Spanish land grants documented claims of land ownership when
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
ceded the territory of
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
in 1821. Under Spanish rule, land grants were offered to settlers beginning in 1790, to induce settlement of the colony. The United States agreed to honor these land grants when it gained control of the territory, provided that they were shown to be valid.
History
In 1819, under the terms of the
Adams-Onís Treaty, Spain ceded Florida to the United States in exchange for $5 million and the American renunciation of any claims on Texas that they might have from the Louisiana Purchase.
The United States required that residents had documented or testimonial proof of the validity of their land grants. Land commissions and other government bodies reviewed these claims, either confirming or denying their validity, and thus the ownership of the land. Dossiers were assembled for each land parcel, consisting of survey plats, deeds, wills, royal grants, and other documents supporting the claims.
Publication
In 1942, the Spanish land grants were first published by the
Work Projects Administration's (WPA) Florida Historical Records Survey. The records were transcribed into a five volumes, with an introduction written by historian Louise Biles Hill. More recently, the State Library and Archives of Florida published digitized copies of the land grants online.
References
External links
Spanish Land Grant Papers of John B. Gaudryon
World Digital Library
The World Digital Library (WDL) is an international digital library operated by UNESCO and the United States Library of Congress.
The WDL has stated that its mission is to promote international and intercultural understanding, expand the volume ...
Spanish Land Grants at Florida Memory
Florida Territory
Land law
Legal history of Florida
{{US-hist-stub