along the east shore of the West Branch from the northern portion of Point Township through most of the length of Delaware Township. The Buffalo Valley Tract lies enturely within Union County. The Bald Eagle Tract lies along the Bald Eagle Creek in portions of present-day Centre and Clinton Counties. Connected drafts of these three "Officer's Tracts" are depicted in Kenneth D. McCrea, Pennsylvania Land Applications, Volume 2: New Purchase Applications, 1769-1773 (Philadelphia, Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, 2003), pp. xxiv-xxvii.

Arranged numerically by application number.

A register prepared in the Secretary's office containing certifications that the contents are "true transcripts of original applications" sent to the Surveyor General for land lying in the New Purchase. Information given for each application is the date received, application number, applicant's name, acreage, and a brief description of the location. Occasional notations entered at a later date indicate whether the return of survey or warrant was eventually granted to another individual than the original applicant. The tracts covered lie inside the present-day counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Washington, Greene, Fayette, Westmoreland, Indiana, Cambria, Somerset, Clearfield, Centre, Union, Lycoming, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia, Luzerne, Sullivan, Bradford, Wyoming, Susquehanna, Lackawanna, and Wayne Counties.

Grouped by county and thereunder arranged chronologically by date of application.

A list of applicants for vacant unwarranted land located within the Purchases of 1768 and earlier. Information given is the application date, the applicant's name, the number of applications submitted on the tract, and a brief description of the location.

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

Record of applications for vacant unwarranted land within the purchases of 1768 and earlier. Information given is application date, name of applicant, number of applications, and location.

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

An applications register created after passage of the Vacant Land Law of 1792. Information given is the date of application, name of applicant, acreage, and a brief description of the location.

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

An application register for vacant land granted under the provisions of new legislation passed in 1905 and 1909 designed to conserve forested land. This legislation gave the State Forestry Reserve Commission the right of first refusal on any new tracts for which applications were received. Information given is the applicant's name and address, the county and township where the tract was located, the acreage, the date when the investigative report was filed, the date when the report was referred to the State Forestry Reservation Commission, the date the report was received back from the forestry commission, the date the notice was forwarded to the applicant, the appraisement per acre, the amount of purchase money collected, the date the purchase money was received, the name of the warrantee and the date the warrant was issued.

Grouped alphabetically by surname of applicant.

An index for application numbers 1 through 3267 for land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River. Information given is name of applicant and application number.

Index to East Side Applications,

1765-1769.

(1 volume, Binding 106)

LO 25.117 PLR 77

{series #17.50} [Holdings]

Grouped alphabetically by surname of applicant.

An index for applications for land on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River. Information given is name of applicant and application number.

Grouped alphabetically by surname of applicant.

Index for application numbers 1-3854 for land located in the New Purchase. Information given is the name of the applicant and the application number.

Arranged alphabetically by surname of applicant.

A complete index to the bound volume entitled Applications for Survey, Last Purchase, 1769-1773, Nos. 1-3849 {series #17.31}.

Originally, a warrant was an order to conduct a survey and was issued by the Secretary of Proprietary Affairs upon receiving approval from either the Proprietor or the Commissioners of Property. The warrant specified the amount of land to be surveyed and, during the earliest years, whether the warrantee was an Original Purchaser, Under Purchaser, After Purchaser, renter or servant. If the warrantee was an Original Purchaser who purchased his right directly from William Penn the warrant specifies the amount of land originally purchased. If the warrantee purchased the land through the right of an Original Purchaser he is called an Under Purchaser and the chain of title is given. If the warrantee is an After Purchaser, renter, or servant, the sale price or terms of rent and the amount of quitrent is given. Many warrants specify that land to be surveyed was to be free of Indian claim and had to be improved within six months. Most warrants issued between 1682 and 1732 were not descriptive. After 1700 William Penn also issued warrants to re-survey all large tracts in the Province with the intention of collecting revenue from payments for over-plus land. This re-survey was occasioned by Penn's frequently accurate suspicion that many surveyors, in exchange for a financial consideration from the purchasers, had exceeded the six percent allowance of over-plus land provided for the eventual laying out of roads.

During the first century of the Commonwealth the Land Office was a separate government agency and issued warrants to authorize surveys for unsettled unimproved land and warrants to accept surveys for settled and improved land. From 1794 to 1817 the Commonwealth accepted only warrants for improved land not yet surveyed or warrants to accept based on an earlier survey when the applicant could prove chain of title from a survey that was already on file with the deputy surveyor of the Land Office. After 1817, warrants to survey were again granted for either improved or unimproved land. Written by the Secretary of the Land Office, the warrants were given to each warrantee unsigned and without the Land Office seal. The warrantee carried the warrant to the treasurer's office where an account was opened and the purchase money collected. With the warrant and receipt in hand the warrantee returned to the Secretary's office where the warrant was signed, a seal was affixed, and the warrant was recorded in a warrantee book. The warrantee then carried the warrant to the Surveyor General's office where the warrant was filed until the survey was completed and the purchaser applied for a patent. Though different forms of warrants were issued for such programs as the Northumberland Lottery, Depreciation and Donation Land Programs, and lands sold under the Vacant Land Law of 1792, they all generally give the purchase rate per one hundred acres, the time allotted for payment, and any quitrent. Operating on feudal precedents of services due to the lord of the manor, Penn fully intended to collect annual quitrents on land sold in Pennsylvania but met stiff resistance in his efforts and never succeeded in realizing more than a small amount of the rents due. Quitrents were discontinued after the erection of the Commonwealth during the Revolutionary War.

Grouped by county of jurisdiction at the time the warrant was granted and grouped thereunder alphabetically by the first letter of the last name of the warrantee, then arranged by warrant number.

Indexed externally in the various warrant and Old Rights registers and warrant indexes {series

-17.111} but most comprehensively in Warrant Registers with Green Covers, 1733-1957{series #17.88}.

Loose original warrants for land granted in Pennsylvania under the Proprietary government. Information generally given is the date of the warrant, warrant number, name of warrantee, name of county, acreage warranted, location, a recitation of any descent of title, and whether any improvements were made on the land. Occasionally also found is information on whether the warrant was issued as a result of a re-survey or was a warrant to accept a survey. Most of the warrants for the 1682-1732 period were copied into the Transcripts of Old Rights Warrants, 1682-1732 {series #17.74} (volumes D-91 through D-114, B-22, and B-23).

Grouped alphabetically by county.

Miscellaneous loose warrants and copies of warrants relating to area encompassed by the Last Purchase (1784), in which land was sold after the Divesting Act of 1779. This series should simply be called “Miscellaneous Warrants and Related Papers.” About half of them cover the period 1774-1776. Almost an entire folder contains documetns dated in the early 1700’s (c.1708). Many of the other warrants date from the 1760’s (especially 1766-1768).

Information generally given is the date of the warrant, warrant number, name of warrantee, name of county, acreage warranted, location of tract, and a brief description of tract. The last folder contains a miscellaneous assortment of applications, warrants and related papers.

Arranged alphabetically by surname of warrantee.

Warrants issued for land in the manor of Springettsbury in present day York County. Information given is the date of warrant, name of warrantee, names of owners of adjacent tracts, acreage warranted, and location of tract.

Arranged numerically by assigned number.

Forty warrants in the names of John Baynton and Samuel Wharton and eighty-four warrants in the names of other individuals covering the period 1762-1766. In 1757 Philadelphia merchants John Baynton and Samuel Wharton formed a trading company and subsequently secured warrants to numerous tracts at Kittanning and along Indian paths important to their western fur trading operations. Failing to patent the tracts, they later lost them to the Commonwealth. Information given is the date of each warrant, name of warrantee, a description of the location of the tract, the amount paid, and the amount of quitrent. Attached to each original warrant is a 19^th-century tab giving the name of the person to whom the tract was ultimately sold during the 1830s, the county in which it was then located, the date recorded, and the volume, book, and page number where recorded. The collection can be accessed through a special index in the back of Warrant Register 14: Franklin, Fulton, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Snyder, Union Counties {series #17.108}and in the Baynton and Wharton Warrant Register {series #17.109}. For related materials see also the Baynton and Wharton Papers {series # 17.328} LO3.7 and the Sequestered Baynton, Wharton, and Morgan Papers (Manuscript Group 19).

Arranged alphabetically by first letter of surname and then numerically by warrant number.

