Inventory of the State Land Office Records

Processed by Debbie Bahn

California State Archives

1020 "O" Street

Sacramento, California 95814

Phone: (916) 653-2246

Fax: (916) 653-7363

Email: ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov

URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/

Inventory of the State Land Office Records

Collection number: R388

California State Archives

Office of the Secretary of State

Sacramento, California

Processed by:: Debbie Bahn
Date Completed:: August 2007
Encoded by:: Debbie Bahn

Descriptive Summary

Title: State Land Office Records

Dates: 1852-1932

Collection number: R388

Creator: State Land Office

Creator/Collector: Department of Finance, Division of State Lands

Collection Size: 47 cubic feet

Repository: California State Archives

Sacramento, California

Abstract: The State Land Office Records consist of 47 cubic feet of records documenting transactions in the disposal of state public lands, and early survey records of various geographic areas within California, especially San Francisco.

Physical location: California State Archives

Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Administrative Information

Access

Collection is open for research. Access to some records may be limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

Publication Rights

For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives collections.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of Item], State Land Office Records, R388.[series number], [box/folder number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Acquisition Information

A gap exists in the State Land Office Records' custodial history. The records are believed to have been deposited with the State Archives by the Department of Finance, a division of the Governor's Office, as early as the 1930s or 1940s. Details regarding the acquisition, however, are unknown at this time. See Scope and Content note for further details.

Agency History

The formal administration of state public lands began in 1858 with the creation of the State Land Office for the purpose of "ascertaining, protecting, and managing the title and claim of the state to any lands within its limits, derived by grants from the United States, or in any other manner." The Surveyor General, a statewide elected official whose Office was established by the 1849 California Constitution, served as ex officio Register of the State Land Office (Chapter 176, Statutes 1858).

Between 1850 and 1862, the State of California acquired interest in nearly 9 million acres of land from the federal public domain within its boundaries for various salutary purposes, including reclamation and the funding of public education. Grants from which California received public lands were as follows:

500,000 acres for the purpose of internal improvements. An Act to appropriate the proceeds of the sales of the public lands, and to grant preemption rights. September 4, 1841. 5 Stat. 453.

Swamp and Overflowed Lands. An Act to enable the state of Arkansas and other States to reclaim the "Swamp Lands" within their limits. September 28, 1850. 9 Stat. 519.

Sections sixteen and thirty-six of each township for school purposes; seventy-two sections for a seminary of learning (university); ten sections for the erection of public buildings. An Act to provide for the Survey of the Public Lands in California, the granting of Preemption Rights therein, and for other purposes. March 3, 1853. 10 Stat. 244.

150,000 acres for an Agricultural College. An Act donating Public Lands to the several States and Territories which may provide Colleges for the Benefit of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. July 2, 1862. 12 Stat. 503.

In addition to public lands from the Congressional grants, California acquired ownership upon statehood of all sovereign lands. Sovereign lands are those underlying the navigable and tidal waterways within the state.

Prior to the creation of the State Land Office, many different federal, state, and local offices and officials had been responsible for activities related to the disposal of State public lands. This uncoordinated effort added to the problems caused by both pre-emption and the State's attempts to sell public lands before the U.S. public land survey was conducted. In addition, California's first Surveyors General, who were charged with maintaining an estimate of the aggregate quantity of land belonging to the State and the characteristics of those lands, were frustrated by the lack of information from officials, especially County Surveyors, regarding surveys, locations, and sales of lands. In his 1857 annual report to the Governor, Surveyor General Brewster echoed his predecessors' concerns regarding the lack of centralization for State lands activities. "The settler is far ahead of the state in every section, and lands which should properly be sold by the state for the benefit of her treasury, are constantly being purchased from the United States. The principal cause of these difficulties and losses is to be found in the want of a central office in which could be collected all the information necessary to an establishment of the state's rights, and in which should be placed the authority to survey, select, register, and patent all lands sold by the authority of the state." The Legislature responded by creating the State Land Office and making the Surveyor General of California ex officio Register of the State Land Office.

