Strategy: Military Bounty Land Warrants
By Dale E. Lee and AI
2026.01.14
Military Bounty Land Warrants
In the quest to uncover the lives of ancestors, many researchers rely on military service and pension files. However, another and often-overlooked source is military bounty land warrants; land grants provided by the government as compensation for military service. These records can be genealogical goldmines, offering valuable information about military service, personal relationships, and post-war migration patterns.
What Are Bounty Land Warrants?
Bounty land warrants were issued by the federal government between the Revolutionary War and the mid-19th century to reward military service. Instead of monetary payment, soldiers; especially those who served in the Continental Army or later conflicts like the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War; were often promised parcels of land on the expanding American frontier. These lands were typically located in federal territories such as Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and later, Iowa and Minnesota.
Why Bounty Land Records Matter to Genealogists
Bounty land warrants serve several key genealogical purposes:
- Documenting Military Service: Even if a pension record is missing or never filed, a bounty land application may verify an ancestor’s military involvement.
- Revealing Family Relationships: Widows, heirs, or children often applied on behalf of deceased veterans, producing affidavits, marriage records, and depositions.
- Tracking Migration: The issuance and use of bounty lands can show where a family moved post-war, especially when they relocated westward to claim or sell the granted land.
- Establishing Residency: Applications often include the applicant’s location at the time of the request, offering a fixed geographic point between censuses.
What’s in a Bounty Land Warrant File?
A typical bounty land application file may include:
- Veteran’s full name and rank
- Regiment and service dates
- Place of enlistment and discharge
- Affidavits from fellow soldiers or neighbors
- Marriage and death records (if widow applied)
- Signatures or marks
- Residence at time of application
- Land warrant certificate number
- Details of land claimed or transferred
In some cases, especially for widows, these files provide rich biographical narratives, including birthplaces, service hardships, and familial connections.
Wars That Qualified for Bounty Land
Veterans (or their heirs) who served in the following conflicts may have qualified:
- Revolutionary War
- War of 1812
- Mexican-American War
- Indian Wars
- Early militia service (pre-1855)
After 1855, a new bounty land act broadened eligibility, and some veterans who had not previously qualified were suddenly able to apply.
How to Locate Bounty Land Records
- National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
- NARA holds the original bounty land warrant application files.
- Key collections:
- War of 1812 Bounty Land Warrant Applications (Record Group 15)
- Bounty-Land Warrant Applications, 1800–1855
- U.S. Military Bounty Land Warrants, 1789–1858
- Website: https://www.archives.gov
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM) General Land Office (GLO) Records
- Use the BLM’s online searchable database to find land patents issued based on bounty land warrants.
- Many entries include digital images of land patents and township maps.
- Website: https://glorecords.blm.gov
- Fold3.com
- Digitized bounty land applications, especially for the War of 1812 and Revolutionary War, are available with images of supporting documentation.
- Search by name, war, and residence.
- FamilySearch.org
- Indexes and digitized copies of bounty land records are increasingly available.
- Check for collections titled “U.S. War of 1812 Pension Files” or “Bounty Land Applications.”
- State Archives
- Some states, like Virginia, offered their own bounty lands independently of the federal government. These were often awarded in western lands, such as Kentucky or Ohio.
- Example: The Library of Virginia holds Revolutionary War bounty land claims.
Specific examples
National and Federal Sources (U.S.)
1. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Primary repository for federal bounty land warrant applications and associated military service records.
- Record Group 15 – Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Includes bounty land applications, especially for Revolutionary War and War of 1812 veterans.
- Key Series:
- Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, 1800–1855
- War of 1812 Bounty Land Warrant Application Files
- Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files
- NARA Catalog Search
- Website: https://catalog.archives.gov
- Search using keywords such as “bounty land warrant,” “RG15,” and ancestor’s name.
- Order Copies
- Records not yet digitized can be requested using NATF Form 85 (Bounty Land Warrant Application Files).
- Forms: https://www.archives.gov/forms
2. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) – General Land Office (GLO) Records
Provides searchable database of federal land patents, including those issued through bounty land warrants.
