| Archives
of Ontario
Research Guide 205
What is the Ontario Land Records Index?
An index that provides access to Crown Land records and
some land-related material found in the Canada Company and
Peter Robinson fonds. The index lists settlers who:
- requested Crown Land on which to homestead
- were granted permission to lease or reside on a specific
Crown Land lot while completing their settlement duties
- received the Patent awarding private ownership of a
specific Crown Land lot
- leased or purchased land from the Canada Company or
were Peter Robinson settlers.
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How is the Index organized?
One version of the index is arranged alphabetically by settler's
surname, while another version is arranged alphabetically
by township.
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Where can I find a copy of the Index?
The index is available in the Main Reading Room of the Archives
of Ontario in microfiche binders. Your local library or
research institution also may have a microfiche copy of
the index.
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What do I need to know to use the Index?
- Search every possible surname spelling, including phonetic
and typographic errors.
- Copy the ENTIRE citation as one entry may lead to several
different groups of records.
- Due to the fragility of the original records, this material
is only accessible on microfilm.
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If I find an entry for a particular settler in
the Index, does that mean that the settler gained title
to the property?
Being granted the right to settle on Crown Land did not
automatically result in private ownership of the property.
To see whether a settler eventually acquired ownership of
the land, check the Indexes to Land Patents in Series RG
53-55 (arranged by township, 1793-1852) and RG 53-56 (arranged
by surname, 1826-1967) or the Abstract Indexes to Deeds
(arranged by township) catalogued in the Genealogical Reference
Centre (main Reading Room).
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If I find the entry I'm looking for, what do I
do next?
Write down the information found in the entry. Using the
archival reference found in the last column of the Index
(see the last page of this guide for an explanation of the
reference), consult the relevant finding aid (Inventory
1, F 129 or F 61) which describes the records in more detail.
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Sample Entries
Sample 1:
NAME OF
LOCATEE |
TOWNSHIP |
LOT |
CONC. |
DATE
ID. |
ISSUE
DATE |
TRANS
TYPE |
TYPE
FG |
TYPE OF
LEASE SALE |
ARCHIVAL
REF
RG Ser Vol PG |
|
| BLUE DOUGLAS |
MADOC |
N1/2 12 |
5 |
1 |
18200304 |
FG |
M |
|
01 CI3 123 045 |
| RESIDENCE YORK (T) |
|
3 |
18351225 |
|
|
|
|
Translation:
Douglas Blue, a resident of the Town
of York (indicated by the T) at
the time of his application, was granted the opportunity
to settle in Madoc Township on the north
half of lot 12 in the 5th
concession. Permission was given by a Free
Grant ("FG") because of his Militia
service and was issued as a Location Ticket
on 4 March 1820. By Christmas day
1835, he had fulfilled his settlement duties. An
Order-in-Council was issued, awarding the Patent
that gave him private ownership of the property. This record
appears in Record Group 1 (Crown Land Records),
Series C-I-3 (Fiats and Warrants), Vol.
123 (Register for Military Fiats), Page
45, which has been microfilmed on MS 693, Reel
138.
Sample 2:
NAME OF
LOCATEE |
TOWNSHIP |
LOT |
CONC. |
DATE
ID. |
ISSUE
DATE |
TRANS
TYPE |
TYPE
FG |
TYPE OF
LEASE SALE |
ARCHIVAL
REF
RG Ser Vol PG |
|
| JENNING P |
DEVLIN |
15 |
6EHR |
5 |
18770624 |
|
|
S |
CC B3 29 578 |
| RESIDENCE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Translation:
P. Jenning, whose residence is not listed in the records,
bought the title from the Canada Company
("CC") for lot 15 in the 6th
concession East of the Huron Road
("EHR") in Devlin Township by
way of a sale on 24 June 1877.
This record appears in the Canada Company
Fonds (F 129) in Series B3 (Registers &
Deed Books), Vol. 29 (Register for the
Huron Tract), Page 578, which has been
microfilmed on MS 729, Reel 3. For information about the
subsequent ownership of the property, see the Abstract Indexes
to Deeds catalogued in the "Land, Municipal and Church
Records Microfilm" section of the Main Reading Room
card catalogue.
