Kentucky Grants and Warrants
The Kentucky Land Grants
Source: Jillson, Willard Rouse
Grants South of the Green River, 1797 to 1866, Chapter IV
The records contained below are not all inclusive of real estate purchased by individuals named Small that settled in Kentucky. This record does not contain acreage purchased within counties from other individuals, or by inheritance, but are Grants, and Warrants that were awarded by the State of Kentucky.
A group of records entered from 1797 to 1866 known as Grants south of the Green River comprises twenty-nine books and includes 15,730 separate grants. These were known sometimes as "Headright Claims," and were based upon an act of the KY General Assembly of December 21st 1795. They are listed in Chapter 4.
Prior to the establishment of Kentucky as a state, Virginia had reserved for her soldiers all the lands in Kentucky south of the Green River. These encompassed by a line from the head of this stream to the Tennessee River, to the Ohio river, and with the Ohio to the Green River. Lands thus located under the Virginia law are of military origin and are listed in Chapter 2. Until 1797 no person could enter a survey within this great reservation, except a soldier. When Kentucky as a sovereign state took charge of her vacant lands, new legislation opened up this great reservation south of the Green River to any persons possessed of family and over twenty-one years of age. Such persons were entitled to not less than 100 acres or more than 200 acres, but must have been bona fide settlers on the land for one year before they came into actual possession. The surveys upon which these grants are based are recorded in 18 volumes in the Kentucky Land office.
| Name | Acres | Book | Page | Survey Date | County | Water Course |
| Small, Henry | 100 | 11 | 485 | 9-29-1799 | Logan | Black Lick Fork |
| Small, John | 400 | 19 | 172 | 1-24-1805 | Logan | Red River |
| Small, Joseph | 200 | 12 | 485 | 10-16-1807 | Logan | Black Lick Fork |
| Small, William | 275 | 13 | 67 | 12-17-1812 | Logan | Black Lick Fork |
| Small, Matthew | 200 | 19 | 495 | 3-3-1799 | Green | Sinking Creek |
| Small, Thomas | 150 | 9 | 462 | 3-10-1799 | Green | Sinking Creek |
Kentucky Land Warrants
1816-1873
In 1815 the Kentucky State Legislature passed an act relative to land distribution, and the records written in fulfillment of this statute are now known as Kentucky Land Warrants, 1816-1873. These grants consist of 43 books and comprise Chapter 6 of this volume. The act of the General Assembly governing this group of grants opened for sale, at $20.00 per 100 acres, all the vacant lands to anyone in Kentucky except aliens. The method followed was similar to that originally employed by Virginia, the purchaser securing receipt from the State Treasurer which was in turn converted into a land office warrant, authorizing the owner to locate and survey a certain acreage. When this had been completed and returned to the land office it was registered and a land patent was issued to the owner. This law did not apply to the lands west of the Tennessee River.
| Name | Acres | Book | Page | Survey Date | County | Water Course |
| Small, John | 52 | E | 191 | 7-29-1817 | Christian | W. Fork River |
| Small, John | 200 | P | 7 | 7-7-1824 | Logan | Elk Fork Red River |
| Small, John | 50 | T | 447 | 5-24-1823 | Butler | Big Muddy Creek |
| Small, Elizabeth | 50 | T | 472 | 5-3-1824 | Wayne | Big Sinking Creek |
Grants West of the Tennessee River
1822-1858
Following the acceptance of the treaty drawn by Andrew Jackson and Isaac Shelby with the Chickasaw Indians in 1818 and approved by Congress in 1819, the United States became the possessor of all lands lying between the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers in what is now both Kentucky and Tennessee. The Kentucky portion, oddly enough, became known as the Jackson Purchase and encompasses McCracken, Ballard, Carlisle, Hickman, Fulton, Graves, Marshall, and Calloway Counties. These lands were opened up for settlement in 1820, the General Assembly appointing a surveyor to lay off this great boundary into sections and townships, a very fortunate provision. The records of this group have thus come to be known as Grants west of the Tennessee River, and are to be found in 11 books from 1822 to 1858. They comprise 8,713 grants and are listed in Chapter 7.
