Revolutionary War Bounty Land Grants

Available to

There were three types of certificates of service issued:

Georgia Line (Continental Army)
Minute Battalion
Georgia Militia

Georgia residents who enlisted in military units of other states (Refugee).
Georgia residents who could not “be convicted of plundering or distressing the country” (wording from Act of August 20, 1781).

Bounty Land Grant Process

Amount of grant for soldiers based on rank: Privates received 250 acres.
Applicant must obtain a voucher or certificate from his commanding officer OR the commanding officer of the district where he lived during the conflict.
Applicant must submit one of the three types of certificates of service: Military, Refugee, or “Not bothering your neighbors.”
Applicant presents certificate to the Land Court in the county where the land is located.
Survey and grant procedure is same as for Headright Grants.
1784 (February 12): Washington and Franklin Counties reserved for Bounty Land Grants for 12 months, special Land Court in Augusta authorized. (Watkins, p. 315)
1784 (February 25); Acreage was increased for each class by 15%. (Watkins, p. 290) Minimum grant is 287 1/2 acres for privates.

Augusta Land Court

Special land court for Washington and Franklin Counties.
Petitions for land submitted to court.
Court has 2 boxes, one with petitions and one with numbered tags.
Officials draw one petition and one numbered tag.
Court issues land warrants in order of tags drawn.
Opening of Augusta Land Court, May 17th, 1784: Chaos! Crowds attend to get their warrants of survey, clerks cannot issue them fast enough. Results in poor recordkeeping of warrants issued.

Georgia Archives