The southern half of the Jackson Purchase region in western Kentucky was acquired under the October 19, 1818, land treaty between the United States and the Chickasaw Indian Nation. On February 14, 1820, the Kentucky General Assembly passed legislation stated the entire Jackson Purchase region would be mapped in compliance with the system used by the federal government for surveying public lands. The land west of the Tennessee River would be "laid off" in townships, ranges and sections. More information about how the Jackson Purchase was mapped is available on this
website.
While Virginia Revolutionary War veterans were completing their patents in the
southern area of the region, William T. Henderson was mapping the Jackson Purchase as mandated by the
1820 legislation. Henderson described the mapping process in his journal known as "Henderson's Field Notes". Legislation approved in December 1820 authorized William T. Henderson to print a
map of the lands West of the Tennessee River "at his own expense and for his own benefit."
Non-military tracts located West of the Tennessee River were sold by quarter sections. Land sales were overseen by state-appointed receivers with offices in Waidesborough (Wadesboro) and Princeton. For each quarter section purchased, the buyer would be issued a receipt declaring purchase price and tract location using the range-township method. Receipts were assignable; buyers could transfer quarter sections by recording assignments on the back of the receipt. The receiver would then send receipts to Frankfort for the issuance of the governor's grant finalizing the patent.
There are 9,308 patents in the West of Tennessee River Non-Military Series. The online database includes scanned images of patent files.
For additional information about using the Jackson Purchase Land Locator, please consult the
frequently asked questions page or contact the Land Office at
(502) 564-3490 or via email.