I went to the Bureau of Land Management page and looked at their FAQ . THis is the answer about time: http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/search.asp Q. Why is there sometimes a long time period between purchase date and signature date? A. Due to the tremendous amount of land sold in the 1800's, the General Land Office experienced quite a backlog in the middle part of the 19th century. It was not unusual for several years to pass between the time an individual purchased land from the local land office and the time a patent for that tract was finally signed by the GLO in Washington, D.C. There are only a few late patents listed on the site right now for KS. Muriel, in San Jose