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Ontario Land Records Index Codes: An Explanation
| Date
Identity Code (DATE ID) |
| Code |
Explanation |
| 1 |
Location ticket
-authorized a grantee to occupy a specific parcel
of land. |
| 2 |
Assignment
-the locatee was not the first individual offered
this parcel of land. |
| 3 |
Patent
-transfers ownership of a parcel of Crown land to
a private individual or organization. To see whether
an individual or organization acquired ownership
of a parcel of land, check the Indexes to Land Patents
in Series RG 53-55 (arranged by
township, 1793-1852) and RG 53-56
(arranged by surname, 1826-1967). Copies of the
patents must be obtained from the Ministry of Natural
Resources, Lands and Natural Heritage Branch, Crown
Land Registry, 300 Water Street, P.O. Box 7000,
Peterborough, ON, K9J 8M5. Telephone 705-755-2106.
Fax 705-755-2181. |
| 4 |
Lease
-involves the Canada Company, often converted into
a Sale. Some leases were also issued by the Crown. |
| 5 |
Sale
-involves the Canada Company (check for a preceding
Lease). |
| 6 |
Contract
-an agreement to purchase land from the Canada Company.
|
| 7 |
Deed
-a document transferring ownership of private property
between individuals or organizations (found here
with Canada Company entries). |
| 8 |
Order-In-Council
-a command by the Crown's representatives in Canada
ordering a specific action, e.g. awarding an individual
the right to reside on Crown land. |
| Issue
Date |
| Listed by Year-Month-Day
(e.g. 18370515 = 1837 May 15th). "c"
means circa or "about the year listed".
"ND" means no date listed of land patent
being issued. |
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| Transaction
Type (TRANS TYPE) |
| Code |
Explanation |
| FG |
Free Grant
-awards grantee the right to occupy a parcel of Crown
land. Does not transfer ownership but proves the person
qualified for this privilege for the reason given
under the Type Of Free Grant below.
Check Upper Canada Land Petitions at Library and Archives
Canada (Ottawa, Ontario) for additional documentation. |
| L |
Lease
-involves the Canada Company, often converted into
a Sale. Some Crown Leases were also issued. |
| S |
Sale -involves
either the Canada Company, resulting in the issuing
of a deed or the Crown, resulting in the issuing of
a patent. For information on the subsequent ownership
of the property, see the Abstract Indexes to Deeds
catalogued in the "Land, Municipal and Church
Records Microfilm" section of the Main Reading
Room card catalogue. |
| A |
Assignment
-locatee was not the first grantee offered a specific
parcel of land. |
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| Type
of Free Grant (TYPE FG) |
| The
qualifying regulations and administration fees charged
to the settlers changed over time. After 1826, Free
Grants were limited to United Empire Loyalist or Military/Militia
claimants. All other immigrants and settlers had to
purchase or pay the administrative fees to the Crown
for their land. |
| Code |
Explanation |
| OR |
Old Regulations
-no administrative fees were demanded. |
| NR |
New Regulations
-no administrative fees were demanded. |
| FF |
Full Fees -
all administrative costs paid by locatee. |
| UE |
United Empire Loyalist
-a settler resident in Upper Canada before 28 July
1789. |
| DUE |
Daughter of a United
Empire Loyalist -check for a related UE listing
giving the parent(s). |
| SUE |
Son of a United
Empire Loyalist -check for a related UE listing
giving the parent(s). |
| LB |
Land Board
-certificates issued in the original four Districts
of Upper Canada 1789-1794. |
| COMM |
Heir & Devisee
Commissions- a federal (1797-1804) and provincial
(1805-1911) board appointed to hear disputed claims
for land titles. |
| M |
Military/ Militia
Service -especially for War of 1812-1814
service. The microfilmed fiat and warrant will give
the petitioner's rank and regiment. |
| MC |
Military Claimant
-a disbanded or pensioned soldier of the British Army. |
| ME |
Military Emigrant
- Perth and Richmond Settlement locatees of Lanark
County, originally administered by Quarter Master
General's Dept. of British Army during 1815-1822. |
| SE |
Scotch Emigrants
-grants offered in 1815 to sons of Military
Emigrants (ME). |
| PR |
Peter Robinson
Immigrant -settlers in Peterborough region
1823-1826. |
| AA |
Gratuitous
-grant to a settler who was (a) judged destitute by
a Government Board and/or (b) had all their administrative
fees waived. |
| 1819 |
Regulations of
5 January 1819: No fees were to be collected
until the grantees had performed their settlement
duties, and only when the patent was issued. |
| 1820 |
Regulations of
1 January 1820 |
| 1825 |
Regulations of
21 November 1825 |
| V |
Veteran
-offered after 1901 for service during Fenian Raids
(1860s) or South African Campaign (1899-1902). |
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| Type
of Lease/Sale |
| Code |
Explanation |
| CL |
Clergy Reserve |
| CR |
Crown Reserve |
| SCH |
School Reserve |
| I |
Indian Land |
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