Daily AncestorPreemption
Preemption was the right of a settler already living on federal land to buy up to 160 acres of it before it was offered to others.
Preemption gave squatters, people already living on and improving public land, the first right to buy it at the minimum price. The Preemption Act of 1841 set this generally, allowing up to 160 acres at $1.25 an acre.
A preemption claim can show that a family lived on the land years before the purchase date, so look for proof of settlement in the land entry file.
As seen in a recordHeading in a land office register
Preemption Declaratory Statement No. 812
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Daily Ancestor. "Preemption." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/preemption. Last checked 2026-10-01.