Land Grants in the Buffalo Area

At the bottom of the page is a map showing some of the land grants in Buffalo area. Ten grants are represented. A quick note about acreage: It is very ususual for the acreage on the grants to be exact. It's usually an estimation and can be off by 20 percent or so.

Caldwell and John Campell (orange area). Their 1,500-acre grant was actually two: 1,000 acres issued on 21 Aug 1848 and 500 acres on 8 Aug 1849. The survey date was 13 Nov 1849. Chainmen were Solomon Reynolds, Ezekial Decker, Holbert McClure, and Joseph Cromer. The marker was Nathaniel McClure. The northern-most corner of the Campbell survey joined the Buckner grant and shared a boundary going southwest (as did two of Alfred Warren's surveys). To me, it's amazing to consider there could be 1,500 contiguous unpatented acres left in KY in 1849.

William and Rhoda Decker (blue area). The Decker land is also two grants. The first, (left) was 50 acres issued to William 11 Mar 1836. Chainmen were Larkin and Harvey Langford. William served as marker. The second was to Rhoda 29 Sep 1845 (she was a widow by then). Chainmen were John Decker and Solomon Reynolds. The marker was Elisha Renner. In Rhoda's survey, a mark just south of where her grant and the Campbell grant intersect is called "a white oak at the Pulaski Salt Works road."

John McKinney (bright green area, top left). The earliest dated grant on the map, John's 50 acres was surveyed 6 Mar 1822. It's starting point (bottom left corner) was supposed to be about 495 feet from Elkhorn Branch, on the west side. It lay inside the Buckner grant, which was still in limbo in 1822, although if Buckner was actually where it was supposed to have been, McKinney's (and Nichols's below) grant would not have overlapped Buckner. Chainmen: Stephen Eaton and Charles Brush. Marker: John McKinney.

Robert E. Nichols (purple area). This 50-acre grant was surveyed 19 Dec 1845. Chainmen were Samuel Evans and George Decker. Marker was Robert E. Nichols, who lived on the property at the time: "...including the improvements whereon said Nichols now lives, said improvements being at or near the centre of the survey." This land was infringed upon by two later Alfred Warren grants. From one of Warren's surveys, we know Robert owned land on the Rockcastle River, too.

Thomas Nichols (top red area). This is one of the more interesting grants in the area. For one thing, like the McKinney grant, it is inside the Buckner grant. However, Holbert McClure had taken possession of Buckner by this date, 6 Apr 1838. I believe this 100-acre grant represents two-thirds of Jacob Renner Sr's 150-acre Line Creek grant which is mentioned on the 1826 tax list. Inside this property is the "the place formerly occupied by Elisha Renner." It also mentions "Renner's old cabin." Jacob claimed this land while the Buckner grant issues were still unresolved. He had taken the first steps in officially obtaining the grant, but apparently died before the process was completed. This may help explain why the grant was ultimately made even though it was inside Buckner. Elijah Grider and Nathan Arnold were chainmen on the survey, Thomas Nichols was the marker.

Alfred Warren (green areas). Alfred received at least five grants in the area, four of which are on this map (the other was on Line Creek in Pulaski County and joined Martha Warren):

1. 100 acres, 21 Jul 1845, joined Buckner, Campbell, and Robert Nichols. Chainmen: James Leach and Hiram Duncan. Marker: A. Warren (most likely his brother, Andrew). For some reason, part of this land went back into the public domain. In 1867 Pleasant G. Decker received a 100-acre grant that encompased the southern and central portions of this Warren grant.

2. 200 acres, 29 Jul 1845, joined Campbell, Robert Nichols, and William Decker. When surveyed, this grant infringed upon both Nichols and Decker. It began "...about 50 yards on the south side of a hollow that leads down through the apple orchard at the late residence of Mathew Warren desd and about 3/4 of a mile up said hollow from said orchard and dwelling house." Chainmen: John and Gabriel Isaacs. Marker: Cyrenius W. Warren. You can view a photo of the Mathew Warren land here.

3. 100 acres, 26 Aug 1849, (this is the southern-most green area near the Rockcastle River on the map below). It began "at a hickory & white oak corner to a survey made for Robert E. Nichols & on a ridge about 120 poles south westwardly from Evan's Ferry." This, and a mention in the Campbell survey, places Evan's Ferry in the same approximate location as today's bridge over the river at Billows. Chainmen: George Decker and Solomon Reynolds. Marker: A. Warren.

4. 250 acres, 13 Nov 1849, joined his land, Buckner, the Pulaski County line, and Robert Nichols. Chainmen: George Decker, Solomon Reynolds, Holbert McClure, and Joseph Cromer. Marker: Nathaniel McClure.

William Warren or Warson (red square). It's unclear whether the last name is Warren or Warson. This grant, for 50 acres which was surveyed 17 Jan 1834, is, I believe, the other 1/3 of Jacob Renner Sr's land. The survey, like that for Thomas Nichols, references Elisha Renner's home--"...on the branch below where Elisha Renner now lives..." Chainmen: John Evans and John Waddle. Marker: Adam Renner.

On the map below, the individuals on the outside boundaries of the above grants were mentioned in the surveys as owning the adjoining land at the time.