Indexed in the Depreciation Land Register, undated {series #17.185}

Original warrants for tracts of land in that portion of the Last Purchase located west of the Allegheny River and Conewango Creek that were appropriated for redemption of Depreciation Certificates by the Act of March 12, 1783. A southern portion of the northwestern land was offered for sale in 1785 as Depreciation Land to redeem certificates given to Pennsylvania's Revolutionary Line soldiers to compensate them for receiving military pay in depreciated currency. Lying just to the north of the Depreciation Lands, the Donation Lands were set aside to provide tracts to donate to each Pennsylvania Line soldier and officer who served in Continental service to the end of the war. These warrants have been re-filed with Original Warrants, 1682-present. {series #17.53}. Information provided is date of warrant, name of warrantee, district and tract numbers, and name of the person who conducted the survey. Recorded at a later date on the reverse of each warrant are the district and tract numbers, date of warrant, county where located, acreage returned, name of person for whom returned, and date of return of survey. The Depreciation Lands lie within portions of present day Beaver, Allegheny, Butler, Armstrong, and Lawrence Counties and are depicted by Map 5 on page 160 in Donna Munger, Pennsylvania Land Records, A History and Guide for Research (Wilmington: Scholarly Resources, Inc., 1991)

Arranged alphabetically by surname of warrantee and then numerically by warrant number.

Indexed in Last Purchase Alphabetical Warrant Register, 1785-1821 {series #17.103}.

Original warrants granted through the Northumberland Lottery for land located in the eastern portion of the Last Purchase of 1784 that was opened to settlement under the terms of the Act of April 7 1785 after preemption applications to squatters who were already living in the area between Lycoming Creek and Pine Creek were settled. These warrants have been re-filed with Original Warrants, 1682-present. {series #17.53}. Information given is the lottery ticket number, the date of the warrant, the name of the warrantee, the warrantee's place of residence, the warrant number, the acreage, the price per acre, the county where located, and the date of the return of survey.

Arranged alphabetically by first letter of last name and then numerically by warrant numbers which were assigned chronologically.

Indexed in Last Purchase Alphabetical Warrant Register, 1785-1821 {series #17.103}.

Loose warrants granted in the eastern portion of the Last Purchase of 1784, located east of the Allegheny River and Conewango Creek. This area was opened to settlement as soon as preemption applications to squatters already in the area between Lycoming Creek and Pine Creek were settled. These warrants have been re-filed with Original Warrants, 1682-present. {series #17.53}. Information given is the date of warrant, name of the warrantee, warrant number, acreage, county where located, and the date of the return of survey.

Warrants Written but Not Issued, Warrants Signed but Not Pursued, Deputy Counterparts, and Related Records,

1704-1905.

(10 cartons)

PLR 202

{series #17.527} [Holdings] [Images]

Arranged numerically by an assigned number.

Partially indexed internally, alphabetically by name of warrantee.

Warrants for tracts that were written but never issued, warrants signed and issued by the Land Office that were never acted upon, and copies of warrants that ordinarily would have been sent to the deputy surveyors.  Information generally given is the date of the warrant, name of warrantee, name of county, acreage warranted, location, a recitation of any descent of title, date of survey or return, and whether any improvements were made on the land.  An accompanying partial index gives the warrantee’s name, date of warrant, county, and document number assigned to the warrant. 

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of warrantee.

The proprietary secretary's earliest book copy of warrants. Information given is name of warrantee, acreage warranted, location of the tract, and date of warrant. The 1759 transcripts for this series are in Proprietary Warrants {series #17.65}(Bindings 26 and 41) LO 25.5, 25.9.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of warrantee.

An original volume containing abstracts of warrants sent to the surveyor general. The 1759 transcript may be found in the first volume of Transcripts of Old Rights Warrants Issued, 1682-1732 {series #17.74}.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed internally alphabetically by surname of warrantee.

The 1759 transcript of Warrant Book No. 3, 1682-1684 {series #17.63}.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed externally in warrant indexes.

Copies of Old Rights warrants for the counties of Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks, New Castle, Kent and Sussex. Information given is the warrant number, name of warrantee, date of warrant, acreage, whether the land was rented and the acreage if a purchase, and occasional remarks that may give a more detailed description of the location.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

An original volume labeled "Book L" in the Secretary's office, containing copies of original warrants directed to the Surveyor General by William Penn or the Commissioners of Property. The 1759 transcript may be found in Proprietary and Commissioner Warrants, 1700-1715 {series #17.68}(Binding 36 and 37) LO 25.8.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Binding 37 covering the period 1704-1715 is indexed internally.

The 1759 transcript of Book L in the Secretary's Office. Book L was subsequently known as Warrant Book, 1700-1715 {series #17.67}.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed externally in warrant indexes.

A book copy of warrants issued by the Proprietors or the Commissioners of Property and originally labeled "Book M" in the Secretary's office. Information given is the name of warrantee, acreage warranted, county, location of tract, name of surveyor, quitrent, and names of the proprietor or commissioners. The 1759 transcript may be found in the Warrants of Property, 1715-1735 {series #17.70}(Binding 28 LO 25.6).

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

A 1759 partial transcript of Book M in the Secretary's Office. Book M was also known as Warrant Book, 1715-1741 {series #17.69}. Information given is the name of warrantee, acreage warranted, county, location of tract, name of surveyor, quitrent, and names of the Proprietor or Commissioners.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed externally in warrant indexes.

Though labeled a register, this volume actually contains transcripts of warrants issued by the Commissioners of Property and was originally labeled Book I in the secretary's office. It was also formerly erroneously identified as "Warrant Register, 1700-1705" in Pennsylvania Land Records, A History and Guide for Research by Donna Munger. Information given is the date of the warrant, the name of the warrantee, a narrative description of the basis on which the warrant was sought or granted, the location of the tract, and sometimes a detailed description of the boundaries of adjacent tracts. Also given are the names of the commissioners of property in attendance.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Section 1A contains Warrant Copies, 1729-1733 and Section 1B is a fragment of a Warrant Register, 1739-1741. A 1759 transcript that is more complete than the original is available in Warrant Register, 1733-1741 {series #17.87}(Binding 51) LO 25.11.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of warrantee.

The original from which the 1759 transcript in Old Rights, 1682-1685 {series #17.74} (Binding 58) LO 25.13 was made. Abstracts of warrants sent to Surveyor General consisting of 118 pages of purchasers and 43 pages of renters, each indexed.

Arranged within volumes chronologically in the order originally recorded.

The 1759 transcripts of original warrants. Those who invested in shares before William Penn's arrival in Pennsylvania in 1682 were called First Purchasers. The term Original Purchasers encompasses this group together with a few late purchasers. Those who bought land from the Original Purchasers were called Under Purchasers. All others who bought land directly from the Proprietors were called After Purchasers or simply purchasers. Collectively, the warrants issued to all of these categories of purchasers were classified as Old Rights. The 1759 transcript of Warrant Book, 1685-1691 {series #17.66} (Binding 14) LO 25.2 is the patent register for the dates cited.

• Old Rights, 1682-1685 (Binding 58) LO 25.13 PLR 121

• Old Rights, 1682-1683 (Binding 50) LO25.11 PLR 121

• Old Rights, 1682-1684, 1700-01 (Binding 151) PLR 121

• Old Rights, 1682-1729 (most are 1683-1709) (Binding 157) PLR 121

• Old Rights, Bucks and Chester, 1682-1740, (1 volume) LO 1.9-10 PLR 121

• Old Rights, Chester A1 to H106, 1682-1763 (most are 1684-1717) (Binding 31) LO 25.6-7 PLR 121

• Old Rights, Philadelphia I-1225 to P2420, 1682-1725 (Binding 38) LO 25.8 PLR 121

• Old Rights, Philadelphia 1682-1745 (1 volume) LO 1.10 PLR 121

• Old Rights, Bucks NO1A to P21, 1682-1757 (most are 1684-1705) (Binding 24) LO 25.5 PLR 121

• Old Rights, Bucks NO22P to Z, Warrants No. 1A-39C, 1682-1758 (most are1683-1752) (Binding 25) LO 25.5 PLR 121

• Old Rights, Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks, New Castle, Kent and Sussex, 1685-1691, 1712-1720 (Binding 23) LO 25.5 PLR 54, 121

Arranged within volumes chronologically in order originally recorded.

