Nova Scotia
Archives

Government record-keeping in Nova Scotia for both the early land-grant system and the early administration of Crown Land reserves has always been complex, overlapping, and difficult to simplify within modern archival classification systems; the complexities are also difficult to explain to beginning researchers. If you're interested in exploring further, here are the principal related primary sources.....

Nova Scotia Commissioner of Crown Lands — grants books indexes and other material

As noted above, the digitized content available on this website presents the preliminary documents created and filed prior to final granting of land. The grants themselves (the final step in the process) are available on microfilm at the Nova Scotia Archives; the grants contain no biographical information. Researchers should consult these indexes on microfilm 12926 (surnames A to G) and 12927 (surnames H to Z) which list names of grantees, dates and locations of grants, and provide cross-references to grant books and pages (also available on microfilm) where individual grants were recorded. The original indexes and grant books remain with Crown Lands.

Nova Scotia Crown Land Sheets  

These identify (on large maps) all land grants issued in Nova Scotia, giving the name of the lead grantee, plus volume and page references for the record-book containing the final grant; the maps are online on the Department of Natural Resources website; click on the individual sheet numbers to see the map for that area.

Nova Scotia Commissioner of Crown Lands — petitions and other material  

Classified as RG 20 Series A. The digital content presented on the website - Nova Scotia Land Papers 1765-1800 - covers only 1765-1800. Index and records for the subsequent years, 1801-1914, are available at the Nova Scotia Archives in microfilm format.

Nova Scotia Commissioner of Crown Lands — Cape Breton land petitions and other material  

Classified as RG 20 Series B. This series primarily contains petitions submitted by Cape Breton Island applicants, predominantly 1787-1843. See our Cape Breton Island Petitions for an online searchable index to the names in these petitions; the petitions themselves are available at the Nova Scotia Archives in microfilm format.

Nova Scotia Commissioner of Crown Lands — applications to purchase  

Classified as RG 20 Series E. Petitions to purchase Crown Land (i.e. not petitions for free grants),1800-1885, but predominantly 1829-1858; the petitions contain no biographical information; index and records are available on microfilm at the Nova Scotia Archives.

Nova Scotia Commissioner of Crown Lands — ungranted petitions  

Classified as RG 20 Series U. Ungranted petitions for Crown Land, correspondence regarding land, survey maps and supporting documentation, 1811-1849, but predominantly 1830-1849; index and records are available on microfilm at the Nova Scotia Archives.

Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forests — Escheats and forfeiture records  

If the grantee did not fulfil the conditions specified in the grant, the government could escheat (i.e. repossess) the grant. Records available at the Nova Scotia Archives cover 1760-1842 (microfilms 12915-12919); index is on microfilm 12919. The original records remain with the Crown Lands Office.

Nova Scotia Registry of Deeds  

If the grantee or his/her heirs decided to sell the grant, or part thereof, a record of the transaction will be recorded as a deed of conveyance entered in the Registry of Deeds Office in the appropriate county. Extensive indexes and records dating from 1749 are available on microfilm at the Nova Scotia Archives.