As Register, the Surveyor General's duties included: communicating with the United States Surveyor General in matters concerning the U.S. Survey going on within the state, especially the demarcation of swamp and overflowed lands; approving surveys made by county surveyors; ascertaining the extent, limits, and boundaries of all lands to which the State is or may be entitled, and having the title vested in the state; keeping records, including land descriptions, of facts concerning survey, location, and sale of lands, and the issuing of patents for all classes of land to which the State may be entitled; issuing certificates of purchase; issuing Register's Certificates; and receiving various documents from other officials concerning public lands disposal.

By the mid-1860s, California had sold much of the public land it was entitled to, though the state had not yet received title from the federal government for even one acre of land. Two Surveyors General traveled to Washington at their own expense, determined to settle with the Commissioner of the federal General Land Office over the issue of land titles. In 1866, An Act to quiet Land Titles in California (14 Stat. 218) finally confirmed to the State the lands that it had sold to individual purchasers as State public lands.

Throughout the life of the agency, and especially during the 1860s and 1870s, various State laws were passed in a continuing effort to alleviate problems that plagued the public lands disposal process. Much of this legislation affected the documentation process of surveys and land sales, forcing the State Land Office to make adjustments in its administrative tasks.

Chapter 516, Statutes 1929 abolished the State Land Office and the Office of Surveyor General, transferring all duties, powers, purposes, responsibilities and jurisdictions to the newly-created Division of State Lands within the Department of Finance. The Chief of the Division, appointed by the Director of Finance, served as ex officio Register of State Lands.

In 1938, the State Lands Commission became successor agency to the Division of State Lands (Chapter 5, Statutes 1938, first extra session). The Commission continues to serve as the administrative agency for state public lands. Members include the Lieutenant Governor, the State Controller, and the State Director of Finance. The Commission's authority and duties are defined in the California Public Resources Code, sections 6101-6111.

Surveyors General of California:

Charles J. Whiting, 1849-1851
William M. Eddy, 1852-1853
Seneca H. Marlette, 1854-1855
John H. Brewster, 1856-1857
Horace A. Higley,* 1858-1861
James F. Houghton,* 1862-1866
John W. Bost,* 1867-1871
Robert Gardner,* 1871-1875
William Minis,* 1875-1879
James W. Shanklin,* 1880-1881
Henry I Willey,* 1882-1886
Theodore Reichert,* 1886-1894
Martin J. Wright,* 1894-1902
Victor H. Woods,* 1902-1906
W. S. Kingsbury,* 1906-1928
* Surveyors General who served as Register of the State Land Office.

Scope and Content

The State Land Office Records consists of forty-seven cubic feet of records created and collected by the State Land Office, and arranged into twenty-eight series. The collection reflects the cooperative relationship between administrative bodies in the disposal of public lands and includes records generated by the State Land Office, the Board of Swamp Land Commissioners, the Board of Tide Land Commissioners, the University of California Regents, county Boards of Supervisors, federal district land offices, and the General Land Office under the U.S. Department of the Interior. In addition there is correspondence created between 1929 and 1932 by the Department of Finance, Division of State Lands. This collection represents only a small portion of the records created by the State Land Office. Most of the records of the former State Land Office are in the custody of the State Lands Commission.

The disposal of state public lands was a significant activity in California's early history. It enabled the reclamation of millions of acres of swamp and overflowed lands, allowing the state to become the agricultural leader it is today. In addition, the revenues received from the sale of school lands supported the early development of the state's public education system.

The bulk of the records in this collection were created during the nineteenth century, largely in the 1860s and 1870s, when land sales and legislation concerning land disposal were at a peak. With the exception of Series 6, 9, and 13, the records within the first seventeen series consist primarily of standard forms that document various activities related to individual land purchases in accordance with the laws that governed the disposal of such lands. Twenty-three of the forty-seven cubic feet of records consists of Register's Receipts. In addition to their historical value, many of the records have legal value, filling gaps that exist in the State Lands Commission's historical records for evidence in chains of title.

