Evalyn, <<<Purchaser: SMITH, JOSEPH Sale Type: FD Hamilton Legal Description: NWSE - Section 10 Township 07S Range 07E Meridian 3 - Acres bought 40 - Price per Acre 000.00 - Total Price WARRANT Soc. Stat. MALE Date Purchased 11/14/1851 Co. or St. Purchase UNKNOWN>>> The rectangular survey system is the easiest one to read. This land is located in the Mayberry Township of Hamilton County, near the North Fork of the Salina Creek and southeast of Broughton. The NWSE tells you the location of his 40 acres in Section 10. The warrant tells you that he served in the military and was granted bounty land for his service. I would think he might have served in the War of 1812. He could also have been in the Mexican War. Order your Bounty Land Records from the National Archives. <<<<<There are 3 more entries all for Joseph Smith everything is the same except, Legal description: NESW 10 -TWP 07S- Range 05E Meridian 3 SWNE 10 SENW 10 Could someone tell me where in Hamilton County this land was located?>>>>> If I worked this out correctly I find that he owned 40 acres in the NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4. He also owned 40 acres in the SW 1/4 of NE 1/4. The last 40 acres is the SE 1/4 of NW 1/4. His land is connected and makes an upside down L. This land is located in the Flannigan Township on the Southwest corner of Hamilton County. Section 10 is west of Rector. I have to make diagrams to work out land records and then they are subject to errors, but much easier than the metes and bounds survey system, which really requires using software and topographical maps. There are good books available to teach us how to read land records. I have LAND AND PROPERTY RESEARCH BY E. Wade Hone. I also have the 1876 Atlas for the State of Illinois, which was reprinted in 1994 by Ye Olde Genealogie Shoppe, P. O. Box 39128, Indianapolis, IN. 46239. It is a great help in located lands within the counties. There are also some names of property owners listed. Darlene