West of Tennessee River Military Legislation Overview

On October 19, 1818, the Chickasaw Indian Nation signed a treaty relinquishing all lands east of the Mississippi River and north of the Mississippi state line to the United States in exchange for $300,000.00 at the rate of $20,000.00 annually for fifteen years. The treaty was ratified by the U.S. Senate and confirmed by President James Monroe on January 7, 1819.

The states of Kentucky and Tennessee were enlarged by approximately 2,000 and 6,000 square miles respectively. The Kentucky addition, running from the Tennessee River to the Mississippi River, became known as the Jackson Purchase. (ref: "Jackson Purchase", written by Hunter M. Hancock, and published in the "Kentucky Encyclopedia".)

A number of Revolutionary War soldiers, their heirs, or assigns, had settled in the Jackson Purchase without benefit of clear title to their land holdings. In 1820 the Kentucky General Assembly approved legislation that established a patenting process for the usage of Virginia Revolutionary War Warrants in the Jackson Purchase.  This website includes legislation establishing and amending the West of Tennessee River Military Patents Series as well as legislation regarding the Military Surveyor's Office. As additional Acts of the Kentucky General Assembly regarding the West of Tennessee River Military Patents are identified, they will be added to this website.