| Name | Acres | Book | Page | Township | Range |
| Small, Robert B. | 160 | 5 | 86 | SE Qtr Sec 36 | T-1 R-3 E |
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 5 | 215 | SE Qtr Sec 16 | T-6 R-1 W |
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 5 | 396 | NE Qtr Sec 20 | T-6 R-1 E |
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 5 | 396 | SE Qtr Sec 20 | T-6 R-1 E |
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 5 | 397 | NW Qtr Sec 15 | T-6 R-1 W |
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 6 | 2 | NE Qtr Sec 4 | T-6 R-1 W |
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 6 | 2 | SE Qtr Sec 18 | T-6 R-1 W |
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 6 | 3 | NW Qtr Sec 5 | T-6 R-1 W |
Grants in County Court Orders
1836-1924
Grantee
| Name | Acres | Book | Page | Survey Date | County | Water Course |
| Small, James | 1/3 | 50 | 325 | 5-1-1857 | Todd | Elk Fork, Red R. |
| Small, James T. | 30 | 118 | 367 | 7-23-1888 | Martin | Black Log Creek |
Kentucky Land Grants
| Grantee | Acres | Book | Survey Date | County | WaterCourse |
| Small, John | 50 | T | 05-24-1823 | Butler | Big Muddy Cr |
| Small, John | 52 | E | 07-29-1817 | Christian | W Fk River |
| Small, Thos | 150 | 9 | 03-10-1799 | Green | Sinking Cr |
| Small, Matthew | 200 | 19 | 03 03-1799 | Green | Sinking Cr |
| Small, Henry | 100 | 11 | 09-29-1799 | Logan | Black Lick Fk |
| Small, Joseph | 200 | 12 | 10-16-1807 | Logan | Black Lick Fk |
| Small, Wm | 275 | 13 | 12-17-1812 | Logan | Black Lick Fk |
| Small, Jno | 400 | 19 | 01-24-1805 | Logan | Red R |
| Small, John | 200 | P | 07-07-1824 | Logan | Elk Fk Red R |
| Small, Elisabeth | 50 | T | 5- 3-1824 | Wayne | Big Sinking Cr |
| Small, Robt B | 160 | 5 | |||
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 5 | |||
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 5 | |||
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 5 | |||
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 5 | |||
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 6 | |||
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 6 | |||
| Small, Braxton | 160 | 6 | |||
| Small, James | 1/2 | 50 | 05-01-1857 | Todd | Elk Fk Red R |
| Small, James T | 30 | 118 | 07-23-1888 | Martin | Black Log Cr |
CHAPTER IV GRANTS SOUTH OF GREEN RIVER (1797-1866)
THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
page 401
More Info: Grantee: Small, Henry
Acres: 100
Book: 11
Page: 485
Date Survey: 9-29-1799
County: Logan
Watercourse: Black Lick Fk
Grantee: Small, Joseph
Acres: 200
Book: 12
Survey Date: 10-16-1807
County: Logan
WaterCourse: Black Lick Fk
Reference: THE KENTUCKY LAND GRANTS
Volume 1
Part 1
CHAPTER IV GRANTS SOUTH OF GREEN RIVER (1797-1866)
THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
page 401
More Info: Grantee: Small, Joseph
Acres: 200
Book: 12
Page: 485
Date Survey: 10-16-1807
County: Logan
Watercourse: Black Lick Fk
Grantee: Small, Wm
Acres: 275
Book: 13
Survey Date: 12-17-1812
County: Logan
WaterCourse: Black Lick Fk
Reference: THE KENTUCKY LAND GRANTS
Volume 1
Part 1
CHAPTER IV GRANTS SOUTH OF GREEN RIVER (1797-1866)
THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
page 401
More Info: Grantee: Small, Wm
Acres: 275
Book: 13
Page: 67
Date Survey: 12-17-1812
County: Logan
Watercourse: Black Lick Fk
Grantee: Small, Jno
Acres: 400
Book: 19
Survey Date: 1-24-1805
County: Logan
WaterCourse: Red R
Reference: THE KENTUCKY LAND GRANTS
Volume 1
Part 1
CHAPTER IV GRANTS SOUTH OF GREEN RIVER (1797-1866)
THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
page 401
More Info: Grantee: Small, Jno
Acres: 400
Book: 19
Page: 172
Date Survey: 1-24-1805
County: Logan
Watercourse: Red R
Grantee: Small, John
Acres: 200
Book: P
