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Archiver > RHEA > 1997-04 > 0860087699


From: <>
Subject: Texas Land Certificates
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 12:14:59 -0500 (EST)


Many families were attracted to Texas in the early days with a promise of
free land. The Texas Archives & Records Division offers a 4 page breakdown of
these instruments.
1)Land grants under Colonization Laws of Coahula & Texas existed from 1821
to 1836.
2)Headrights (Republic of Texas) existed from 1836 - 1845 & consisted of:
a) First Class - those arriving before 2 Mar 1836
b) Second Class - those arriving between 2Mar 1836 & 1 Oct 1837
c) Third Class - those arriving between 1 Oct 1837 & 1 Jan 1840
d) Fourth Class - those arriving between 1 Jan 1840 & 1 Jan 1842
3) Pre-Emption Grants
a) 1845 - 1854 Claims in unappropriated public domain, 320 ac.
b) 1854 - 1856 Reduced to 160 ac
c) 1866 - 1898 3 yr conditional improvement
4) Colonizational Laws of the Republic of Texas
a) Peter's Colony - 1841
b) Fishers & Miller's Colony - 1842
c) Castro's Colony - 1842
d) Mercer's Colony - 1844
5) Military Land Grants
a) Bounty grants Texas Revolution - 3mo svc equals 320ac
b) Bounty grants Frontier Guarding - 1838 - 1842 - 240 ac.
c) Donation Grants - Specific battle involvement - 640 ac.
d) Military Headrights - soldiers arriving 2 Mar - 1 Aug 1836
e) Republic Veterans Donation - 1879 - 1881 required indegence. 1881 -
1887 non-
indegence requirement
f) Confederate Scrip - Veterans/widows permanently disabled(1881 - 1883)

1280ac.
6) Loan & Sales Scrips - Land certificates issued to repay gov. loans

The 4 pages goes into much more depth.....The TX Gen. Land Office is located
at:
Stephen F. Austin Bldg, 1700 N. Congress AV, Austin, TX. 78701-1495,

(512)463-5001

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