Guide to the Archival Collections.pdf - Missouri History Museum

Missouri Land Records.
Collection, 1799-1979. 15 boxes; 15 volumes; 3 oversize folders
The Office of the Register of Land Titles in Missouri was established in 1841 and was
primarily responsible for the sale of state land and the taxation of land. A multiplicity of records
related to public land and taxation were placed in the custody of this office. The Office of the
Register of Land Titles in Missouri was abolished in 1891, at which time the records were
transferred to the land department of the Missouri Secretary of State's Office. The Office of the
Recorder of Land Titles in St. Louis was established in 1805. The recorder served as a member
of the Boards of Land Commissioners that were established by acts of Congress to adjudicate
land claims predating the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory by the United States in 1804. The
boards reported to the commissioner of the General Land Office in Washington, D.C., who
forwarded the reports to Congress. Confirmed land claims were recorded by the general land
office. The Office of the Recorder of Land Titles was abolished in 1876. The Office of the
Surveyor General for Missouri and Illinois, also established in 1805, reported to the
commissioner of the General Land Office in Washington, D.C., and supervised the surveying of
public lands and the sales of said lands in district land offices. Congress authorized the closing of
this office upon passage of state legislation authorizing the state of Missouri to assume custody
of records in 1840. In 1865, Missouri passed the final enabling legislation. These records
nevertheless remained in the Customs House in St. Louis until 1874.
The bulk of the Missouri Land Records Collection was created from two former collections:
(1) the Missouri Register of Land Titles Records and (2) the General Land Office (Washington,
D.C.), Office of the Surveyor General of Missouri and Illinois (Saint Louis, Mo.), Records.
Additional items not related to the land offices were added to the collection at a later period. The
collection is divided into five series: Saint Louis Office of the Recorder of Land Titles, Missouri
Office of the Register of Land Titles, Office of Surveyor General of Missouri and Illinois,
Surveys, and Real Estate. With the exception of the Saint Louis Office of the Recorder of Land
Titles Series, which includes the French and Spanish land petitions filed alphabetically by the
last name of the land petitioner, the series are arranged chronologically. The collection includes
items that were originally contained within the Land Papers and are indexed in the Archives
Card Catalog.
Finding aid available.
Cite as: Missouri Land Records Collection, Missouri History Museum Archives, St. Louis.
A1061
Missouri militia collection, 1793-1930. 2 boxes; 5 oversize folders
Collection is an assortment of material relating to the history of the Missouri militia units
acquired from a multiplicity of sources and arranged together due to common subject matter. It
includes commissions, requisitions, special orders, muster rolls, receipts, reports, bills pertaining
to various companies, regiments of Missouri militia. Collection includes a significant amount of
Civil War material, and some World War I records. Collection also includes records of the
Washington Guards, 1852-1876, and an order book of the 54th Enrolled Missouri Militia, August
18, 1862-November 15, 1864.
Indexed in the archives card catalog.
Cite as: Missouri Militia Collection, Missouri History Museum Archives, St. Louis.
A1062
Missouri Militia. Paymaster.
Cashbooks, 1865-1867. 2 volumes