The General Land Office Website—A Genealogical Gem

Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA
Apr 9, 2020
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SyllabusSyllabus
SyllabusSyllabus

About this webinar

The GLO website provides access to over 8 million records, some dating back to the late 1700s. Thousands of records are still being added to this website to include patents, tract books, and maps. These records contain rich genealogical information. Also, the information on the website allows researchers to locate the original land entry papers held by the National Archives. Attendees will discover the scope and importance of records on the BLM website that document the first transfer of federal land and much more. Even if your ancestor did not live in one of the public land states, they could have applied for military bounty land. Examples will be presented using the website in a variety of roles such as locating land, discovering the FAN club, finding the information to order records, and much more. Also, other online resources related to this data such as HistoryGeo, a subscription website, that presents the GLO data in a manner friendly to genealogical research will be demonstrated.

About the speaker

Rick Sayre, CG, CGL, FUGA, a retired colonel who served 31 years in the U.S. Army, is a long-time researcher and instructor in genealogical topics. Rick is a past president and current board member of...
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Comments (5)

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  1. LT
    Legacy Family Tree
    5 years ago

    very detailed and informative handout. graphics linked directly to info and made information very clear. Thanks!\n\nvery easy to log on and enter. easy tools to ask questions and review answers. great app!\n\nvery good\n\nVery good webinar, although sometimes the minute detail level complicated being able to follow the train of thought. \n\nVery helpful and informative, and clarifying notes by Rick from GLO were also very much appreciated!\n\nvery informative\n\nVery informative\n\nVery informative\n\nVery informative and helpful!\n\nVery informative and interesting! Thank you :)\n\nVery informative for a rookie to lands record sites!\n\nVery informative! Now, I’m going to take a close look at the site and understand how to use it. Thank you!!\n\nVery informative! Wish I had done it years ago! 90 years old now ... but still working on genealogy.\n\nVery informative, now time for research!\n\nVery informative. \n\nVery informative. \n\nVery informative. Thank you.\n\nVery informative. Thank you\n\nVery informative.. Gives me something to learn during my shelter in place time. Showing the GLO site in such detail really helps,. Will watch again this week, \n\nVery interesting\n\nVery interesting!\n\nVery interesting. Although the information does not apply to my research, it is good general knowledge regarding types of records.\n\nVery interesting. So much that I did not know! I will be reviewing this webinar again, lots to learn. Thank you.\n\nVery useful information. I have been wanting to understand the BLM records better.\n\nWealth of information! Thank you!\n\nWhat an organized and informative webinar. Thank you.\n\nwhew. this one will require several reviews. great info.\n\nWonderful and very informational! I loved it...\n\nWonderful information at places I never heard about.\n\nWonderful. Learned alot of information, although some to fast. Presenter was fantastic!\n\nWOW!\n\nWow! Great presentation with great, helpful information! \n\nwowza!