The 1759 transcripts of new warrants issued from 1733 are recorded in twelve volumes that may be identified as follows:

• Bucks No. 1A to 39C (Binding 25) LO 25.5 PLR 122

• Bucks C to H, 1733-1758 (Binding 30) LO 25.6 P. 122

• Bucks H-141 to M-241, 1734-1752 (Binding 52) LO 25.11 PLR 122

• Chester A1-F38, 1730-1754 (Binding 34) LO 25.7 PLR 122

• Chester P48-S111, 1733-1760 (Binding 47) LO 25.10

• Chester F39-P47, 1737-1754 (Binding 35) LO 25.7-8

• Philadelphia A1-H38 (Binding 42) LO 25.9 PLR 122

• Philadelphia H39-M96 (Binding 43) LO25.9 PLR 122

• Philadelphia M97-S262 (Binding 49) LO 25.10-11 P.122

• Lancaster A1-B386 (Binding 40) LO 25.9

• Lancaster B387-C444 (Binding 56) LO 25.12 PLR 122

• Berks A1-B81, 1761 (Binding 44) LO 25.9 PLR 122

Arranged chronologically by date of original entry.

Transcripts made during the late nineteenth century of warrants issued from the formation of the Commonwealth down to the year 1888. Information found is the same as that found on original warrants.

Arranged chronologically by date of original entry.

Transcripts of warrants that were authorized to be copied under the General Appropriations Act of 1911. Though not complete for every county, they are organized in the same way as the original warrants and the warrant registers serve as an index. Though now part of RG-17, the original white cloth bindings retain their RG-14, Department of Internal Affairs labeling since that was the department in which the Land Office was located at the time they were made.

The Warrant Registers serve as a master index for warrants, surveys, and patents. They generally give the number of the warrant; the name of the warrantee; type of warrant; quantity of land warranted; location warranted; date of warrant; date of return of survey; number of acres returned; name of the patentee; patent volume, number, and page; and survey volume, number, and page. The warrant number and the survey volume, number and page apply to both the original document and the book copy. Surveys are not indexed separately. The Old Rights Registers substitute for the Warrant Registers for the pre-1733 period. The New and Last Purchase Registers, the Depreciation and Donation Land Registers, and the Luzerne Certified Townships Register all contain references to information that cannot be found through the regular warrant registers. These latter registers will be found listed with the records of the Depreciation Land Program, Donation Land Program, and Connecticut Claims respectively.

Names are grouped alphabetically by the surname that appears on the document and then numbered consecutively under each letter.

Register of Old Rights warrants and surveys for pre-1733 Bucks and Chester counties. Information given is the number of the entry, the type of document from which the information was taken (warrant, return, draft, or re-survey), name of individual, number of acres, date of the document, and the volume, book, and page number of the survey book in which the document was entered.

Names are grouped alphabetically by the surname that appears on the document and then numbered consecutively under each letter.

Register of Old Rights warrants and surveys for pre-1733 Philadelphia city and county. Information given is the number of the entry, the type of document from which the information was taken (warrant, return, draft, or re-survey), name of individual, number of acres, date of the document, and the volume, book, and page number of the survey book in which the document was entered.

Arranged alphabetically by first letter of warrantee's surname.

Register of the names of original purchasers for Philadelphia lots. Though warrants were not normally issued for city and town lots, this register is the equivalent of a warrantee register for such lots. Information given is the acreage granted, the lot holder's name, the lot number assigned on the Old Plan, the name of the person to whom granted, the street location, the dimensions of the lot, the date of the warrant, the book and page where recorded, the date of survey and the book and page where recorded, and the date of return of survey and the book and page where recorded. The letters and numbers refer to the filing system used in the 1759 transcripts but the 1759 transcript for Philadelphia lot warrants is missing. The same original loose warrants can, however, be accessed through the Old Rights register.

Arranged alphabetically by first letter of warrantee surname.

A newer copy of Warrant Book for City Lots, 1682-1761 {series #17.80}(Binding No. 115) but also including some additional material such as a draft of Thomas Holmes's plan of the city.

Arranged alphabetically by first letter of warrantee's surname.

A register of Original Purchasers containing numerous notes and the values of assessed rents that were not transferred to the later Original Purchases Register {series #17.83}. Information given is the name of warrantee, the quantity of land warranted, the name of the person for whom returned, the quantity of land returned, the date of the warrant, the book and page number of the warrant, the date of the survey, the book and page number of the survey, the date of the return, and the book and page number of the return.

Arranged by the first letter of surname of the original purchasers.

A later version of the list of the names of First and Late Purchasers appearing in Warrant Register Book, 1682-1762 {series #17.82} (Binding 114). The letters and numbers following the date of the warrant or the date of the survey refer to the first letter of the surname and the number under which the entry will be found in the appropriate Old Rights Register such as the Old Rights Index for Bucks and Chester Counties, 1682-1740. (1 volume) {#17.78} or the Philadelphia Old Rights, 1682-1745. (1 volume) {#17.79}. (To locate "H-11" in Bucks County, for example, go to the Old Rights Register for Bucks County, select the section of surnames beginning with "H" and scan down the page to the eleventh entry.) The letter and number given for the return of survey refer to the book and page where the return of survey is recorded. The returns of survey are recorded in the following places:

A1 Returns of Surveys A-1, 1684-1693 series 17.122 Binding 68 LO 25.31
B2 Register of Surveys, 1684 series 17.124 Binding 7 LO 25.1-2
29 [Transcript] Returns of Surveys (Warrants and Surveys 3 at Philadelphia City Archives) LO 25.128
C3 Copies of Surveyor General's Warrants, 1700 Binding 1 LO 25.1
Patent Register, 1701-1728 series 17.148 Binding 5 LO 25.1
D4 Markham's Book, series 17.363 Binding 17 LO 25.3
E5 Returns [of Survey] Philadelphia City Lots No. 2 series 17.121 Binding 93 LO 25.36
F6 Deputy Surveyor's Order Book, 1682-1683 series 17.364 LO 25.36
19 Old Rights Transcripts, 1682-1684 series 17.64 Binding 50 LO 25.11
G7 Warrants, 1682-1684 series 17.63 Binding 15 LO 25.3
26 Old Rights with Index Transcript, 1682-1685 series 17.64 Binding 58 LO 25.13
H8 Returns of Surveys, 1701-[1720, 1733-1737] series 17.128 Binding 18 LO 25.3
[Transcript] Copies of the Surveyor General's Returns, 1700 (Warrants and Surveys 4 at Philadelphia City Archives) LO 25.128
[Transcript] Copies of the Surveyor General's Returns from October 29, 1733 (Warrants and Surveys 5 at Philadelphia City Archives) LO 25.129
19 Warrant Register, 1743-1745 series 17.92 Binding 119 LO 25.2
K10 Surveyor General - Returns of Surveys, No. 5, 1736-1740 series 17.136 Binding 75 Digitized Roll LO 25.32
15 [Transcript] Returns of Surveys (Warrants and Surveys 7 at Philadelphia City Archives) LO 25.129
16 [Transcript] Returns into Secretary's Office with Index series 17.346 Binding 46 LO 25.10
L11 Record of Returns of Surveys, 1740-1747 series 17.137 Binding 76 LO 25.32-33
27 [Transcript] Returns, 1740-1747 Binding 59 LO 25.13-14
M12 Return of Surveys, 1748-1753 series 17.138 Binding 19 LO 25.3-4
23 [Transcript] Return Surveys, June 1748-June 1753 with index, series 17.138 Binding 55 Lo 25.12
[Transcript] Returns of Surveys, 1753-1759 (Warrants at Surveys 8 at Philadelphia City Archives) series 17.139 LO 25.129
18 Warrant Book No. 18, series 17.95 1745-1746 Binding 12 LO 25.2
20 Warrant Book No. 20, series 17.99 1752-1753 Binding 10 LO 25.2
21 Warrant Book Index No. 21, 1751 series 17.99 List Binding 9 LO 25.2
22 Warrant Book No. 22, 1750-1751 series 17.99 Binding 8 LO 25.2
24 Warrant Book, 1747-1748 series 17.96 Binding 6c Not Digitized
27 Warrant Book No. 27, 1733-1734 series 17.85 Binding 6f LO 25.1
28 Warrant Book, 1733-1837 series 17.86 Binding 6e LO 25.1
[Transcript] Directions of Reference in the City Draight of Philadelphia to the Lots of the Purchasers series 17.249 (Warrants and Surveys 2 at the Philadelphia City Archives) LO 25.128
31 Philadelphia City Lots No. 31, Hughes List series 17.240 Binding 165 Not Digitized
32 Recorded Surveys No. 32, 1684 series 17.123 Binding 6d LO 25.1
33 New Castle County Survey Notes, 1675-1679 series 17.4 Digitized Roll 471
[Transcript] Capt. William Markham List of Papers Received, pp. 1-70 series 17.329 Binding 61 LO 25.14
[Transcript] Account of Lots Returned, 1698 series 17.249 Binding 61 LO 25.14
36 Steel's Rent Roll for Philadelphia, 1731 series 17.273 Binding 6b LO 25.1
37 [Transcript] Caveat Books 1, 2, 3 and part of 4 series 17.409 Binding 2 LO 25.14

Grouped by county and thereunder arranged alphabetically warrantee's surname.

