John, Did it look like the films were from Harrisburg? They are probably the original land patents. A land patent is when a government sells the first title to a piece of land. So PA land patents would be from William Penn and heirs to individuals. Afterward when an individual sold to another individual, it was called a deed. There are certain formalities to go through to obtain a land patent, including a survey and a "warrant." These records may also be sought at the state level. You can learn more by doing a google search on Pennsylvania Land Patents, or reading anything that Jonathan Stayer or Donna Munger has written. Best wishes, Elissa On Tue, 9 Dec 2003 16:56:58 -0500 "John Bellman" <jbellmail@earthlink.net> writes: > I looked at the LDS catalog and found a listing of films of PA > Bureau of > Land Records for the Erie area circa 1796-1864. Does anyone know the > meaning > of the following terms? > > Patents > Town lots vs. In-lots vs. Out-lots ???? > > Any help appreciated. > > John Bellman > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <espowell@juno.com> > To: <PAERIE-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, December 08, 2003 11:00 AM > Subject: Re: [PAERIE] Fw: Deed searches > > > > There are three ways to gain access to information in the Erie > County > > deeds: > > 1. Go to the Recorder of Deeds office in the Courthouse on 6th > Street in > > Erie and look them up yourself. > > 2. Hire someone to go for you. > > 3. Go to your local LDS Family History Center and order the > microfilmed > > copies of the records. They have Microfilm of original records in > Erie > > County Courthouse, Erie, Pennsylvania for: Deed books, 1823-1886; > deed > > index, 1823-1946 > > Best wishes on your research, > > Elissa > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: <ReesAdam@aol.com> > > > To: <ErieCoGenie@worldnet.att.net> > > > Sent: Saturday, December 06, 2003 7:51 PM > > > Subject: Deed searches > > > > > > I am writing to ask if you have any information or advice on > how to > > go > > > about searching deeds, in Erie County, Pennsylvania. I am > interested > > > what is now state game land 314 in west Erie County in > Springfield > > Township. > > > I would like to search deeds or surveyors records and using a > GPS unit, > > map > > > where family farms and lots were, prior to the ground being > purchase by > > US > > > steel. > > > > > > > > Any advice or information as to how to go about this task > would be > > > greatly appreciated. > > > > > > > > Thank you for your time, and in advance for your reply. > > > > > > > > Best wishes, > > > > > > > > Adam Reese > > > > > > ==== PAERIE Mailing List ==== > > Welcome to the PA-Erie Mailing List > > To leave PAERIE-L, send mail to PAERIE-L-request@rootsweb.com with > the > single word unsubscribe in the message subject and body. To leave > PAERIE-D, > do the same thing with PAERIE-D-request@rootsweb.com. > > Periodically, messages are received that various viruses are > floating > around the newslists. While no viruses have yet been transmitted via > this > board, all readers are strongly encouraged to keep their virus > checkers up > to date in order to ensure that your computer will not be impacted > should > this occur. > > > > ============================== > > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy > records, > go to: > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > > ==== PAERIE Mailing List ==== > Welcome to the PA-Erie Mailing List > To leave PAERIE-L, send mail to PAERIE-L-request@rootsweb.com with > the single word unsubscribe in the message subject and body. To > leave PAERIE-D, do the same thing with > PAERIE-D-request@rootsweb.com. > Periodically, messages are received that various viruses are > floating around the newslists. While no viruses have yet been > transmitted via this board, all readers are strongly encouraged to > keep their virus checkers up to date in order to ensure that your > computer will not be impacted should this occur. > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy > records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!