Land Grants and Cash Sales of Early Pocahontas County

Here you will find two different types of land acquisitions through the Federal Government in the 1800s.  The Cash Sale will be indicated by being from the United States.  The authority to sell this land was set up in 1820.  The Military Script Warrants which were created in 1850 will be listed as from the soldier to whom the land grant is owed, to the assignee of the soldier.  Many never saw Iowa but sold their military grants from afar.  Most were soldiers of the 1812 War but many were from other minor skirmishes, some of which I had never heard of such as the Florida War.  The links go to the actual land grant in PDF form that was downloaded to this site from the Bureau of Land Management.  There is a bit more information on the actual images.

Land Partitioning

You will find on the land information both the township, in numeric form and the portion of the section, called the aliquote.  The following diagrams will help you to see what land your subject acquired if you do not already know how to read aliquotes.  If you have any difficulties please don't hesitate to email me with questions, I am a former realtor and can explain in layman's terms.

Land Location Numbering

Current townships

Section numbering

NW 1/4 W1/2 of NE1/4 of NE1/4     NE1/4      South   Half           Samples of Aliquote Partition

Each square represents 40 acres

Historical Development of the Named Townships

Land Records
There were no records found from 1850 until May of 1857. Then only 5,
none in 1858 and then the rush began in 1859.

Land Grants 1857	Land Grants 1859
Land Grants 1860 1st Half	Land Grants 1860 August - New Apr 22'

According to the Pocahontas Historical Society, the first house in the county was built
by Michael Collins in 1855.  Marker placed in 1947.  Presumedly this was on Sec 13 of
Lizard Township, land Michael Collins homesteaded in 1857.