The original surveys were not the Federal Township, Range and Sections as we know today. The land was marked in surveyor's districts. The sections were 5 miles square, the ranges ran east and west and the sections ran north and south. There were no Townships. Once the public land was all gone, the system was no longer used except where a deed was transferred without a new survey. There are virtually no control points left in the field such that a person can find the section corners. By taking a modern map of a county and overlaying with the old Range and Section maps, you can find where your property was located, at least in a five mile square and much closer, if the property description is tied to a section corner. Wayne and east Hardin County were in the 7th and 8th Surveyor's Districts. The records for these districts were kept in Pulaski and Columbia TN. David ----- Original Message ----- From: <sronneau@bellsouth.net> To: <TNWAYNE@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 8:34 AM Subject: [TNWAYNE] "Land Genealogy" - Staggs, Jackson, Natural Bridge > Our family (Joseph Staggs) had a legend that they used to own the land the > first courthouse was on. I tried checking this out, and it seems to me > that Joseph Staggs's land on 48 Mile Creek that he entered in 1818 > included the land the Natural Bridge Spa now sits on. The Natural Bridge > was used as a courthouse by the Native Americans and by the white > settlers before they built a courthouse. I was up there a few years ago > and tried to figure out more exactly where the family's lands were -- > Joseph Staggs' and also John Jackson's land, that his daughter Elizabeth > Jackson Staggs (later Lee) bought from his estate about 1855. This land > also was on 48 Mile Creek and a little to the South of Natural Bridge. I > tried figuring out from the census data and every other way I could > figure, and I felt pretty sure Joseph Staggs did once own the Natural > Bridge. Then one evening I was looking at Google Earth, and I found > "Courthouse Hollow" -- right there where the Natural Bridge i! > s! > > My question is, does anyone here have info on this, and is there someone > who could nail this down for me more precisely? The problem stems from > the fact the original land grants were on the federal township and section > system, and the later TN land records are on the metes and bounds system. > Therefore, last time I checked, I was told no one would be able to figure > out the location of lands that were transferred during 1820 - 1870. Seems > to me someone could, that a simple land abstract or title search could > work it out, but I live in Florida and haven't gotten back there for a > while to do any more sleuthing. I'm not asking anyone to do this for > free -- I would be glad to pay someone to track it down for me. > > Any ideas most welcome! > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > TNWAYNE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.9.1/857 - Release Date: 6/20/2007 > 2:18 PM > >