In the past 6 months, I've come across deed descriptions for two different properties - both drafted in the 1930s - which refer to surveys which were filed with the Federal Land Bank (in Columbia, SC in both cases). Does anyone know if copies of these surveys still exist, and, if so, are available to the public? In one instance, the old survey would have been invaluable since the deeds description was by bounds only, but I have no idea where to even begin looking for it.
You may have some luck here:
https://www.archives.gov/san-francisco/finding-aids/holdings-guide-05.html
Although it is probably just a start...
Loyal
Not sure about everywhere else but in my neck of the woods, the local surveyor (using the word loosely) would inflate the acreage on Land Bank surveys, so that the farmer could get a bigger loan. In one case, a 200 acre tract was 30 acres off. The metes and bounds were reasonable but the area was just wrong. When we told the owner that she had 30 less acres valued at $10 K per acre, she literally passed out in the yard. She finally paid our invoice several months latter when she was convinced that we were right.
http://www.farmcreditarchive.org/assets/document/Financing_the_Farmer1.pdf
http://digital.tcl.sc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/wpaplp/id/912
https://www.archives.gov/atlanta/holdings/rg-100-164.html
The above links may shed some light on what you are looking for.