John David, Surveyor notes

Below is a page from the original notes from the late nineteenth century survey. Tilden's protagonist-surveyor followed similar notes when he discovered George Emery's homestead's location. The survey notes are available from the BLM website https://glorecords.blm.gov/search/default.aspx#. You can punch your own location in, if you know the land description, to find out who first patented the land. Then you can go to your county office and do the tedious work, as Henry did, of finding out who that person sold to, who the next person sold to, right on down the line to you. Unfortunately, tax seizures may alter the sequence of ownership and bankruptcies might, as well. I know Henry ran into that problem.