Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia. Land Office. Exchange Preemption Warrants Nos. 1-404, 1780-1808. Accession Land Office inventory entry no. 39. State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA 23219.

Acquisition Information

Accession LOI 39 transferred by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, 1948.

Biographical Information

The act which established the Land Office passed the General Assembly on 22 June 1779. The Register was the head of the office and was appointed by joint ballot of both houses of the legislature.

Scope and Content

These records contain original preemption (prior settlement) warrants which were returned to the Land Office for exchange. Included are preemption warrants numbered 1-404 and exchanged from 1780 March to 1808 December. The warrants contain the name of the claimant (and/or his assignee), the amount of land due, and the reason why it is due. For most, if not all, of the warrants the land was due "on preemption as by certificate from the Commissioners of the District of Monongalia, Yohogania, and Ohio", and a sum of money paid. In some instances, supplemental papers of explanation pertaining to the exchange accompany the warrant. Often the additional note certifies that there is not waste or unappropriated land adjoining the said settlement.

Although evidence exists that a register in which these warrants were recorded was maintained by the Land Office, no such register was transferred to the Virginia State Library in 1948.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by number.