Series 18 through Series 28, as well as the exceptions mentioned previously, consist of documents that were created outside of the mandates for documenting the activities of state public land disposal. These records include correspondence, special surveys, records generated by special Boards, and records related to legal actions. In addition, twelve oversized maps are stored separately. Smaller maps can be found within the folders of these series. Much of the correspondence in Series 24 is addressed to various Governors, who in turn redirected the letters to the Surveyors General for investigation and response. These letters are primarily inquiries from private citizens regarding land issues or are from the General Land Office regarding the transfer of lands. In most instances, copies of the responses are not included in the records. The letters from private citizens serve to provide examples of the problems individuals experienced as purchasers of public lands. Also of particular interest are the 1868 San Francisco waterfront survey documents in Series 21. These records document the original waterfront line of San Francisco.

Researchers should be aware of a gap in information concerning custodial history of the records (See Administrative Information). Prior to being made a separate collection, these records comprised Series 17, Land Office Papers, within the Governors Office Records (Inventory No. 4). As a consequence of that gap, unanswered questions exist concerning both the arrangement of series and the reasons for the collection of certain materials. With the exception of Series 24 through Series 28, which were arranged from three cubic feet of records, the original arrangement was maintained. The arrangement for Series 24 through 28 is artificial and documents have been placed in chronological order.

Because of the age and condition of the documents, many require preservation treatments prior to use. Researchers are advised to contact the California State Archives reference staff for access information.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

California -- State Land Office

Land use -- California

California -- Surveyor General's Office

Related Material

Department of Finance Records

Governor's Office Records

State Controller Records

State Lands Commission Records

State Treasurer Records

Surveyor General Records

R388.01. Box 1 - Box 7

Series 1 County Treasurer Receipts 1858-1862 1869-1903

Physical Description: 7 cubic feet

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Payments for the purchase of state public lands were made by individuals to County Treasurers. The bulk of these documents are not strictly Treasurer Receipts, which were only issued from 1858-1863 (Chapter 235, Statutes 1858), but rather location certificates, survey certificates, and forms entitled Approval of Application to Purchase State Lands. Upon initial payment for land by a purchaser, County Treasurers were required to endorse receipt of payment on these documents (Chapter 397, Statutes 1863; Chapter 415, Statutes 1868; Political Code 3512). The documents in this series are identified as County Treasurer Receipts because they are arranged chronologically by the date endorsed on the certificates as the date of payment to the County Treasurer.

The County Treasurer Receipts from 1858-1860 are primarily for Swamp and Overflowed Lands in Yolo County and Sacramento County. Records from 1860-1862 are primarily for School Land sales in various counties. There are no documents in this series for the period 1863-1868. Documents from 1869-1903 consist of those described above.

Documents may include the following information: purchasers name, type of land, number of acres purchased, amount paid, land description by township, range, and section, federal land district, location number, survey number, and survey field notes and plat.

R388.02. Box 8 - Box 10

Series 2 County Treasurer Reports 1855-1863

Physical Description: 3 cubic feet

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of reports that were required to be submitted to the State Treasurer by all County Treasurers upon transfer to the State of the collected payments for the sale of State public lands (Chapter 151, Statutes 1855; Chapter 235, Statutes 1858). While a small number of records in this series document school land sales, the bulk consists of Swamp and Overflowed Lands reports that itemize each monetary transaction. From 1855-1858, County Treasurers were required to provide the name(s) of the purchaser(s), amount of land purchased, amount of money collected, and whether it was principal or interest. Most of these records are handwritten lists. Beginning in 1858 preprinted forms were used that included the following information: the name(s) of the purchaser(s); the survey number and the name of the surveyor; the location description; class of land; number of acres; price per acre; payment date; payment method; amount of money collected, and whether it was principal or interest; and the date of the act allowing for the sale.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.03. Box 11 - Box 13

Series 3 School Land Warrants 1852-1913

Physical Description: 3 cubic feet

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of patent recipient.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of surrendered and canceled School Land Warrants. Chapter 4, Statutes 1852, provided for the disposal of the five hundred thousand acres of land granted to the State of California by an Act of Congress on April 4, 1861. The statute authorized the Governor to issue Land Warrants for not less than 160 acres and not more than 320 acres in one warrant. By the time this law was repealed in 1858, 838 warrants for 160 acres and 324 warrants for 320 acres had been sold. Information found on a School Land Warrant includes the warrant number, the name of the purchaser, and the amount paid. The owner of a Land Warrant would use it to locate, or purchase school lands. Because these documents could be and often were transferred, chain of ownership is recorded on each Land Warrant. Many warrants are supplemented with supporting documentation, such as notarized ownership transfers, probate documentation, and in lieu documentation.