  2. LT
    Legacy Family Tree
    5 years ago

    Really great\n\nRick is very knowledgeable, this was a bit beyond me at this point. That is on me, not a shortcoming in the presentation. \n\nRick Sayer is always awesome. He methodically provides such important information in steps that we can follow to do our reasonable and exhaustive searches. His topics are more advanced and not quick and easy, but this is what ultimately gets us to the correct ancestors. He is a great teacher. I always watch his webinars and look forward to them. He has helped me so much. \n\nRick Sayre really knows his stuff--but it was too much, too fast for my abilities. I'll be watching this as recorded so I can pause it, try what he's demoing, then go back for the next step.\n\nRick Sayre sure knows his stuff. I could listen to him and learn all day long! Thanks so much.\n\nRick's webinar was great. Lots of excellent info\n\nSo far beyond me. But I'm glad to know it is here for when I need it.\n\nSo glad these are taped to listen to later. Not only was that a LOT of information to take in, I received a phone call, so missed part of the talk. Thank you. \n\nSo much great information. Just listening, I'm overwhelmed and exhausted. \n\nSo much information to research. Thank you\n\nSo much information. I've looked at GLO records before, I need to revisit as it sounds like more has been added.\n\nSo much information. Too much to absorb in one sitting. I'll be revisiting this webinar and log in to get the syllabus. Thank, you.\n\nSo much valuable information! Thank you!\n\nSoooo much great info\n\nSorry I had to leave early. Rick is amazing; so knowledgeable. Love learning from him.\n\nSpectacular webinar about this website and its many resources!\n\nSuperb. Superb knowledgeable presenter, clear slides, examples for each point, excellent excellent handout with sites as well as bibliography - so professional, so easy to understand. Whew! Thank you so much for this. \n\nThank you!\n\nThanks. I have a Thomas Montgomery who fought in the Rev War, but he has been confused with another Thomas Montgomery, both from PA and both ended up in Kentucky. Now I can try land records to differentiate the two men\n\nThe most outstanding webinar of the many I have attended! I now understand that I need to retrace my searches on the GLO site because there may be lots of new information that wasn't there before. I will be checking out Rick's other webinars.\n\nThe webinar was VERY informative and offered excellent clues to better my search of the GLO to answer a nagging question for a pending DAR application. Many thanks!\n\nThis has been an excellent presentation with so much information. Will certainly listen to this again. Also, once again listen to the Bounty Land presentation. Love these webinars! Thank you! : )\n\nThis is a very educational and exceptionally detailed presentation. I will have to re-watch numerous times to fully grasp research methodology for BLM GLO website and others indicated. Rick, thank you for another fantastic webinar!!!\n\nThis is one of the best webinars that I have watched. Full of information. I will be using the coupon code and subscribe so that I can rewatch this webinar and view his webinar on Bounty Land.\n\nThis is one of those that needs to be watched multiple times to absorb all the incredible information shared. I have used this site several times. I can see that I need to use it and use it and use it to get totally familiar with what exists and where the information is.\n\nthis speaker is great\n\nThis was all new to me and I enjoyed it very much!\n\nThis was an excellent webinar - thank you!\n\nThis was brilliant! I couldn't understand 2/3's of it, yet that is okay, because I'm gonna re-listen and download the summary thingie! Awesome! \n\nthis webinar was one of the clearest, most organized I have attended. Well done!\n\nThis webinar was 'to infinity and beyond' with regard to the depth and breadth of both knowledge of and presentation skills of Mr. Sayre. How fortunate for all to have had someone with his background and interest available to compile this webinar. Thank you very much.\n\nThis will be very helpful in my research.\n\nThought I already knew GLO...I see there's so much more!\n\nTons of great info, well presented.\n\nTons of info but over my head for much of it. Needed more definitions of terms and Acts. Maybe a different webinar? Thanks for the Presentation!\n\nTons of information. Will definitely need to watch this one several times\n\nToo much to absorb in one webinar - glad I have a subscription to go over it again. \n\nUse the GLO site often but learned a lot!\n\nVery complete and great slides to follow.