A warrant register that fails to provide any information on where the warrants or surveys were actually recorded but does record whether the fee was paid. Information given is name of each warrantee, acreage warranted, date of warrant, whether paid, and occasionally the name of the person for whom returned.

Grouped by county and thereunder arranged alphabetically by first letter of warrantee's surname.

A warrant register for Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Lancaster, New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties. Information given is name of each warrantee, acreage, and the dates the tract was warranted, surveyed and returned.

Grouped by county and thereunder arranged by first letter of warrantee surname.

Pages 1-59 of this volume is a transcript of the information found in Warrant Book 27, 1733-1734 {series #17.85}.

Arranged chronologically by date of warrant.

The 1759 transcript of what is now Fragments of a Warrant Register, 1A-1B, 1739-1741 {series #17.91}.A chronological warrant register giving date of warrant, warrantee's name and place of residence, location of land, county, number of acres, comments, and, in a few cases, the rate per acre, amount of purchase money, and annual quitrent in sterling.

Grouped alphabetically by last name of warrantee and thereunder arranged chronologically by date.

This is the primary finding aid for locating patents and surveys when the name of the warrantee is known. Information given is warrant number, name of warrantee, type of warrant, acreage warranted, date of warrant, date of return, acreage returned, name of patentee, the patent volume, book, and page number and the survey book and page number. These registers were published in Pennsylvania Archives (series 3) volumes 24-26 but the published version omits the warrant numbers, return of survey information, and patent information. The counties are broken down as follows on the digitized microfilm reels:

LO 1.1 - Adams, York, Allegheny, Armstrong, Cambria. Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Erie, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango, Warren.

LO 1.2 - Bedford, Berks, Schuylkill, Blair, Clarion, Bradford, Columbia, Montour, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wyoming, Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne.

LO 1.3 - Monroe, Centre, Clinton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Franklin, Fulton, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Snyder, Union, Northumberland Lottery, Baynton and Wharton, Huntingdon.

LO 1.4 - Lancaster, Northampton, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, Wayne, Pike, Lehigh, Westmoreland, Washington.

The contents of the bound volumes are arranged as follows:

1 - Adams, York

2 - Allegheny

3 - Armstrong, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana and Somerset

4 - Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Erie, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango, and Warren

5 - Bedford

6 - Berks and Schuylkill

7 - Blair, Clarion

8 - Bradford, Columbia, Montour, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, and Wyoming

9 - Forrest, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Cameron, Clearfield, and Elk

10 - Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Monroe

11 - Centre and Clinton

12 - Huntington

13 - Dauphin and Lebanon

14 - Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Snyder, and Union

15 - Cumberland

16 - Lancaster

17 - Northampton

18 - Northumberland

19 - Philadelphia, Chester, Montgomery, and Delaware

20 - Lehigh, Berks, Pike, Schuylkill, and Wayne

21 - Westmoreland and Washington

Grouped by county and thereunder alphabetically by surname of warrantee.

A later set of working copies of the Warrant Registers with Green Covers {series #17.88}. Information given is the warrant number, name of warrantee, acreage warranted, date of warrant, date of return, acreage returned, name of patentee, where recorded and where survey is copied. The volumes are unnumbered but when arranged alphabetically the bindings are labeled as follows:

1 - Adams, Dauphin, Lebanon and York Counties

2 - Bedford, Huntington Counties

3 - Centre, Clinton, Clarion and Blair Counties

4 - Cumberland County

5 - Lancaster County

6 - Lehigh, Berks, Pike, Schuylkill, and Wayne Counties

7 - Luzerne County - Seventeen Certified Townships

8 - Northampton County

9 - Northumberland County

10 - Westmoreland, Washington Counties

Arranged alphabetically by first letter of warrantee surname.

These are the main indexes to the 1759 transcripts of all of the the warrant volumes. The first three pages of Binding 138 contain John Hughes' 1759 inventory of the bound volumes then extant in the Surveyor General's office while the balance contains primarily a register of Old Rights. Commencing at the end of Binding 138 this becomes a register of New Rights that continues through Binding 139. Binding 138 was formerly called Register of Old Rights and Binding 139 was called Warrant Register Book - Bucks, Chester, Philadelphia, Lancaster in Pennsylvania Land Records, A History and Guide for Research by Donna Munger.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

A warrant register bound with Fragments of Warrant Book, 1A-1B, 1729-1741 {series #17.72} that contains "Warrant Copies, 1729-1733." Information given is warrant number; the name of the warrantee; type of warrant; quantity of land warranted; location warranted; date of warrant; date of return of survey; number of acres returned; name of the patentee; patent volume, number, and page; and survey volume, number, and page. The 1759 transcript in Warrant Register, 1733-1741 {series #17.87} (Binding 51) LO 25.11 is more complete than this original fragment.

Grouped by county and arranged thereunder alphabetically by surname of warrantee.

Contains 92 of the original 128 pages for warrants granted in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Lancaster, New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties. Information given is name of warrantee, acreage, and the dates the tracts were warranted, surveyed, and returned.

Grouped by county and arranged thereunder alphabetically by surname of warrantee.

A warrant register for Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Lancaster, New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties. Information given is name of warrantee, acreage, and the dates the tracts were warranted, surveyed, and returned. Information is not complete for many entries.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Warrant register giving name of warrantee, date of warrant, location of tract, county, name of an owner of an adjoining tract, acreage, and occasional comments.

Grouped by county and thereunder alphabetically by first letter of surname of warrantee.

A warrant register for Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Lancaster, New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties. Information given is name of warrantee, acreage, the date the tract was warranted, and whether the fee was the warrant was paid.

Grouped by county and arranged thereunder alphabetically by surname.

A warrant register bearing an inscription inside the cover reading "No. 24, Warrants commencing 6^th June 1747, Anthony Palmer, Esqr., Commissioner" and covering the counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Lancaster, New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. Information given is name of warrantee, the acreage warranted, and the dates the tract was warranted, surveyed, and returned.

Grouped by county and thereunder alphabetically by first letter of warrantee surname.

A 1759 transcript of a warrant register certified by the signature of John Hughes. Information given is the name of the warrantee, the acreage warranted, and the date of the warrant.

Grouped by county and thereunder alphabetically by first letter of warrantee surname.

Warrant register giving the name of the warrantee, the acreage warranted, and the date of the warrant.

Grouped by county and thereunder alphabetically by first letter of surname of warrantee.

Warrant registers for Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Lancaster, New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties giving name of warrantee, acreage warranted, and dates warranted, surveyed, and returned. The second half of binding 8 also contains rough drafts of original surveys that are indexed internally by surname of warrantee.

Arranged chronologically by date of warrant.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of warrantee.

Warrant register giving the name of warrantee, location, county, acreage, and date warranted.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Partially indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of warrantee.

A 19^th-century working copy of warrant registers from which some volumes are missing. Information given is date of warrant, name of warrantee, number of acres warranted, location, county, and terms.

Grouped by county and arranged thereunder sequentially by warrant number.

An incomplete warrant register maintained by the Department of Internal Affairs for the counties of Bedford, Blair, Centre, Clinton, and Huntingdon Counties. Information given is warrant number, name of warrantee, type of warrant, acreage warranted, date of warrant, acreage returned, date returned for patent.

Grouped by county and arranged thereunder sequentially by warrant number.

