Anyone good at locating land grant property by coordinates?

[Nate Riley]

1891 Rutherford B Hayes was president.

Our 30 acres in Montana was part of a 101,000 land grant to the Northern Pacific Railroad. They got 10 sq miles of land to sell for every mile of track they built. The interesting part is they only issued NPRR odd numbered sections, which is why in Montana and other western states there’s a checkerboard pattern of private and BLM land which was never sold. Some public land is locked in by private land- not legally accessible unless you know the rancher

That checkerboard stuff is crazy!

[Voodoo]

Interesting stuff. I clearly don't know the story at all, so this may very will be the case based on what you have said. But has the family been fighting this for a century or was there a fight back in the day? It seems to me that, particularly in that part of the world, there would have been a fight by the next generation or two if it had been seized or something.

Does your dad/mom have recollections of conversations with his/her grandmother (the last to live there) about it being taken inequitably or anything like that? I remember my grandparents, who were also Alabamians, talking about the Depression a lot.

Sir, the family scattered to the four winds during the depression and literally did not look back. Most went on to establish multi thousand acre ranches across the United States. Some early ones were brought back to the family cemetery to be planted. My dad recollects stories and found the original grant in a box of crap my grandma had. Absolutely nobody has looked into this issue until right now.

I think the key is that illegible document but it ain’t worth the fight for sure.

I personally feel that hey, their bones are in a Cemetery on land donated by him, what more do you want.

I do agree it’s interesting!

[Voodoo]

His gravestone

https://www.geni.com/people/Rev-Austin-Williams/6000000009552328078

I’m assuming he became a pastor after realizing his sins as a Confederate Officer 😂🤣😂

[Voodoo]

Is there a pic of the illegible 1933 document ?

[Nate Riley]

Same with my family! They had to get the heck out of Alabama and to quote the matriarch "Texas was good to us"!

[Nate Riley]

This link hopefully will open one of the property cards. It is one of the ones a the top of the section (top corner). Scroll to the bottom and there are "Documents". There is a 1933 deed in there. Of course, only Superman could read it! LOL

https://cullmanproperty.countygovser...24&ppin=200014

See if this takes you to he property card, it should. Scroll to the bottom and there should be some "documents". I think the 1933 deed is in there.

[Voodoo]

I’m confused, the supposed 1933 documents appear to be dated for 1958 and for Morgan County not Cullman and the second page morgan scratched out and cullman wrote in ?

[Bill]

Is there a pic of the illegible 1933 document?

Here's a couple of screen pictures. While it says 1933, I see a date of 1958. It also is signed by a probate Judge, which I think means this property transferred in a last will and testament. The names I see are Iga Favley (?) buyer and J. Moore and wife (seller).

[Bill]

I also saw that it says No Tax Sales found. I'm guessing somebody in your family must have sold it.

[Voodoo]

You mean sold it to the Moore’s ?

Wouldn’t there need to be a sale to the Moores ?

[Voodoo]

Seems like it’s opening a Pandora’s box and somebody jumping the claim 🤣😂🤣

Nobody in the family ever sold it

[Nate Riley]

The "No Tax Sales" would be more of recent/current statement most likely. They don't seem to go back to the 1930s or beyond in that county. If we were looking in Texas, we would have had this figured out a long time ago!

I’m confused, the supposed 1933 documents appear to be dated for 1958 and for Morgan County not Cullman and the second page morgan scratched out and cullman wrote in ?

Morgan County is immediately north (adjoining) to that parcel as it lies today. So, that old deed potentially could have included additional land in Morgan County.

[Voodoo]

Its definitely gonna be something I show them and they can proceed how they want.

[Bill]

Call the county recorders office and see when you can visit. The answers are there.

[Bill]

I’m curious- did you ever contact the recorder and see if the property was sold?