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Finding the location of a veteran's bounty land from a military pension card

During the American Revolution, War of 1812, and other wars prior to 1855, the federal government offered bounty land as an inducement to enlist and as a payment for serving a specified length of time. The military pension card summarizing a veteran's service includes information on bounty land that the veteran was authorized to receive because of wartime service. Warrants for bounty land were issued upon discharge authorizing the veteran to obtain title to a given quantity of land based on length of service and rank. Search for military pension cards on Fold3.com, a subscription web site, available for free use at Family History Centers.

Each warrant for bounty land was assigned a nine digit number. The warrant number is found in the upper right corner of a military pension card. The first four digits of the bounty land warrant can be used to pinpoint the exact location of the land chosen by the veteran. Visit the Bureau of Land Management's free web site at glorecords.blm.gov to find the legal description of the property and the recipient's military unit. Click Search Documents. On the tab labeled Search Documents by Type, in the Location box, enter Any state at the bottom of the drop down list. Enter the veteran's name in the Names box. In the Miscellaneous box, enter the first four digits of the Bounty Land Warrant number from the pension card in the “Document #” field. At the bottom left, click Search Patents. The “Results list” displays a link to the digital image of the patent issued in exchange for the warrant, the accession number, names on the patent, date, document #, state, meridian, Township and Range, Aliquots, Section number and county. Many veterans did not move to the land to which they were entitled. Many sold or assigned their land to another person, who will be listed on the record viewable at the BLM web site.