Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-03-04
MORE LIGHT THROWN
ON LAND PATENTS
May Not Be Required to Pro-
tect Land Titles.
Law of 1872 Makes Record of Entries
in State Land Office Evidence
in Law

WAOO4OI LILO Cllu0l1Ol4 Al OhAO OONAA
ty over the validity of land titles is
as serious as has been supposed. In
fact, it is the opinion of well posted
men that in a large majority of
instances the situation is not serious
at all
Two or three weeks ago the Her
aid published news item concern
ing a farmer in Castle Rock town
ship, who had been held up for $3.50
for the release of government
patent against his farm, held by a
man in Washington. Further In
formation was gwen the Herald to
the effect that in entering land IN
this county with the government,
in the early days, from 1882, to the
period following the Civil War, in
sufficient care was taken, and that
in hundreds of cases patents for the
land were never issued, or If issued
never obtained, while in perhaps as
large a ratio the patents were not
recorded, and in consequence much
trouble was now resulting.
Inquiry made of the register OF
deeds confirmed this report, and
elected the further information
that much agitation over the matter
existed in various parts of the
county, and farmers were coming
daily to the registers Office to have
the matter looked up and their
papers recorded.
These facts were published for the
information of our readers, and
articles of like character baye APP
peared in other papers of the county.
Knowing the widespread interest
| that has been awakened in the
matter, the Herald has been making
further investigation of the subject.
In conversation a few days ago with
i Col John g. Clark, who has been a
purchaser Of much government land
in this county in the years gone by,
and who has had an extended ex-
perience in land matters and survey
ing, as we'll as in the law, he held
that the recording of a patent was
not necessary to protect the title to
these lands, and discredited the
opinion that the titles were jeo-
pardized to any such extent as has
been supposed.
He further stated that many years
ago this county had compiled, at
an expense of about $500, two
large entry books, containing a
complete list of the public lands in
this county, purchased from the
general government, as shown by
the records of the public land office,
at that time located at Mineral
Point.
These records are now in the reg
lister of deeds Office and the Herald,
in company with Col. Clar<, ex-
amined them this week. They con-
tain many hundreds of entries o.
Grant county lands, the entries
being separated by townships. In
these records appear the descrip-
lions of the lands entered-number
of acres, section, township, range,
name of purchaser, price paid, date
of entry, etc.
Each volume also contains certi-
ficate, which reads as follows:
| st, Richard l.. Read. register of the Land
Office at Mineral Point, Wisconsin, do here
by certify that have compared the within
/ abstract of entries m ade at this ONCE with
the Tract Books of this office. and that the
same are true and correct,
Given under my hand this 18th day OF
= = - '0- RICHARD L. READ. Register"
Further investigation discloses the
fact that in 1872 the Wisconsin leg
1slature enacted, under the class1-
fication of private and local laws, a
law which especially constitutes the
records mentioned above prima facie
evidence in the matter of Grant
county lands. The law reads as fol-
lows:
CHAPTER 70.
Published March 26, 1921
/ AN ACT to make the books in the office of
/ the register of deeds of Grant county, show
1 ing the entry of lands IN said county, pr1ma
/ facie evidence of the facts therein stated.
i Lie D6Opl6 VI UQ0 SbnbC VI W AoJOAolA
represented in senate and assembly,
| do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. The respective certificates
of Richard S. Reed, late register of
the United States land office at Min
eral Point, dated September II, A. D.
1858, now in the books in the office of
the register of deeds of Grant county,
purporting to show the facts relating
to the original entry of certain lands
in said county, shall entitle such
books to be respectively received as
prlma facie evidence of the facts
therein shown, in all courts and places.
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect
from and after it's passage and pub
LEGATION. -