Access by means other than a patent recipients name is possible by consulting the List of Warrants Located found in the Annual Report of the Surveyor General for the year 1858 (Senate Journal Appendix, 10th Session, 1959). These lists (one list for 320 acre warrants, and one list for 160 acre warrants) are arranged by warrant number and provide the names of those to whom the warrants were originally issued, those for whom the warrants were located, date of location, and county of location.

R388.04. Box 14 - Box 36

Series 4 Registers Certificates 1859-1929

Physical Description: 23 cubic feet

Arrangement

This series is arranged into two subseries. The first subseries consists of numbered Registers Certificates and the second subseries consists of unnumbered Registers Certificates.

R388.04. Box 14-Box 36

Subseries 1 Numbered Registers Certificates 1860-1929

Arrangement

Arranged numerically by certificate number.

Scope and Content Note

This subseries consists of forms for all classes of land that were issued by the Register of the State Land Office certifying to the Governor that the laws relating to a particular land sale had been complied with, or that full payment had been made, and that the purchaser was entitled to a patent (Chapter 313, Statutes 1859, Chapter 397, Statutes 1863, Chapter 415, Statutes 1868). Land classes include School lands, Swamp and Overflowed lands, University lands, Public Building lands, Agricultural College lands, Tidelands, Marsh lands, and Lake lands. Information on the forms may include the patent recipients name, land class, location description by township, range, and section, and county in which land is located. Envelopes may indicate the date the patent was signed.

The certificate numbers range from 1 to 18482. Because each class of land had a different numbering system, and because some Surveyors General were not consistent in continuing numbering systems used by their predecessors, there may be multiple documents with the same number, and arrangement by certificates number does not reflect chronological order. This is especially true in certificates 1-884. In addition, many certificates are contained in envelopes that state the class of land for which the certificate was issued. Researchers should be aware of occasional discrepancies between the land class stated on the envelope and that for which the certificate was actually issued.

R388.04. Box 36

Subseries 2 Unnumbered Registers Certificates 1859-1870

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This subseries consists of Registers Certificates that are unnumbered and were created between 1859 and 1870. Unlike the preprinted forms found in Subseries 1, these records are handwritten documents certifying the same information.

R388.05. Box 36

Series 5 Certificates of Purchase 1855-1887

Physical Description: 0.25 cubic feet

Arrangement

This series is arranged into two subseries. The first subseries consists of certificates of purchase for swamp and overflowed lands, and the second subseries consists of certificates of purchase for a variety of land grants.

This series includes handwritten letters from various officials, such as county clerks, judges, and the Surveyor General, certifying land purchases under different land grants. In many cases, this was due to the fact that the original certificate had been lost or destroyed. Letters making reference to a certificate number are filed in Subseries 2; those without reference to a certificate number are filed in Subseries 1.

Subseries 1 Certificates Issued by Secretary of State 1855-1858

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of purchaser.

Scope and Content Note

The bulk of this subseries consists of certificates of purchase for swamp and overflowed land issued from 1855-1858 by the Secretary of States office as per Chapter 151, Statutes 1855, which provided for the sale of swamp and overflowed lands. This act was repealed in 1858 by Chapter 235, Statutes 1858, which included a section reassigning the duty of issuing certificates of purchase to the Register of the newly created State Land Office. Information found on a certificate may include the name of the purchaser, the amount of land purchased, the amount paid, and the township/range description.

Subseries 2 Certificates Issued by Register 1858-1887

Arrangement

Arranged numerically by certificate number.

