North Carolina and Tennessee, U.S., Revolutionary War Land Warrants, 1783-1843

Following the Revolutionary War, North Carolina set aside land in upper Middle Tennessee as a military reservation. The land was being reserved for soldiers (or their heirs) who served in the North Carolina Continental Line during the Revolutionary War. In 1782 surveyors were sent out to the area, and they, along with others involved in the surveying process, were also eligible for grants in the area, as were settlers who had lived there since prior to 1 June 1780. This collection consists of papers relating to land warrants issued from 1784 through 1806 in the Military Reservation.

In some cases, the veteran or his heirs assigned the warrant to another party, often a land speculator. You may find records that reference these types of transactions in this collection, as well as warrants authorizing the survey of the parcel of land and other related documents.

To Learn More

For a detailed history of land grants in early North Carolina/Tennessee, see the Tennessee State Library and Archives guide.

Also see the related collection of Tennessee, Early Land Records.