In a message dated 3/1/2004 9:11:39 PM Eastern Standard Time, ESOR1416@aol.com writes: In 1845, my ancestors sold 160 acres of land in Macon County, Alabama. I have a copy of the sale which gives the land description. It is recorded at the courthouse in Tuskegee. Since I haven't found a Land Patent for this property in the Bureau of Land Management database, I am thinking my ancestors may have inherited it, but if they did, I have not yet located a Will. I don't know who their parents or siblings were. I would like to know when and how my ancestors gained ownership of this land, so if anyone would offer suggestions on where I need to search to find this information, I would appreciate it very much. Since you have a the land description, use that to search the BLM database. Do not search by the owner's name. Also, be aware that the database lists the land by what county it is NOW in. So although it was Macon Co. in 1845, it may be in a different county now. That should tell you who the original purchaser of the land was. Good luck.