Scope and Content Note

The bulk of the second subseries consists of certificates of purchase for State School Lands (the 500,000 acre grant), Unsurveyed School Lands (locations of School Land Warrants), Swamp and Overflowed Lands, Grant of 16th and 36th SectionsUnsurveyed Lands, Grant of 16th and 36th SectionsSurveyed Lands, and State Tidelands. Information found on a certificate can include the name of the purchaser, the amount of land purchased, its township/range description, the county survey number, and the amount paid. In addition, chain of title is recorded on the backs of the certificates.

R388.06. Box 37

Series 6 Mining Company Case Files 1874-1896

Physical Description: 0.25 cubic feet

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of mining company.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of petitions and correspondence to various Governors from mining companies regarding conflicts over the granting of land patents to individuals for properties claimed by mining companies.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.07. Box 37

Series 7 Location Applications 1858-1893

Physical Description: 0.5 cubic feet

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of federal land district and by location number thereunder.

Scope and Content Note

This series includes applications for locations of seminary lands, unsold portions of the 500,000 acre land grant, and lands in lieu of the sixteenth and thirty-sixth sections. Beginning in 1858, the Governor was authorized to appoint a locating agent for each of the U.S. land districts within California. It was the duty of a locating agent to submit applications for approval of locations to the U.S. District Register of his respective district on behalf of land purchasers (Chapter 281, Statutes 1858). Many of the applications in this series were rejected by the Registers. Grounds for rejection included incorrect application procedure and previous sale of the land.

The bulk of the documents are from the San Francisco, Marysville, and Humboldt land districts, although there are some documents from the Independence, Los Angeles, Stockton, and Visalia districts.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.08. Box 37 - Box 38

Series 8 Real Estate Conveyances 1875-1908 bulk 1877-1882>

Physical Description: 1.25 cubic feet

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of county and chronologically thereunder.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of real estate documents, most of which are entitled Conveyance of Real Estate Sold for Delinquent Taxes and similar titles. These records document the purchase of tax-delinquent property by the State of California, who became the purchaser of such properties that failed to sell at public auction (Political Code 3771). Information on the forms includes the property location by township, range, and section, the name of the delinquent owner, the assessed value of the property, and the amount of taxes due.

Counties represented in this series are Amador, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Humboldt, Inyo, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Los Angeles, Madera, Mendocino, Modoc, Mono, Napa, Placer, Plumas, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, and Sutter. The bulk consists of records from the counties of Lake (1877-1888), Mendocino (1877-1879), Napa (1878-1886), San Bernardino (1877-1880), and Santa Cruz (1881-1882).

R388.09. Box 39

Series 9 Deeds 1854-1889 bulk 1860-1868

Physical Description: 0.5 cubic feet

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of purchaser.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of a collection of deeds for privately-owned property. There are a number of recognizable names from California history, including Miller and Lux and F.P.F. Temple, whose names appear as purchasers on many of the deeds. Also included in this series are two documents entitled List of Deeds sent to State Treasurer, January 3, 1871 (elsewhere on the document it says 1872), and List of Deeds sent to State Treasurer, April 12, 1872 and May 17, 1872. It does not appear that these lists are connected to the deeds that exist in this series.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.10. Box 39

Series 10 Patent Lists 1887-1898

Physical Description: 0.5 cubic feet

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of listings of patents issued by various Governors to individual property owners. Information on the documents may include the name of the patent recipient, certificate number, county, number of acres, land class, location description, and date the patent was signed.

R388.11. Box 40

Series 11 Letters of Transmittal for Clear Lists and Patents 1866-1932

Physical Description: 1 cubic foot

Arrangement

Arranged numerically by list or patent number.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of letters from the General Land Office, Department of Interior that accompanied patents and clear lists sent to the Governor. Attached to many of them are letters from the Governor or the Surveyor General acknowledging receipt of the list or patent. Because each federal land district, and each class of land within them, had a separate numbering system there are multiple documents for each number. Consequently, the arrangement by patent number does not imply chronological order. In addition, the clear lists and patents represent those for various land classes, including school lands, swamp and overflowed lands, university lands, agricultural college lands, and lieu lands. Information in the letters includes the identity of the federal land district, the class of land, the list or patent number, and the number of acres associated with the list or patent. Some patent transmittal letters refer to a serial number and some refer to the numbered clear list on which the land appeared.