  3. LT
    Legacy Family Tree
    5 years ago

    Great!\n\nGreat! Can I watch it again somehow?\n\nHated that I had to leave early. I will definitely come back and rewatch this one over and over again. I feel more confident about using the BLM website already!\n\nHead is spinning with all Rick Sayre covered and will definitely need to relisten and go through the web site as I do.\n\nI am pleased to learn so much more about BLM records.\n\nI am a land manager for BLM and I found it very informative. I knew most of the material but learned some new ways to search and understand the information available. Thank you!\n\nI am new to webinars but this is the best I have ever seen. Knowledgeable speaker and well presented. I just joined Legacy!\n\nI enjoyed the program\n\nI had to leave webinar early - will watch full webinar at later time. Syllabus excellent.\n\nI learned a lot about how to find these records! Thanks!\n\nI learned A LOT THANK YOU!\n\nI learned new information. I had not checked the website in years.\n\nI learned so much!\n\nI love the GLO website but today I learned more about it than I started out with. This is a very good webinar.\n\nI say this every time, and I’ll say it again, GoToWebinar is the cleanest, easiest, most professional site out there. (Secretly, I really don’t like Zoom).\n\nI used to use the GLO site years ago but haven't in the last ten years or so. I was happy to see the Rick Sayre was giving a talk on the subject because the website is so vastly changed and he has given us a roadmap to using the site. I'm certainly glad for the syllabus since there was so much information. Thank you!!\n\nI will be watching this one many times!\n\nI'm new at this, and I appreciated the comment that it was like taking a drink from a fire hose, but that it was still very valuable. I took lots of notes. It was a wealth of info. Thanks so much!\n\nIncredible amount of great information! Thanks Rick!\n\nIt was a truly excellent webinar. I've used the BLM/GLO website for years yet never realized the scope of data on the website. It is incredible. Now, I've added the second webinar on bounty land to my 'to watch/learn' list. Thank you so very much for teaching today!\n\nIt was great!\n\nIt was great. Guess I'll have to join to get the handout! Thanks!\n\nI've always wanted to take one of Rick Sayre's institute classes, and this just reinforced that need. Excellent webinar, so well prepared and chock-a-block with info. Will have to re-watch, re-read the syllabus, and hit all his other webinars. You're helping me to strengthen my weakest research spot, so thank you so very much!\n\nLearned a lot. Thanks!\n\nLots of good info. Makes the website clea\n\nLots of good information.\n\nLots of great information ~ perhaps too much for a beginner like me to totally understand ~ but well organized and highly informative!! \n\nLots of information - great webinar. Great to have Daniel from the GLO on as well. \n\nLots of information. Appreciated the examples to show where things were on the forms and what information is key. Thank you.\n\nLove listening to Rick Sayre. He has so much knowledge, and presents it very clearly.\n\nLoved this. I have so much to research, ancestors in Revolutionary War, and War of 1812 Warrants in VA; IN; and Homesteads in NE. Should be interesting. \n\nMakes this confusing process so much easier to understand.\n\nMr. Sayre has so much to teach genealogists at any level!\n\nMr. Sayre masterfully delivered extensive information. \n\nMuch good info. I haven't used the site in several years and didn't know about updates. I will recommend that my genealogy club members all watch.\n\nMy brain hurts so much to learn for my Iowa line\n\nNeed a transcript to be able to follow all the steps! There was so much good information.\n\nOne of the top 10 I've attended. I'm a librarian and do this for fun (because my coworkers break into a sweat when anyone comes in asking genealogy questions) and this information is going to help me with a patron's question about her ancestor's land in Missouri. I used the BLM site, but now have a springboard to dive into more focused research. Thank you!\n\nOpens up a new research avenue\n\nOutstanding! I'm going to have to listen to this again.\n\nOutstanding!!! I have two sets of great-great grandparents who settled in Oregon Territory in the 1860s. One in western Oregon, the other in eastern Oregon. Wow, I have a lot of researching to do. I also have another set of great grandparents who settled in Washington Territory. I have their Abstract of Title that starts out with the original patent & includes their divorce file. It even includes the division of their personal property, including cattle, horses, chickens, household furnishings, dishes, etc.