An incomplete warrant register maintained by the Department of Internal Affairs for the counties of Armstrong, Elk, Indiana, Montour, Snyder, Washington and Westmoreland. Information given is warrant number, name of warrantee, type of warrant, acreage warranted, date of warrant, acreage returned, date returned for patent.

Grouped by county and thereunder alphabetically by first letter of warrantee surname.

Warrant register that indexes warrants granted in that portion of the Last Purchase of 1784 lying east of the Allegheny River and Conewango Creek. The information given is the warrant number, tract number, acreage, date of warrant, acreage returned, name of patentee, and where the patent and survey were recorded.

Grouped by county and thereunder alphabetically by first letter of warrantee surname.

Labeled on the binding as "Last Purchase Register," this is a second working copy of the Last Purchase Alphabetical Warrant Register, 1785-1821 {series #17.104}. The information given is the warrant number, tract number, acreage, date of warrant, acreage returned, name of patentee, and where the patent and survey were recorded.

Grouped by county and arranged thereunder chronologically by date of warrant.

Warrant registers for counties located primarily within the New Purchase of 1768 but also that portion of Tioga County that lies within the Last Purchase of 1784. Information given is warrant number, name of warrantee, type of warrant, acreage, and date of warrant.

Grouped by contiguity of tracts to selected tracts located on or adjacent to rivers and streams.

A register of applicants for warrants issued in which the tracts are related to one another by contiguity with other tracts appearing on the list. Information given is the name of the warrantee, the acreage warranted, the identification of the name of a warrantee owning an adjacent tract, and the location of the adjacent tracts with reference to rivers and streams.

Grouped by county and thereunder alphabetically by first letter of surname of warrantee.

Warrant register for lands lying within the eastern portion of the Last Purchase of 1784. Information given is name of warrantee, whether the instrument was a warrant to survey or a warrant to accept, acreage warranted, date of warrant, date of return, name of patentee, and the volume book and page numbers where the warrant and the return were recorded. Pages 321-345 serve as the warrant register for the Northumberland Lottery that was held on May 17, 1785. Information given is the lottery ticket number, name of warrantee, acreage warranted, date of warrant, date of return, acres returned, name of patentee, where recorded, and where survey is copied.

No apparent arrangement..

Filmed with the Northumberland Lottery Warrant Register in the Warrant Registers with Green Covers, 1733-1957 {series #17.88} (LO 1.1-4); this is a register for lands originally purchased by John Baynton and Samuel Wharton and subsequently patented to other purchasers. Information given is the warrant number, the name of the warrantee, acreage warranted, date of warrant, date of return, acreage returned, name of patentee, where recorded, where survey is copied, and marginal notations revealing the current county and township where located.

Grouped by county.

An original index and a later transcript referencing copied surveys of proprietary tracts. The original index was first assembled in 1734 and subsequently expanded. Information given is the name of the warrantee, acreage warranted, location of tract, and date of warrant. The transcript was probably made in the late nineteenth century and also gives the volume, book, and page number of the copied survey for each entry. This is the current working copy used for locating copied surveys. A copy of the index has been published in Pennsylvania Archives (3) 3:217-93 but does not include the citations for the survey volume, book, and page numbers.

Arranged alphabetically by surname of warrantee.

Indexes prepared for the following Warrant Books:

• Warrant Book No. 1A (undated)

• Book C (undated)

• Book D (undated)

• Book I (undated)

• Book P in the Secretary's Office (undated)

• Warrant Book #7 (undated)

• William Penn's Ledger B,1712 (Copies of Proprietary Warrants, 1700-1701)

• Warrant Book #117, 1700-1715

• New Warrant Book #118, 1715-1741

• Warrant Book #11 (August 3, 1793-January 31, 1794)

• Warrant Book #17 (January 31 - April 4, 1794)

• Warrant Book #18 (March 15, 1794-August 6, 1794)

It is not known for what books the following indexes were prepared:

• Index A-Z (undated)

• A 2-volume index to an unknown book of 291 pages and a book of at least 12 pages respectively.

Information given in each index is the name of the warrantee and the page number where warrant can be found.

A Survey was the actual process of going upon the land and measuring and marking the courses and distances of the particular tract. Upon receiving a warrant or order to survey from the Secretary of the Land Office, the Surveyor General filed the warrant in his office in Philadelphia and sent a copy to the deputy surveyor for the county where the survey was to be made. During the period 1702-1706 when there was no Surveyor General, the Secretary sent the warrant directly to the deputy surveyor. The deputy surveyor copied the order to survey in his registry book and conducted the survey, usually with the purchaser in attendance. When completed, the survey consisted of a drawing on paper and associated field measurements that was returned to the Surveyor General's office. The survey was filed beside the warrant until the buyer paid the remaining purchase money and patent fees. A copy of the survey was not given to the purchaser, although the purchaser paid the surveying fees and the cost of preparing the draft. After the purchaser made all required payments, the Surveyor General examined the survey and the deputy's calculations and if the survey matched the warrant he prepared a return of survey. Prior to 1701, not all surveys were sent to the Surveyor General and after 1701 surveys were sometimes drawn on the Surveyor General's copy of the warrant.

Many original surveys from the period 1682-1732 have survived as loose papers and may be located through the registers of Old Rights. The first book copies were made in 1759 under the law to record warrants and surveys of which some are in the Land Office collection and some are in the Philadelphia City Archives but available on digitized rolls LO 25.128-129. Another set of copies made in 1833 under a law to copy all old and mutilated records in the Land Office are working copies used today and are referred to as copied survey books. The surveys from William Penn's proprietorship are in a portion of the Copied Surveys, {series #17.114} books labeled "Old Rights." The Old Rights part of the copying project was never completed.

Arranged sequentially by the same numbering system as the copied survey books that reflect the order in which the surveys were copied.

These original surveys are on individual sheets that have been laminated and are filed in the same random order as the copied survey books. The following series and book numbers are used: A to Z, A-1 to A-89, B1 to B-23, BB-1 to BB-4, C-1 to C-234, and D-1 to D-114. Each survey is a drawing on a separate piece of paper giving courses and distances and the names of adjoining property owners, the name of the individual for whom the tract was surveyed, the acreage, and occasionally identify other significant geographical features of the landscape. The endorsement "Returned" and the date on the reverse side refer to the date the Surveyor General sent the return of survey to the Secretary of the Land Office to prepare a patent.

All original old rights warrants and surveys for the period 1682-1732 are filed as original surveys and indexed in the Old Rights registers. Most of them are in volumes D-65 through D-114. Many Philadelphia lot surveys are found in volume D-112, pp. 1-99. Those numbered D-65 through D-90 and B-22 through B-23 have been hand copied into the copied survey books. The surveys numbered D-91 through D-114 are not copied. Surveys having one to four digit "order numbers" were prepared in response to an East Side, West Side, or New Purchase Application rather than a warrant and a warrant may never have been issued. The following PDF files contain a number of partial supplemental indexes for the surveys and survey books that can be used to locate surveys for some Donation Lands tracts, some Philadelphia Bank Lots, and some Old Rights tracts and Proprietary Rights tracts among others:
[Indexes of Selected Original (Loose) Surveys (PDF)].

Arranged alphabetically by name of manor.

Surveys of lots in the proprietary manors. Information given is names of lot owners and sometimes details concerning other tracts located near the manors. Also present are official 1886-1887 copies of the original surveys and in some cases these copies are the only surviving surveys for a manor.

Copied Surveys,

1682-1912.

(477 volumes)

LO 28.1, 19.5 PLR 47, 50, 205

{series #17.114} [Holdings] [Images]

Arranged sequentially in the order in which originally copied.

Copied surveys are numbered and filed by series and book as follows: A to Z, , A-1 to A-89, B1 to B-23, BB-1 to BB-4, C-1 to C-234, and D-1 to 90. Original D-91 to D-114 have not been copied, but a partial index for these is available. Each copied survey faithfully reproduces the original survey including errors, but the errors that occurred in the original are noted. Within each volume there is no particular order, but the Old Rights registers give the volume, book, and page for each name indexed. Four additional volumes of copied surveys cover the period 1910-1912 when Henry Houck served as Secretary of Internal Affairs and constitute the series Copied Surveys, Secretary of Internal Affairs, Henry Houck, 1910-1912 {series #17.115}.