This series contains documents numbered 1-116, 144-198, and 219-226. In addition there are documents associated with the transmittal of seven different patents to the State Lands Division within the Department of Finance between 1930 and 1932. These are numbered 1034245, 1039655, 1041543, 1042083, 1042086, 1042087, and 1056724.

R388.12. Box 41/1

Series 12 School Fund Apportionment Reports 1857-1882

Physical Description: 1 file folder

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of semi-annual reports by the Superintendent of Public Instruction showing the apportionment of school funds received from the sale of public school lands. Information includes the number of children in each county and the amount of funds allocated to that county. Some reports show figures for individual towns within the counties.

R388.13. Box 41/2 - Box 41/3

Series 13 Surveys 1853-1857

Physical Description: 2 file folders and 2 maps

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by county and then numerically by survey number.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of field notes for surveys in the counties of Calaveras and Tehama. The material from Calaveras County consists of field notes and plats for twenty-six surveys performed for individuals by the County Surveyor in 1853 and 1854. Included are survey numbers 226-232, 234-240, 246, 248, 293-294, 296-298, 300-301, 304-306, and 308-310. In addition there are two oversized maps entitled Roads in Ione Valley, (1852) and Plot of Excelsior Spring Road Grading from Mokelumne Hill to Stockton, (1852). The documents from Tehama County are field notes for three surveys conducted for the location of School Land Warrants in 1856 and 1857.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.14. Box 41/4 - Box 41/12

Series 14 Abstracts of Title 1859-1871

Physical Description: 9 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of copies of nine Abstracts of Title to various properties in San Francisco. Each abstract documents the chain of title for that property.

For a list of document titles see master finding aid at the California State Archives.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.15. Box 42/1 - Box 42/4

Series 15 County Treasurers Apportionment Reports 1863-1866

Physical Description: 4 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Chapter 397, Statutes 1863, required County Treasurers to make quarterly reports to the State Controller showing the amounts received in payment for state land sales. The reports were to be certified by the Register of the State Land Office. Each report itemizes the amount of principle and interest received by a County Treasurer for each class of land: School Land Grant of 500,000 acres; School Land Grant of 16th and 36th SectionsSurveyed Land; School Land Grant of 16th and 36th SectionsUnsurveyed Land; Seminary Lands; Public Building Lands; Agricultural College Lands; Swamp and Overflowed Lands; and Tidelands.

R388.16. Box 42/5 - Box 42/13

Series 16 Certificates of Transfer 1864-1870

Physical Description: 9 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged numerically by certificate number.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of Certificates of Transfer. The documents were provided for in Chapter 397, Statutes 1863, as a contingency in the event that land purchased from the State was later determined not to have been the property of the State. The purchaser was issued a Certificate of Transfer from the Register of the State Land Office stating the amount that had been paid. The certificate could then be used to apply the same amount to another purchase of the same class of land from the State. Information contained on each certificate includes the name of the purchaser, amount of land purchased, amount paid, class of land purchased, survey number, and county. Many of the documents were defaced when stamps were cut from the backs of the certificates.

R388.17. Box 42/14 - Box 42/16

Series 17 Canceled Patents 1855-1883

Physical Description: 3 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by patent recipient.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of documents entitled Letters Patent, issued for various land classes. They contain location descriptions and are signed by the Governor, Secretary of State, and Register of the State Land Office. Most of the documents indicate that they were canceled due to an error and a new patent was issued.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.18. Box 43/1 - Box 43/19

Series 18 Swamp and Overflowed Lands Locations 1855-1885

Physical Description: 19 file folders and 1 map

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by county.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of documents created in the process of locating swamp and overflowed lands. Documents include affidavits giving evidence of the character of the land, field notes from swamp and overflowed lands surveys, certificates of purchase, County Treasurers lists of swamp and overflowed lands, and County Treasurers receipts.

Eighteen counties are represented in this series: Alameda; Colusa; Fresno; Lake; Mendocino; Merced; Monterey; Napa; Placer; Sacramento; San Bernardino; San Joaquin; Santa Clara; Siskiyou; Solano; Sonoma; Sutter; Tulare; Yolo.

