Many thanks, Elizabeth, for pointing out my erroneous **assumption** that the BLM (indeed, any agency) would always hand us the legislative detail underlying what was actually done. I guess I have just been lucky with respect to the Federal Land patents, and should not have assumed. This is another good lesson in Questioning Authority, not to mention digging deeply enough (my second lesson on this point in a week!). Good hunting to all, Judy **************************************** Elizabeth wrote: ". . . . One problem here: The preemption act of 22 June 1838, which would apply to Bethany's 1839 purchase, is not one of the broader acts that BLM uses as its general authority. BLM uses that 1820 act as the "authority" for many land purchases that also involved other acts--and any preemption terms addressed in, say, that 1820 act would be superseded by the 1838 act . . ."