The following PDF files contain a number of partial supplemental indexes for the surveys and survey books that can be used to locate surveys for some Donation Lands tracts, some Philadelphia Bank Lots, and some Old Rights tracts and Proprietary Rights tracts among others: [Indexes of Selected Original (Loose) Surveys (PDF)].

Arranged sequentially in the order in which surveys were originally copied.

Copies of original surveys prepared by the Department of Internal Affairs under the direction of Henry Houck. Surveys include those for the original proprietary manors and other early grants, particularly those appearing as BB-1 through BB-4 in the Copied Surveys {series #17.114}. All of the information appearing on the original has been faithfully reproduced on the new copies.

Miscellaneous Copied Surveys,

1872-1874

(1 folder)

LO 24.1-38 p. 223

{series #17.543} [Holdings]

Arranged by county and thereunder alphabetically by surname of warrantee or applicant.

Copies of original surveys prepared by the Office of the Survey General under the direction of Robert Beath between 1872 and 1874. Each copied survey is an authentic reproduction of the original survey.

Grouped by county.

An original index and a later transcript referencing copied surveys of proprietary tracts. The index was first assembled in 1734 and subsequently expanded. Information given is the name of the warrantee, acreage warranted, location of tract, and date of warrant. The transcript was probably made in the late nineteenth century and also gives the volume, book, and page number of the copied survey for each entry. This is the current working copy used for locating copied surveys. A copy of the index has been published in Pennsylvania Archives (3) 3:217-93 but does not include the citations for the survey volume, book, and page numbers.

Arranged numerically by item number.

Indexed chronologically by date of item and also alphabetically by county and thereunder alphabetically by township.

Warrantee township maps, connected draft maps, worksheets for connected drafts, survey outlines, various other types of maps, as well as correspondence, account books, and photographs. Information given varies with type of map but frequently includes names of warrantees and patentees, dates tracts were warranted, surveyed, or patented, and the volume, book, and page numbers where surveys and patents were recorded. These maps can be searched on the Landmaps database available on the computer terminal in the search room. Two finding aid printouts from this database, one arranged chronologically by date of map and one arranged alphabetically by county and township, are also available in binders located in the search room. In addition to the maps, files relative to the purchase of Harrisburg's old 8th Ward for the Capitol Park Extension are included. Prominent in this grouping (Map #571) are photographs which depict the Ward's numerous structures just prior to their demolition, dating from circa 1900-1917.

Melish-Whiteside Maps,

Arranged alphabetically by county.

Based upon actual county surveys, the Melish-Whiteside maps were the first official set of county maps produced for the Commonwealth, and include information such as township lines, municipality names, geographic features, and roads and distances. Additional data on some of the maps includes post offices, factories, mills, mines, furnaces, forges, houses, churches, academies, and taverns. The names of property owners for certain taverns, dwellings, furnaces, and mills are also present on a number of the maps.

The maps were the result of the work of John Melish, a geographer, traveler, and entrepeneur who convinced the Pennsylvania legislature to fund this ambitious cartographic project. Under enabling legislation passed on March 19, 1816, a number of deputy surveyors spread out across the Commonwealth. Over the ensuing years, these surveyors would produce maps for each county, which could then be assembled into a full and accurate map of the state. The deputy surveyors handed over their completed maps to the surveyor general, who in turn sent the maps to Melish for copying and engraving. But before these maps were delivered, a clerk made an office copy of the original. The first clerk to execute these copies was named John Whiteside, and since his signature appears on these versions, they have become known as the “Whiteside Maps” (several copies were also rendered by a Dan Small). Melish submitted his completed Pennsylvania map to the legislature in March 1822, which overwhelmingly approved his work, claiming the map was “an exquisite specimen of graphic skill,” and well worth the $29,276.75 spent on the project.

The maps, as stated above, provide the researcher with a wealth of information on early settlements, industries, transportation networks, and dwellings. These are some of the earliest Pennsylvania county maps in existence, and in addition to their utility, have been very accurately and attractively rendered.

The return of survey was an internal record of the Surveyor General's office used to certify the authenticity of the survey. Consisting of a narrative description, the return of survey served as a notice of record that the particular piece of land had been purchased and all fees paid. At one time, failure to return a survey could negate a claim to land. The Surveyor General prepared the return of survey from the warrant and survey information on file in his office. He entered a copy of the return of survey in a book and sent the original to the Secretary's office. The returns give the date of the warrant, the name of the warrantee, date of survey, description of survey, and date the return of survey was sent to the Secretary's office. Many original returns from the 1682-1752 period survive. Some are filed with the surveys and can be accessed through the Old Rights registers. Others are filed chronologically with the loose returns of survey and can be accessed by the date of patent. Many were copied in 1759 under the law to record warrants and surveys and are indexed in the Old Rights books. During the early 1900s some of the returns of survey were copied and the transcripts were bound in the Old Rights copied survey volumes. The originals were filed with the surveys.

No apparent arrangement,

Returns of surveys conducted in accordance with an order from Thomas Penn to re-survey Callowhill Manor and to divide the manor into lots conforming closely to the already extant settlement on the site. The returns are accompanied by a lot plan depicting the lots surrounding Callowhill Market that lay between Second Street, Vine Street and Penny Pot Landing in Philadelphia. Information given for each tract is an assigned return number, the metes and bounds of each tract, names of adjacent tract owners, and the acreage of the tract.

Arranged numerically by an assigned number.

An assortment of returns of survey for tracts patented to persons other than the warrantees. Information generally given is date of warrant, name of warrantee, date of survey, name of person for whom surveyed, a description of the bounds of the tract, the acreage of the tract, the date of the return, name of patentee, where patent is recorded, and date of patent. Some sheets also include hand drawn copies of the survey.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of person for whom lot was surveyed.

Copies of returns for lots in the city of Philadelphia and Philadelphia, Chester, and Bucks Counties. Information given is date of warrant, acreage warranted, name of person for whom surveyed, location of lot, a description of the boundaries of the lot, the size of the area surveyed, names of adjoining property owners, the date of the return.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of person for whom tract was surveyed.

Two original books now bound back to back as a single volume, each with an index. Though these volumes do not contain some of the earliest original returns of surveys, they are thought to be the earliest surviving books generated in the Surveyor General's office. The contents are the Surveyor General's book copies of returns of survey providing narrative descriptions of the surveys. Information given is the date of warrant, name of warrantee, acreage of tract, a description of the metes and bounds, and date the return was sent to the Secretary.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Transcripts of returns of survey inscribed with the phrase "Secretaries Copies into Book B" on an inside page, suggesting that this volume may have been prepared in the Secretary's office as a record of receipt. Information given is name of the person for whom survey was returned, acreage and location of tract, a description of the metes and bounds, and the date the survey was returned.

Unarranged.

Indexed internally alphabetically by surname for whom survey was returned.

Despite the title, this is a return of survey book. Not arranged in chronological order, the entries are in two or three different handwritings. Information given is name of the person for whom survey was returned, acreage and location of tract, a description of the metes and bounds, and the date the survey was returned.

Grouped by county and arranged thereunder sequentially by a number assigned to the return of survey.

The 1759 transcript of original returns of survey. Information given is the name of the warrantee, name of the person for whom the survey was returned, the acreage surveyed, the location of the tract, a description of the metes and bounds, and names of adjoining property owners.

Grouped by county and arranged thereunder chronologically by date of entry.

These 1759 transcripts of returns of survey are located at the Philadelphia City Archives and only digitized microfilm copies are available at the Pennsylvania State Archives. The originals are bound into the following volumes among the Philadelphia City Archives holdings containing also warrants and surveys and this series consists only of the returns that were extracted from them:

• Philadelphia County F-769 to H-1203 and P-2421 to S-2441 are bound in Warrants and Surveys 1 (LO 25.128)

• Philadelphia City Returns and New Returns, A-W are bound in Warrants and Surveys 2 (LO 25.125, 128)

• Philadelphia County, Returns A-Y are bound in Warrants and Surveys 6 (LO 25.129)

• Bucks New Returns A-L, 1733-1759 are bound in Warrants and Surveys 6 (LO 25.129)

• Lancaster County New Returns A-B69, 1733-1759 are bound in Warrants and Surveys 2 (LO 25.128)

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of person for whom survey was returned.