Of particular interest are documents relating to the reclamation of swamp and overflowed lands in Tulare Valley as described in Chapter 169, Statutes 1857, and the amendments that followed (Chapter 184, Statutes 1862 and Chapter 331, Statutes 1863). The Governor and Surveyor General were required to approve and certify the reclamation work before title could be vested in the grantees. To fulfill that requirement the State hired A.R. Jackson, an engineer from Sacramento, to survey the reclaimed lands and submit a report certifying that all conditions of reclamation as per the act had been fulfilled. Documents in this series relating to that activity include correspondence between the Governor and Surveyor General, and Jackson, as well as Jacksons 1865 report and the accompanying survey map entitled A.R. Jacksons Map of Swamp Lands in Tulare County.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.19. Box 43/20 - Box 43/24

Series 19 Swamp and Overflowed Lands Segregation Affidavits 1865-1867

Physical Description: 5 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of federal land district.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of Swamp and Overflowed Lands segregation affidavit forms filed in conformance with the instructions of the Commissioner of the General Land Office (see S.A. Smith, Commissioner to James W. Mandeville, U.S. Surveyor General, Annual Report of the Surveyor General for the Year 1859, page 16-17, Senate Journal Appendix, 1860). The documents contain listings of sections claimed by the State as swamp and overflowed lands. In addition to documents from the Humboldt, Marysville, Stockton, and San Francisco land districts, there are documents from San Bernardino County that do not identify a federal land district.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.20. Box 44/1 - Box 44/11

Series 20 Swamp and Overflowed Lands Reports and Correspondence 1862-1890 bulk 1862-1868

Physical Description: 11 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Scope and Content Note

Folders 44/2-44/9 contain reports and correspondence from or about the Board of Swamp Land Commissioners and their activities. Chapter 352, Statutes 1861, enabled the creation of the Board of Swamp Land Commissioners, whose role was to administer the reclamation of swamp and overflowed lands. Duties included establishing Swamp Land Districts, receiving petitions for reclamation, appointing Engineers for the various Districts, advertising for and awarding contracts for reclamation work, and submitting annual reports to the Governor. While thirty-eight Districts were initially established, the number rose to fifty-four by 1865. In 1866 the Legislature abolished the Board and reassigned all powers and duties to county Boards of Supervisors (Chapter 571, Statutes 1866).

The remaining folders contain reports and correspondence regarding swamp and overflowed lands. Included in this material are letters to the Governor regarding a conflict between settlers in Bakersfield and the Kern County Land Company, lists of lands sold as Swamp and Overflowed Lands, and petitions for Swamp and Overflowed Lands surveys in Siskiyou County.

For a list of subject headings see master finding aid at the California State Archives.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.21. Box 44/12 -Box 45/12

Series 21 Tide Land Files 1868-1880

Physical Description: 15 file folders and 6 maps

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by subject and chronologically thereunder.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of records and correspondence relating to tidelands. Included are receipt certificates from the Office of Tide Land Commissioners for the purchase of salt marsh lands and tidelands sold at various public auctions in the counties of San Francisco, Alameda, Marin, Contra Costa, and San Mateo (Chapter 543, Statutes 1868, and Chapter 388, Statutes 1870). Information on the certificates may include receipt number, name of purchaser, amount paid, identification of lot(s) and block(s), and date of sale. The bulk of the receipts are from November 15, 1870, July 10-17, 1872, and March 4-8, 1873.

Of interest are documents and maps created by G. F. Allardt for the 1868 San Francisco waterfront survey. Also of interest are applications and petitions for patents and titles of San Francisco waterfront properties, particularly those pertaining to the Central Pacific Railroad, the Southern Pacific Railroad, George Hearst, Mason and Bensley, and the Old Sausalito Land and Dry Dock Company. There is also correspondence to various Governors from individuals regarding tideland issues.

