I can find the plats of the early surveys on the BLM web site, but haven't found the field notes. Any advice?
Specifically, I want the subdivision into sections for T70N R12W 5th PM in Iowa in 1844, to see Barrows' words for sections 1, 2, 11, and 12.
This is NOT the 1847 resurvey that was used to patent those lands, which the plats suggest was less descriptive.
If those aren't on line, either originals or the WPA typescripts, then I will have to go to a library that has microfilms.
This is related to my post recently about reading the plat topographic feature and Chief Black Hawk.
Thanks, Bill
Each state is different, for Wyoming all the notes are online through the state website, not the BLMGLO national website. For Montana, you have to call the office in Billings and they will send you the file for the township.
I don't know about Iowa, if the state/regional office has scanned them online or not.
You will need to call the office wherever it is and request the notes. I highly doubt any info in the notes will help with the location of a grave, much of the topo data on GLO plats is based on visual drawings. But, it's worth a try.
I can find the plats of the early surveys on the BLM web site, but haven't found the field notes. Any advice?
The notes link is right next to the map link? Or at least that's how it is when I look up Idaho stuff on the BLM website.
Nevermind, I looked up that township and range and there's no notes link. I don't think I've ever seen the notes not uploaded. Maybe they were lost or destroyed.
Iowa is a bit unique - Have to use the Iowa DOT site and there are only transcribed versions available. The search takes some practice to master.
It has been awhile but, going from pure memory I think that Iowa was "closed" long ago and the originals should have been transferred to the state. I think I recall ES having the duplicate or triplicate bound copies of field notes for Iowa though. I would guess that none of it has been scanned at this point. Typically when notes are not available on GLO website it just means that they have not been scanned as of yet.
An email to GLO records might be a good idea to find out if there is a way to get copies of what you are looking for if they are available. However, no promises on response time due to the current situation.
I just looked on the BLMGLO national site and there are Montana field notes there. Sweet!! Hadn't seen them before. Wyoming no, but they have been available through the state BLM website for maybe a decade.
Thanks @briniker I got what I was after. I could not figure out how to get anything below the county level from the search, so I sampled the images and found the pattern in the order they were taken so I could narrow down the images I wanted. Took a while.
These pages didn't give me any big revelations, but confirms some things quoted from it elsewhere, one with a typo and one with a length that I confirmed is irrelevant in their quote.
There is nothing in the subdivision notes to suggest the topo feature I was asking about in the other thread. It says here "level and rich prairie."
"level and rich prairie."
Out here the notes say "first rate", "second rate", "third rate", etc soil. I was laughing about that with another PLS in the office the other day because I'm like what in the world does this even mean? I've never seen any sort of soil "rate" chart before. 😏
"level and rich prairie."
Out here the notes say "first rate", "second rate", "third rate", etc soil. I was laughing about that with another PLS in the office the other day because I'm like what in the world does this even mean? I've never seen any sort of soil "rate" chart before. 😏
That's how the notes here read. I've always assumed it was an assessment of agriculture potential.
Just because I'm paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get me.
@williwaw Right, but at which rate does nothing grow? I'm sure it's just some arbitrary relative scale, but I was just laughing at how ambiguous it is.