Land Claims

Claims to land in the St. Helena District, Louisiana
Communicated To The Senate December 28, 1825

Treasury Department, December 28, 1825.

Sir: I have the honor to transmit hearwith a copy of the report of the register andreceiver of the land office of the district of St. Helena, prepared in obedience to an act of Congress of May 26, 1824.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
RICHARD RUSH
Hon. John C. Calhoun, President of the Senate

Register A contains complete Spanish patents, which we recommend for confirmation on the principle recognized by the acts of Congress of March 3, 1819, and May 8, 1822

Register B, first class, contains incomplete titles derived from the Spanish authority, accompanied with such proof of settlement and cultivation as induces us to recommend them for confirmation to the same extent and under the same restraints that such claims have been confirmed by the former laws for adjusting similar claims in this district.
The second class on this register comprehends claims that have been sold for taxes, and the only titles the present claimants have to these lands are the collector’s bills of sale or transfer. Many of these claims we believe to be as fairly entitled to confirmation as those on the first class; but the doubt with us is weather sales for taxes are valid until the claimant have a more valid title o the land.

There are on this register (first class) three claims, to wit: Henry Flower for eight hundred and eighty-six arpents; Luther L. Smith, for one hundred arpents; and Robert Young, for eight hundred and twenty arpents; all of which are in the same situation, being a swamp land, and no part of it susceptible of either habitation or cultivation. This land was granted to the claimants, or those under whom they claim, for the purpose of getting timber, and the claimants have proved that they have regularly used the said tracts of land for that purpose since the time of their respective grants from the Spanish government; and we are of opinion that the use the claimants have made of these lands, (it being the only use of which they are susceptible,) although it amounts neither to habitation nor cultivation, may be fairly considered equal to either or both, and on this ground we recommend them for confirmation.

Register C contains British patents on which the claimants have not proven either habitation or cultivation. These we beg to leave to the consideration of Congress without any remarks.

Register D contains incomplete titles, which, in the opinion of the commissioners, ought not to be confirmed, the claimants not having complied with the requisitions of the law as regards either habitation or cultivation.

Register E contains settlement claims on which satisfactory proof has been adduced of cultivation or habitation as early as is represented on the register opposite each claim. We therefore recommend them for confirmation.

Sam’l J. Rannells, Register
Wm. Kinchin, Receiver
Land Office, St. Helena Court-house, January 19, 1825