Has anyone got a land patent for their property? If so, is it really worth it?
Defend Rural America – by Kirk MacKenzie
Private property was created in the United States of America through the issuance of land patents that transferred title of public lands to named individuals, and to their heirs and assigns forever. Each patent was signed by the President of the United States in office at the time. These transfers were direct from the national government to the individual. The States were not involved. Present-day parcels can be traced back to their original patents. Every private parcel, ranch, or farmland in the country has a land patent associated with it.
Ron’s Land Patent Checklist
1.Obtain a certified copy of your proof of ownership, usually a warranty deed or quitclaim deed.
2.Using the legal description from your deed, obtain from the BLM Records Division three certified copies of the original land patent that corresponds to your land.
3.Obtain one certified copy of every title transfer package starting from your purchase backwards to the original land patent.
4.Create a package containing the documents in the order listed below. Your package should contain about 7 or 8 pages.
•A copy of your Certificate of Acceptance and Declaration of Land Patent. Staple at the bottom left corner of the first page a colorful sticky tab or 3 X 5 card with the following handwritten notice:
NOTICE
THIS NOTICE MUST BE
POSTED FOR FOR 60 DAYS.
DATE POSTED – ? – ? – 2013
END DATE – ? – ? – 2013
THANK YOU ( YOUR INITIALS HERE )
•A copy of your certified copy of your deed or other proof of ownership. (Only certain pages needed.)
•Summary of chain of title.
•Notice page.
•Copy of a certified copy of the patent that relates to your land.
5.Staple the pages of your package together and post the package on a bulletin board at your county court house or any other public building. Visit weekly to make sure it is still there. If not, replace it with another copy. Take a witness with you when you post it and when you pick it up 61 days later.
6.Record your package with your county recorder. Your patent process is completed.
END
THANK YOU. Ron Gibson
I think it is a very good thing to do, at least you would have proof that you own it absolute if tptb tried to steal it. From what I understand your stupid property taxes won’t dissapear with a land patent, which is what I would love.
Of course tptb still have brute force at their disposal if they want your land and home, but you’d have to deal with that if it arises. All one can do to secure ones life is a good thing imo.
If you happen to be in TX you would not go through the BLM, as Texas never ceded it’s land to the Feds. Go on line and search how to hold the title to your land in TX.
Thanks for your response Katie.
Anyone else? I figured there would be a few trenchers that may have done this.
I am about to get some property in August. I’ve sold mine in Calif as it’s to far and the new place is closer. I haven’t heard of this but will be looking into this in Nevada for sure on the new place. I will get back to everyone when I find out how this works here.
Basically, you are creating an “abstract of title”. This is what Missy and I do for our business. When you buy your land or home the bank requires a 30 year title search. An abstract is generally only done for oil companies. It is a good thing to do if you have the time to do the research. It can be time consuming, but well worth it. We have never posted any of it like they mentioned. That would be a great idea, because it puts the findings on public notice. Note that you will not always find a Patent from the BLM. Some tracts were homesteaded from the state. I am working on one presently that was homesteaded from the state of Louisiana. The BLM never Patented it.
Thanks Bulldog I had a feeling you and Missy would have some info on this. I’m closing on a house and I think I’m going to obtain a Land Patent. I’m in Michigan and I will document my process and post when finished.
Here is the website for the BLM records. http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/ you can go there if you have the full description of the property and research a patent. (printing is free if you find it)If it is a town lot it will be harder to find. Usually the land was patented in 40 acres up to 640 acres. It should have the Section, Township, Range on the description. Example: down here, it could be listed as Section 12, Township 4 South, Range 12 East. It is easy to look up like that. Example: a Section is 640 acres. They break them up by quarter sections as well. Example: the Southwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of Section (12) would be 40 acres and it would be located in the extreme SW portion of that section. The sections are mostly one square mile, unless they are located at a river.
Hello, I moved my family from Texas to Montana a year and half ago. My wife and I recently bought 1.7 acres with home outside the city limits in Flathead County. I am interested in getting an abstract of title back to the original Patent. Do you know anyone who might help me do the title history work? Thank you. Jerry (jerry at 4spectrum.us).
One thing to remember is that what ever piece of paper you have it is just a piece of paper. Showing it to some jack boot will probably just get you a laugh and a bullet. The only true way to let these punks know who owns it is with a .405 grain proof of ownership signature. Stay frosty people.
Was in process of doing this in mid-90s but then McLaren’s “ROT standoff” put the kibosh on that one…worth looking into again. Thanks.