For a list of subject headings and a list of document titles pertaining to the San Francisco Waterfront Survey see master finding aid at the California State Archives.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.22. Box 45/13 -Box 45/30

Series 22 Boundary Surveys 1854-1898

Physical Description: 18 file folders and 1 map

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by name of county. Multiple counties are arranged by name of county that comes first alphabetically.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists primarily of survey records for county boundaries. Alphabetical arrangement by name of county that comes first in the alphabet does not imply that the documents were created by officials of that county. Records may include field notes, drawings, Boards of Supervisors correspondence, and Surveyors Generals records. Besides county boundary records, there is a folder of documents for other boundaries, including a map and computations of the State boundary at Lake Bigler (undated), boundaries of the South San Francisco Homestead and R.R. Association connected with streets and avenues (undated), map of county road in Stanislaus (1855), lands sold by the state outside of the line of segregation (1859), map of Marin City and San Quentin Prison grounds (undated), as well as various unidentified and undated documents.

For a list of folder headings see master finding aid at the California State Archives.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.23. Box 45/31

Series 23 Yosemite Files 1864-1867 1910

Physical Description: 1 file folder

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of correspondence regarding Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Big Tree Grove following their donation to California by Congress in 1864. The letters address various issues, including the survey of Yosemite and Mariposa Big Tree Grove, the Yosemite Commission, and private property ownership within Yosemites boundaries. In addition, there are three letters written in 1910 referring to a Surveyor Generals report on the status of the sixteenth and thirty-sixth sections within Yosemite National Park and Sequoia National Park.

R388.24. Box 46/1 - Box 47/8

Series 24 Correspondence 1853-1916 1930-1932

Physical Description: 21 file folders and 2 maps

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of correspondence and supporting documents. Correspondents include the Governor, the Surveyor General, County Boards of Supervisors, federal land officials, attorneys, and private citizens.

The bulk of the correspondence from 1853-1916 concerns individual land transactions. Most of these letters were from private citizens and were addressed to the Governor, who forwarded them to the Surveyor General for investigation and response. Other topics within the correspondence include Mexican land grants; land within the Klamath River Indian reservation; appointment of locating agents; irrigation in the San Joaquin, Tulare, and Sacramento valleys; and general public land laws. There are also copies of letters between the Governor and various officials from the General Land Office, Department of Interior, concerning land issues and title transfers. There is a report from the State Land Commission charged with investigating financial management of the Surveyor Generals office and the State Land Office during the administration of John Bost (1877). Survey documents include two county surveys (Survey no.3, Santa Clara County, 1862, and an unnumbered survey, Sonoma County, 1862), and a petition and plat from H.A.Cobb to construct a wharf in Old Saucelito (1870). Additionally, there are two folders of undated documents, including lists of land purchases from the counties of Contra Costa, Humboldt, Merced, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Stanislaus, and Tulare.

The correspondence from 1930-1932 were created by the Division of State Lands, Department of Finance after the State Land Office was abolished. They consist primarily of letters to the Governor that were referred to the Register of State Lands for investigation and response. Topics include citizen inquiries regarding available land and state lands within the national parks.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.25. Box 47/9

Series 25 Land Selection Lists 1868-1869 1875-1876

Physical Description: 1 file folder

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by land district and chronologically thereunder.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of land selection lists for the 500,000 acre land grant. There are lists for the Humboldt Land District (1868-1869), and the Stockton Land District (1875-1876).

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.26. Box 47/10

Series 26 Unsurveyed Land Application Certificates 1862

Physical Description: 1 file folder

Arrangement

Arranged numerically by location number.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of documents from the Register of the San Francisco Land District certifying the application by the State for tracts of in lieu lands that were not yet surveyed, and could not be certified to the State at that time. Information on the documents includes the location description by township, range, and section.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.

R388.27. Box 47/11

Series 27 School Land Warrant Receipts and Correspondence 1857-1869

Physical Description: 1 file folder

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of correspondence regarding individual school land warrants and handwritten receipts for delivery of specific numbered warrants between the Surveyor General and various individuals.

R388.28. Box 47/12-Box 47/14

Series 28 Legal Records 1856-1871 1911

Physical Description: 3 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This series contains copies of legal documents involving probate cases, decrees of foreclosure, and legal actions involving the State and state lands.

Access to this series is limited due to the physical condition of the documents. Please see Reference Archivist for access information.