  4. LT
    Legacy Family Tree
    5 years ago

    Excellent!! I learned a lot from this webinar. Thank you!\n\nExcellent, logical organization. More!\n\nExcellent. Well presented and useful info.\n\nExcellent. A ton of great information \n\nExtremely informative and easy to follow. Great instructor. Convinced me to join!\n\nextremely informative!!!\n\nExtremely informative. Thanks Rick\n\nFabulous. What an engaging seminar and speaker.\n\nFantastic information. I will be watching his other presentation on bounty lands later. Thank you.\n\nFantastic!\n\nFar too complicated for me, but I gained new information that I might use if I search land records for ancestors in Wisconsin who homesteaded here.\n\nGave an abundance of information, glad I attended this webinar\n\nGLO Records and your speakers interest and knowledge on the subject, what a resource!\n\nGood \n\ngreat lots of info. \n\nGreat and informative webinar\n\nGreat content! I'm so inspired to retrace some 19th C farmers in, oh, CA, OR, IN, KS, MS, AK, AR, VA, WV, TN, OH for starters.... now that I know of FAN must check out the neighbors. \n\nGreat information\n\nGreat information presented in an interesting and understandable way.\n\nGreat information, enlarged on what I knew about land records from the past. I learned tthe basics from my dad, back in the 1940s and i was a townshiip assessor for awhile, so this was a great refresher.\n\nGreat presentation - not applicable to my research\n\nGreat presentation! I learned so much and can't wait to use what I've learned! \n\nGreat presentation, as always Rick provides an excellent in depth view of the records, how to find them, where to find them, what's in them and what to do with them.\n\nGreat presenter!\n\nGreat presenter, topic and handout - thanks!\n\ngreat slides, good info. I will have to watch again because some of the concepts went by me too fast!\n\nGreat speaker & subject.\n\nGreat Speaker.... Easy to Listen to\n\nGreat topic! This is one of my favorite websites. I'm so glad to get additional insight on how to use it better! \n\nGreat webinar - very informative! Thanks!\n\nGreat webinar! Thanks!\n\nGreat webinar. Learned so much. Thanks.

  5. LT
    Legacy Family Tree
    5 years ago

    so much to learn!!! Very enjoyable speaker - appeared to be very familiar with his subject!! Thanks for all the free webinars you are putting on!!\n\n5+++ Wonderful. Thank you so much!\n\nA lot of information. I have homework to do!\n\nAfter this webinar (a great overview of the General Land Office) I could use about 3 or 4 separate webinars by Rick of each part of today's presentation!\n\nAmazing. Thanks so much.\n\nAnother great webinar and that handout..WOW.\n\nAppreciated the deep, rich details in this webinar. \n\nArticulate and well-informed, Rick is one of the best presenters. A very in-depth webinar.\n\nAs always Rick is very through and an excellent teacher on an important topic the GLO.\n\nAwesome webinar. Will need to spend time researching using the info\n\nAwesome! Very clear and easy to follow. Off to the GLO website now!\n\nBest in the business of finding family from the GLO website !!!\n\nBest webinar I've heard; not only gobs of info for researching, but inspired me to go work on GLO website some and learn more. Rick is a gem.\n\nBrilliant round up. It will require separate study because of the depth and breadth of the presentation.\n\nEnjoyed the webinar and it was informative, just information overload right now. Glad I am a webinar subscriber because I will have to go back to it.\n\nEnlightening presentation...a new group of threads to pull\n\nExcellent\n\nExcellent\n\nExcellent and informative presentation. Thank you to all....stay safe....\n\nExcellent as usual. I enjoy all Mr. Sayre's webinars. webinar subscription is a great value.\n\nExcellent info! Thanks!\n\nExcellent information and presentation\n\nExcellent information from a very knowledgeable speaker. I shall be looking up some of his other webinars,\n\nExcellent information, but way above my knowledge level.\n\nExcellent presentation and presenter. I learned TONS. Thank you\n\nExcellent presentation. A lot to think about and research.\n\nExcellent speaker on one of my favorite topics!\n\nExcellent speaker, excellent information. Thanks!\n\nExcellent speaker. True source of knowledge.\n\nExcellent topic and presenter.\n\nExcellent webinar\n\nExcellent webinar, very informative!\n\nExcellent!\n\nExcellent! \n\nexcellent! very detailed.. have land records from gggpa where he was buying lands in the 1800s in il.\n\nExcellent!!