- Search by Name, State, or Warrant Number
- View original land patent images and land descriptions.
- Website: https://glorecords.blm.gov
Note: If you have a warrant number from a NARA record, use it to locate the corresponding land patent in the BLM system.
3. Library of Congress (LOC)
- Maps and Legislation Related to Bounty Lands
- Historical maps showing locations of bounty land districts.
- U.S. Congressional debates and acts that established bounty land laws.
- Website: https://www.loc.gov
4. HathiTrust Digital Library & Internet Archive
- Digitized Volumes of Public Documents and Reports
- Including lists of warrants issued, land claims, military rosters, and Congressional reports on land acts.
- Use keyword searches like “bounty land warrants” or “military land grants.”
- Websites:
Subscription-Based
5. Fold3.com
Digitized military records including many bounty land files.
- Collections Include:
- Revolutionary War Pensions and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications
- War of 1812 Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Files
- Mexican-American War service and land claim documents
- Website: https://www.fold3.com
6. FamilySearch.org (Free Access)
Large collection of indexed and digitized bounty land-related records.
- Relevant Collections:
- United States War of 1812 Index to Service Records, 1812–1815
- U.S. War Bounty Land Warrants, 1789–1858
- United States Revolutionary War Bounty Land Warrants Used in the U.S. Military District of Ohio and Related Papers (Acts of 1788, 1803, 1806)
- Website: https://www.familysearch.org
- Use the Catalog or Search > Records function with filters for military or land records.
State Archives and Libraries
Many states maintained records of federal and state-issued bounty lands, particularly for early wars.
7. Virginia
- Library of Virginia – Bounty Land Warrants and Military Certificates
- Particularly for Revolutionary War veterans who received land in Kentucky or western territories.
- Website: https://www.lva.virginia.gov
8. North Carolina and Tennessee
- Tennessee State Library and Archives holds records of land grants given to North Carolina Revolutionary War veterans in what later became Tennessee.
- Website: https://sos.tn.gov/tsla
9. Ohio History Connection
- Holds bounty land claims used in the U.S. Military District of Ohio, a region set aside for Revolutionary War veterans.
- Website: https://www.ohiohistory.org
Local and Specialized Repositories
10. University Special Collections and Historical Societies
Some university libraries and historical societies hold localized bounty land materials.
Examples:
- Kentucky Historical Society – Revolutionary War bounty land claims.
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library – Land Office records for the Illinois Military Tract.
- Missouri State Archives – Warrants and patents in federal and state military districts.
11. Published Guides and Books
- “Military Bounty Land, 1776–1855” by Christine Rose
- A detailed guidebook for understanding how bounty land was awarded and how to find the records.
- “Locating Your Revolutionary War Ancestor” by Eric G. Grundset (DAR)
- Offers step-by-step research strategies, including bounty land resources.
Research Tips
- Follow the Land: Even if your ancestor sold their bounty land rather than moving to it, tracking the buyer can reveal migration patterns or local networks.
- Look for Clusters: Veterans from the same unit often settled together. Identifying other recipients of nearby bounty lands may uncover kin or close associates.
- Check County Land Deeds: If a veteran sold their bounty land, the transaction should be recorded in county land books. These often list the warrant number and original grantee.
- Search for Heirs’ Claims: If the veteran died before applying, children or widows often submitted paperwork. These files may include affidavits listing children by name and age.
- Cross-reference with Pensions: If both a pension and bounty land application exist, compare them; they sometimes contain conflicting but complementary data.
Conclusion
Military help verify military service, fill in gaps between census years, provide biographical context, and track ancestral movements across state lines.
Bounty land warrants bridge military service and westward migration, making them an essential tool for uncovering both a veteran’s service record and where they or their family may have relocated. Exploring these resources; especially in tandem across federal, state, and local repositories; can unlock generations of genealogical clues otherwise lost in the movement of early Americans across the frontier. You can open the door to new discoveries about your family’s history, sacrifices, and settlement patterns in the growing United States.
—
www.seekerz.net
Seekerz LLC, © 2025