Treasure Chest Thursday - a General Land Office Record

It's Treasure Chest Thursday - time to showcase some of the collected documents and other treasures of my ancestors.

I think that the only ancestor of mine that received a United States General Land Office patent was Ranslow Smith. Here is the land patent that he received in 1848, obtained from the Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records site:

The transcription of this document reads:

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CERTIFICATE No. _5545_

To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting:

WHEREAS _Ranslow Smith of Dodge County, Wisconsin Territory_

has deposited in the GENERAL LAND OFFICE of the United States, a Certificate of the REGISTER OF THE

LAND OFFICE at _Green Bay_ whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said

_Ranslow Smith_

according to the provisions of the

Act of Congress of the 24th of April 1820, entitled "An act making further provision for the sale of the Public Lands" for

_the East half of the South East quarter of Section Twenty-nine

in Township Twelve North of Range Fifteen East in the

District of Lands subject to sale at Green Bay Wisconsin

Territory containing Eighty acres_

according to the official plat of the survey of the said Lands returned to the General Land Office by the SURVEYOR

GENERAL, which said tract has been purchased by the said _Ranslow Smith_

NOW KNOW YE, That the

United States of America, in consideration of the Premises, and in conformity with the several acts of Congress,

in such case made and provided, HAVE GIVEN AND GRANTED, and by these presents DO GIVE AND GRANT,

unto the said _Ranslow Smith_

and to _his_ heirs, the said tract above described: TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the same, together with all the rights,

privileges, immunities, and appurtenances of whatsoever nature, thereunto belonging, unto the said _Ranslow

Smith_ and to _his_ heirs and assigns forever.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I. _James K. Polk_

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, have caused these Letters to be made PATENT, and

the SEAL of the GENERAL LAND OFFICE to be hereunto affixed.

GIVEN under my hand, at the CITY OF WASHINGTON, the _first_ day of _February_

in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and _forty eight_ and of the

INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES the Seventy _second_.

BY THE PRESIDENT: _James K. Polk_

By _J.H. Stephens Asst._ Sec'y,

_S.H. Laughlin_ RECORDER of the General Land Office.

I will try to find the location of this tract of land in Dodge County, Wisconsin in a later post.

Ranslow Smith also received another tract of land from the General Land Office later in 1848.