Entries copied from loose returns that were found after the other return of survey books were made. Many returns are undated and the entries are not signed. Information given is the name of the warrantee, name of the person for whom the survey was returned, the acreage surveyed, the location of the tract, a description of the metes and bounds, and names of adjoining property owners.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Partially indexed internally alphabetically by surname of person for whom tract was surveyed.

Copies of returns of survey filed in the Surveyor General's office. Information given is the name of the warrantee, name of the person for whom the survey was returned, the acreage surveyed, the location of the tract, a description of the metes and bounds, and names of any adjoining property owners. The first 113 pages covers the period 1700-1720. The second part is indexed internally and covers the period 1733-1736. The 1759 transcript of the first part, together with an index for the first part, is in Warrants and Surveys 4 at the Philadelphia City Archives and may also be viewed on LO 25.128.

Arranged chronologically by date of return.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of person for whom survey was returned.

The 1759 transcript of a register of returns of survey in Bucks, Chester, Philadelphia, Lancaster, Sussex and Newcastle Counties that was originally identified as Book Q in the Secretary's office. Information given is number of return, date returned, date warranted, acreage warranted, date surveyed, name of person for whom surveyed, location, county, acreage returned, date of patent, name of patentee, consideration money paid, pate sent to enrollment office, and occasional remarks. The first half of this volume also contains Miscellaneous Records, 1689-1699 {series #17.304}, the 1759 transcript labeled "Continuation of Book F Containing Sundry Records."

Arranged sequentially by survey number.

The 1759 transcripts of returns of survey for Lancaster County. Information given is name of person for whom returned, acreage returned, location of the tract, a description of the metes and bounds, and the date returned. Binding 45 contains B70-H66, Binding 33 contains H67-M41, and Binding 48 contains M42-S207.

Arranged sequentially by survey number.

The 1759 transcripts of returns of survey for Berks County. Information given is name of person for whom returned, acreage returned, location of the tract, a description of the metes and bounds, and the date returned.

Arranged sequentially by survey number.

The 1759 transcripts of returns of survey for York County. Information given is name of person for whom returned, acreage returned, location of the tract, a description of the metes and bounds, and the date returned.

Arranged sequentially by survey number.

The 1759 transcripts of returns of survey for York County. Information given is name of person for whom returned, acreage returned, location of the tract, a description of the metes and bounds, and the date returned.

Arranged sequentially by survey number.

The 1759 transcripts of returns of survey for Northampton County. Information given is name of person for whom returned, acreage returned, location of the tract, a description of the metes and bounds, and the date returned.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

The 1759 transcripts of returns of survey not recorded in any of the other return of survey volumes for these counties. Information given is name of person for whom returned, acreage returned, location of the tract, a description of the metes and bounds, and the date returned.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of person for whom survey was returned.

The Surveyor General's copies of returns of survey sent to the secretary. Information given includes the date of the warrant, date of survey, name of the individual for whom the land was surveyed, location, description, acreage, and date of return. The index in the copy contains two columns, one for the original volume and one for the transcript. The 1759 transcript may be found in two parts. The first is in Warrants and Surveys 7 at the Philadelphia City Archives and on LO 25.129 and the second is on LO 25.10.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed internally alphabetically by surname of person for whom survey was returned.

Surveyor-general's copies of returns of survey sent to the secretary. Information given includes the date of the warrant, date of survey, name of the individual for whom the land was surveyed, location, description, acreage, and date of return. The index in the copy contains two columns, one for the original volume and one for the transcript. Binding 59 is the 1759 transcript and is labeled "Returns, 1740-1747 with Index" (LO 25.13-14).

Arranged chronologically by date of entry, although entries are not always strictly chronological.

Surveyor General's copies of returns of survey sent to the secretary. Information given includes the date of the warrant, date of survey, name of the individual for whom the land was surveyed, location, description, acreage, and date of return. The index in the copy contains two columns, one for the original volume and one for the transcript. Binding 55 is the 1759 transcript and is labeled "Return of Surveys, June 1748 to June 1753 with Index" (LO 25.12). The index bound in the transcript pertains to the original, not the transcript.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry but the entries are not in strict chronological order.

A 1759 transcript inscribed "Book N in the Surveyor General's Office" that it contains more pages than the original and an index for letters A-P that does not match the entries in this volume. Information given is the date of warrant, date of survey, name of the individual for whom the land was surveyed, location, description, acreage, and date of return.

A patent was originally a deed from the Proprietor conveying legal title to the land described in the return of survey, subject to quitrents, and was the final step in the transfer of land to private ownership. The patent recited the information contained in the warrant and survey, including terms of purchase and the amount of quitrent, and was signed either by William Penn, the commissioners of property, or William Penn's sons. After September, 1766 the standard portion of the patent, such as the reservation of one fifth of the ore from all non-royal mines, appears in printed form with spaces left for filling in the pertinent information. Periodically, the Rolls Office copies of the patents were bound into books and indexed. The first set of patent volumes was lettered A and numbered 1 through 20. The last recording date in volume A-20 is May 31, 1760, shortly after Richard Penn resigned as Secretary of the Land Office and his brother, William, became Secretary. The second set of sixteen patent volumes, the AA series, began in 1760 and ended in 1776. During this period, commencing with the East Side and West Side applications, Surveyor General John Lukens began requiring that each tract surveyed be named and that the names of these tracts be entered in a tract index. This practice continued into the Commonwealth period until it was discontinued about 1811-12. Likewise, the requirement that "one fifth part of all gold and silver ore . . ., to be delivered at the pit's mouth clear of all charges" that was originally reserved to the crown continued to be reserved for the Commonwealth until 1889.

After 1816, patents granted on mortgages were recorded at the county level. Between 1781 and 1791 the patents were signed by the president or the vice president of the Supreme Executive Council, from 1790 to 1808 by the Governor, from 1808 to 1843 by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, and from 1843 they were again signed by the Governor. Though patent books are distinct from county deed books, from 1732 the Master of Rolls had also served as the Philadelphia County recorder of deeds and during that time some patents were recorded in Philadelphia County deed books while some deeds were recorded in provincial patent books. After 1799 when the Land Office moved to Lancaster a set of exemplification books was prepared containing legal copies of all of the deeds from the patent books that applied to Philadelphia County. These exemplification records at the Philadelphia City Archives can be accessed through the Philadelphia County Exemplification Index.

No apparent arrangement.

Miscellaneous patents, some of which were enrolled but many of which were voided, released, or surrendered. Information generally given is date of patent, name of patentee, location of tract, acreage of tract, and book and page where recorded if enrolled. The greater bulk of the patents cover the period circa 1791-1798 for Allegheny, Berks, Cumberland, Bedford, Fayette, Forest, Juniata, Lancaster, Luzerne, Mercer, Mifflin, Northampton, Northumberland, Somerset, Venango, Washington, Westmoreland, and York Counties and for the town of Sunbury. Many pertain to tracts affected by the Vacant Land Law of 1792 and probably also tracts involved in the Nicholson land case. The last folder in this series contains the 1733 patent for 100 acres in Conestoga Manor granted by John, Thomas, and Richard Penn to John Emerson in exchange for his service in preventing expelled Scots-Irish squatters from resettling in this manor. These patents are arranged in the same random order as they were received from the Department of Internal Affairs. They were microfilmed as part of the much larger series then called Miscellaneous Papers, LO 24.1-38 that was broken apart into many separate series. Though this parent miscellaneous series no longer exists as such, the digitized images continue to correspond to the order in which they were arranged when part of that series.

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

Applications to patent land on which a great deal of time had elapsed since a warrant had been issued and on which the chain of title was not known. Frequently, the land had passed through a sheriff's auction. Information given is the applicant's name, the township and county where the applicant resided, the number of acres and perches, the township and county where the tract was located, the name of the person for whom the tract was surveyed, the date of survey, and a recitation of the descent of title. The applications contain the signatures of both the applicant and a justice of the peace. The last few folders contain lists of fees remitted to the Commonwealth Treasurer.

Applications for Patents Refused,
1786-1924.
(1 box)

{series #17.530}

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

Application for patents and some accompanying survey drafts from Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Lackawanna, Mifflin, Schuylkill, and Somerset Counties.. Information provided is name of applicant, location of tract, acreage and boundary description, date of application, and date refused.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed externally in Patent Index, 1684-1781 [A and AA series] {series #17.146}. Several volumes also have their own internal indexes.

