There was legislation passed by the United States Congress in the 1850s that allowed a signficant number of War of 1812 veterans to apply for military bounty land. If the veteran was deceased his widow could apply. Many of these warrants are part of the Bureau of Land Management's database of federal land records at http://www.glorecords.blm.gov
The War of 1812 veterans were originally allowed bounty land in Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois (also widows and orphans of the war). Starting in 1842 and until 1855, with some exceptions, veterans, widows of veterans, or other heirs of veterans could apply for bounties on any specific veterans' service up to that date. These some 550,000 claims doument thousands of deaths and thousands of marriages where no other record exists. The lands granted were in federal land states. The National Archives has these petitions and is preparing an index (already to the letter H). You can go to the National Archives and Records Adminsitration (NARA) web site for feee searches of the bounty land records. Copies can be made for a reasonable fee.
ReplyDeleteThey have a complicated site, any chance you could provide the link here? If not help me find this index? Thanks much. Michelle
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