Survey Date: 7- 7-1824
County: Logan
WaterCourse: Elk Fk Red R
Reference: THE KENTUCKY LAND GRANTS
Volume 1
Part 1
CHAPTER VI KENTUCKY LAND WARRANTS (1816-1873)
THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
page 714
More Info: Grantee: Small, John
Acres: 200
Book: P
Page: 7
Date Survey: 7- 7-1824
County: Logan
Watercourse: Elk Fk Red R
Grantee: Small, Thos
Acres: 150
Book: 9
Survey Date: 3-10-1799
County: Green
WaterCourse: Sinking Cr
Reference: THE KENTUCKY LAND GRANTS
Volume 1
Part 1
CHAPTER IV GRANTS SOUTH OF GREEN RIVER (1797-1866)
THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
page 401
More Info: Grantee: Small, Thos
Acres: 150
Book: 9
Page: 462
Date Survey: 3-10-1799
County: Green
Watercourse: Sinking Cr
Grantee: Small, Matthew
Acres: 200
Book: 19
Survey Date: 3- 3-1799
County: Green
WaterCourse: Sinking Cr
Reference: THE KENTUCKY LAND GRANTS
Volume 1
Part 1
CHAPTER IV GRANTS SOUTH OF GREEN RIVER (1797-1866)
THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
page 401
More Info: Grantee: Small, Matthew
Acres: 200
Book: 19
Page: 495
Date Survey: 3- 3-1799
County: Green
Watercourse: Sinking Cr
Grantee: Small, John
Acres: 52
Book: E
Survey Date: 7-29-1817
County: Christian
WaterCourse: W Fk River
Reference: THE KENTUCKY LAND GRANTS
Volume 1
Part 1
CHAPTER VI KENTUCKY LAND WARRANTS (1816-1873)
THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
page 714
More Info: Grantee: Small, John
Acres: 52
Book: E
Page: 191
Date Survey: 7-29-1817
County: Christian
Watercourse: W Fk River
Grantee: Small, John
Acres: 50
Book: T
Survey Date: 5-24-1823
County: Butler
WaterCourse: Big Muddy Cr
Reference: THE KENTUCKY LAND GRANTS
Volume 1
Part 1
CHAPTER VI KENTUCKY LAND WARRANTS (1816-1873)
THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
page 714
More Info: Grantee: Small, John
Acres: 50
Book: T
Page: 447
Date Survey: 5-24-1823
County: Butler
Watercourse: Big Muddy Cr
Grantee: Small, Elisabeth
Acres: 50
Book: T
Survey Date: 5- 3-1824
County: Wayne
WaterCourse: Big Sinking Cr
Reference: THE KENTUCKY LAND GRANTS
Volume 1
Part 1
CHAPTER VI KENTUCKY LAND WARRANTS (1816-1873)
THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
page 714
More Info: Grantee: Small, Elisabeth
Acres: 50
Book: T
Page: 472
Date Survey: 5- 3-1824
County: Wayne
Watercourse: Big Sinking Cr
Grantee: Small, Robt B
Acres: 160
Book: 5
Page: 86
Township: S E Qr Sec 36
Range: T-1 R-3 E
Reference: THE KENTUCKY LAND GRANTS
Volume 1
Part 1
CHAPTER VII GRANTS WEST OF TENNESSEE RIVER (1822-1858)
THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
page 866
More Info: Grantee: Small, Robt B
Acres: 160
Book: 5
Page: 86
Township: S E Qr Sec 36
Range: T-1 R-3 E
Grantee: Small, James
Acres: 1/2
Book: 50
Survey Date: 5- 1-1857
County: Todd
WaterCourse: Elk Fk Red R
Reference: THE KENTUCKY LAND GRANTS
Volume 1
Part 2
CHAPTER X. GRANTS IN THE COUNTY COURT ORDERS (1836-1924)
THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
page 1667
More Info: Grantee: Small, James
Acres: 1/2
Book: 50
Page: 325
Date Survey: 5- 1-1857
County: Todd
Watercourse: Elk Fk Red R
Grantee: Small, James T
Acres: 30
Book: 118
Survey Date: 7-2301888
County: Martin
WaterCourse: Black Log Cr
Reference: THE KENTUCKY LAND GRANTS
Volume 1
Part 2
CHAPTER X. GRANTS IN THE COUNTY COURT ORDERS (1836-1924)
THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
page 1667
More Info: Grantee: Small, James T
Acres: 30
Book: 118
Page: 367
Date Survey: 7-2301888
County: Martin
Watercourse: Black Log Cr
Virginia Grants 1782-1792
No Smalls are listed
Old Kentucky Grants 1793-1856
No Smalls are listed
Tellico Grants 1803-1853
No Smalls are listed
Grants South of Walker's Line 1825-1923
No Smalls are listed
Warrants for Headright 1827-1849
No Smalls are listed