Where is the Jackson Purchase located?
The Jackson Purchase is located in far Western Kentucky. It includes Fulton (county seat: Hickman), Hickman (county seat: Clinton), Carlisle (county seat: Bardwell), Ballard (county seat: Wickliffe), McCracken (county seat: Paducah), Graves (county seat: Mayfield), Marshall (county seat: Benton), and Calloway (county seat: Murray) counties. Additional information, including the complete text of the Acts that created these counties, is available on the
Kentucky County Formations website.
Is any other part of Kentucky mapped by the range-township method?
A few areas east of the Tennessee River are mapped by range-township; the rest of the state is mapped by metes and bounds. More information on the
mapping of the Jackson Purchase is available on this website.
What types of patents are issued for the Jackson Purchase?
The
West of Tennessee River Military and
West of Tennessee River Non-Military Patent Series specifically address land appropriation in the Jackson Purchase. After 1835, there are also some patents for the Jackson Purchase area in the
County Court Order Series. Contact the Land Office for copies of patents in the Jackson Purchase recorded in the Kentucky Land Warrant Patent Series.
How do I find land locations indexed in Jillson's
Kentucky Land Grants chapter on "West of Tennessee River"?
You can use the Jackson Purchase Land Locator to find the location of a tract listed in the "West of Tennessee River" chapter in Jillson's
Kentucky Land Grants by entering township number, range number, and East/West coordinates. The search will yield a county location and a link to an image from the 1885 Loughridge Map. There is also a guide to the 36 sections and to the NE, NW, SE and SW section locations.
In the alternative, you may enter a county name or established 1885 location, such as a mill, pond, or fort, to determine public land system coordinates. (Due to county formation and boundary changes, the current name of the county may differ from the county citation on the 1885 Loughridge Map.)
Why is Carlisle County not included on the 1885 Loughridge Map?
Carlisle County was not formed until 1886 (out of Ballard County).