Transcripts of patents giving date of patent, name of patentee, location of tract, acreage, and a description of the boundaries. Information given is the date of patent, name of patentee, acreage patented, location of tract, a description of the boundaries and names of owners of adjacent tracts. Most of the entries dating from 1684 to 1732 are in Bindings A-1 through 7, but some early patents were recorded at later dates, and therefore appear in later volumes. The A bindings also contain some patents from the pre-Penn era. The AA bindings are most rich in patents dating from 1760 to 1776.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by subject.

Primarily copies of commissions issued to office holders by the proprietary Commissioners of Property, and from 1777, by the Board of Property, but also including agreements, patents, naturalizations, corporation charters, oaths of allegiance, and proclamations. The volumes labeled on their bindings as A-1 through A-4 record the actions of the Commissioners of Property under the proprietary government and have been published in Pennsylvania Archives (series 3) volumes 8, 9 and 10. Entries of particular historical interest from the proprietary era concern William Penn's last will and testament, the action filed by Penn's widow, Hannah Callowhill Penn, against the executors of his estate, proclamations concerning the Pennsylvania-Maryland border dispute, the declaration of war against France, and a patent for land granted to John Harris.

The volumes labeled 1 and 2E2 record the actions of the Board of Property established by the Commonwealth in 1776. Volume 1, 1777-1800, also contains the names of persons who took the oath of allegiance to the Commonwealth, giving the date of the oath, their occupation, their age, their place of birth, the names and occupations of their parents, and the place from which they had emigrated. Other proclamations concern a call to arms during the Revolutionary War, counterfeit money, food for George Washington's army, the enlistment of indentured servants, proclamations for apprehending such traitors as Benedict Arnold, the embargo, and the regulation of prices. Other types of entries worth noting include a notice of the election of Thomas Mifflin as governor of Pennsylvania and transcripts of speeches by George Washington addressed to the Indians. Of more local interest are announcements of lotteries held to benefit the Lower Dublin Academy, New Hanover Township in Montgomery County, the town of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia's Roman Catholic Church of St. Augustine, the German Episcopal Church of Greencastle, the Easton-Delaware Bridge, and the Perkiomen Creek Bridge. Volume 2E2, 1800-1809, contains numerous copies of charters for churches, library companies, turnpike companies, and private fraternal organizations.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed in Patent Index, Series P, 1781-1809 {series #17.152}. Many volumes also are indexed internally.

Legal copies of the original patents prepared by the master of the rolls. Information given is the date of the patent, name of the patentee, a description of the tract with courses and distances, the tract name, the date of the warrant, and the name of the warrantee.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed in Patent Index, Series H, 1809-Present {series #17.154}. Several volumes are also indexed internally.

Legal copies of original patents. Information given is the date of the patent, name of the patentee, the acreage patented, a description of the tract with courses and distances, the tract name (until 1811-1812), the date of the warrant, and the name of the warrantee, and frequently names of the owners of adjoining tracts.

Arranged alphabetically by surname of patentee.

Actually a patent register for the dates cited. Information given is name of patentee and volume, book, and page number where patent is recorded. The 1759 transcript is available in Old Rights - Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks, New Castle, Kentand Sussex (Binding 23) LO 25.5. Also published in Pennsylvania Archives (2) 29:3-21.

Grouped alphabetically by first name of patentee's surname. Within each letter category, entries are then grouped by series and volume number of Patent Book, and finally arranged chronologically by date of patent.

Information provided about each patent is name of patentee, the date of patent, volume and page where recorded, acreage patented, name of the warrantee, date of warrant, and county where located.

Divided into two series. Which are arranged alphabetically by surname of patentee.

Patent register containing entries for 548 patents for the 1707-1709 period, no patents for 1710-1711, and 270 patents for 1712-1728. The 1759 transcript is available in Patents, 1701-1728 {series #17.49} (Binding 22) LO 25.4. Information given is name of patentee and volume, book, and page number where patent is recorded.

Arranged alphabetically by surname of patentee.

Bound with a Warrants Register, 1700-1705 is a 1759 transcript of Patent Register, 1701-1728 (Binding 5) {series #17.148} LO 25.1. Information given is name of warrantee or patentee and volume, book, and page number where patent is recorded.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

A list of patents signed by the proprietors giving the name of the patentee, number of acres patented, location of the tract, the amount of rent charged, and the dates of warrant, survey, and patent. The 1759 transcript is available in Warrants and Surveys 2 at the Philadelphia City Archives and on digitized microfilm LO 25.128.

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Patent registers for the proprietary period for Bucks, Chester, Philadelphia, Lancaster, Sussex and Newcastle Counties that was originally identified as Book Q in the Secretary's office. Information given is number of return, date returned, date warranted, acreage warranted, date surveyed, name of person for whom surveyed, location, county, acreage returned, date of patent, name of patentee, consideration money paid, pate sent to enrollment office, and occasional remarks.

Arranged alphabetically by surname of patentee.

Indexes to a variety of patent books as well as for Writ Book 15 and an unidentified volume which have not been located and may no longer be in existence.. Information given is name of patentee and page number where recorded. The indexes are labeled as follows:

Arranged chronologically by date of entry.

Indexed internally, alphabetically by surname of patentee.

Register of patents granted in the early years of the Commonwealth. Binding 148 covers the period 1781-1785 and Binding 129 covers the year 1786. Information given is the patent number, name of patentee, date of patent, township and county where located, acreage, and purchase price.

Grouped alphabetically by first name of patentee's surname. Within each letter category, entries are then grouped by volume number of Patent Book, and finally arranged chronologically by date of patent.

Patent register to Patent Books, P Series, 1781-1809 {series #17.144}. Information given is the patent date, patent book and page number, acres patented, name of warrantee, date warranted, and county where located.

Grouped alphabetically by first name of patentee's surname. Within each letter category, entries are then grouped by volume number of Patent Book, and finally arranged chronologically by date of patent.

Patent register to Patent Books, H Series, 1809-Present {series #17.145}. Information given is the patent date, patent book and page numbers, acres patented, name of warrantee, date warranted, and county where located. The indexes are digitized through 1957.

Arranged chronologically by date of application.

Register of patents granted across the Commonwealth. Information given is date of application, name of applicant, address of applicant, whether applying for a warrant or patent, name of patentee, name of warrantee, date patenting fee was paid, amount paid, amount of fee refunded if any, date receipt and certificate were sent, date patent was sent, and any remarks.

Grouped township and thereunder chronologically by date of entry.

Patent book containing only pages 93-182 of what was originally a two-volume patent register made on October 5, 1789 for patents granted and quitrents paid within the territory that had been erected into Lancaster County in 1729 and for which quitrents were sometimes successfully collected between 1739-1747. Entries are given for the townships of Strasburg, Leacock, Bethel, Hopewell, Pequea, West Sadsbury, Salisbury, Warwick, Little Britain, Bethlem, Conewago, Donegal, Manheim, Earl, Bern, Hempfield, Antrim, Tulpehocken, Hanover, Pennsborough, Londonderry, Manchester, Rapho, Paxtang, Macungy, Cumru, Heidelburg, Robinson, Cocalico, Hallem, Wyomissing and lands on or near Bermudian Creek, Chiquesalunga Creek, Conedoguinett Creek, Conestoga Creek, Cocoosing Creek, Big and Little Conewago Creeks, Mill Creek, Octorara Creek, Plumb Creek, Possum Creek, Spring Creek, Yellow Breeches Creek and Swatara Creek. There are also separate entries for Lancaster Town, and at the ferries on the Susquehanna, Schuylkill, and Conestoga Rivers and for Appoquinnamink Hundred in Newcastle County. Information given is name of patentee, acreage patented, date patented, amount of quit rent charged per acre, dates quit rents were collected, and amounts of quit rent collected.

Grouped by date and arranged thereunder alphabetically by tract name.

Index of tract names for patented lands. From the years of the Penn proprietorship up until 1811-12 tracts were given names by their purchasers to make it easier to track when they later changed ownership. Within specific time periods, this index is arranged alphabetically by tract name and provides such information as the name of patentee, the date of the patent, the acres and perches patented, the name of the warrantee, the date of the warrant, the county where located and the volume, book and page number where the patent is recorded. The first volume covers Patent Books A-AA, and the other three cover P1-20 (1781-1794), P20-P36 (1792-1800), and P35-65 (1799-1809) respectively.

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