                     HOW TO MAP COORDINATES

If you would like to know the exact location of the land described
in the land grant you can obtain survey maps from the United States
Geological Survey (USGS) - the state maps I purchased ran $4.00 each.
You can contact them for catalogs, maps or other USGS publications at:

                        USGS Map Sales
                        Denver Federal Center
                        PO Box 25286
                        Denver, CO 80225
                        (303) 236-7477

If you are not into survey maps and would just like to know roughly 
where the land is located it is possible to calculate the approximate
location described in these records.

The key to locating the position of the land is to start from where
the meridian (0 N-S) and baseline (0 E-W) lines intersect. This
is the starting point to triangulate from. This is also how this 
program calculates the "Approx Location" which should put you within
about  1 mile.

In Arkansas, the meridian runs along the East side of Jackson County.
The baseline runs along the South side of Lee County. These lines 
intersect at the South West corner of Lee County.

In Florida, the meridian/baseline junction is 12 miles West and 11
miles North of the South East corner of Leon County.

Louisiana has two meridians and baselines. One meridian/baseline
junction runs along the North side and is 1 mile East of the NW corner
of East Feliciana Parish. The other meridian/baseline junction is 12
miles West and 3 miles North of the South East corner of Rapides Parish.
This baseline is about 1 mile North of the other baseline.

The basic units of measure are as follows:

    Section  = 1 mile x 1 mile = 640 acres
    Township = 6 miles x 6 miles = 36 sections (units N/S) of 0,0
    Range    = township or 6 miles (units E/W) of 0,0

Since Arkansas has the simplest meridian/baseline junction to locate I
will use it for the following examples.

Range 0, Township 0 (the intersection of the meridian and baseline)
whould be the South-West corner of Lee County. However, there is no
Range 0 or Township 0. The 4 townships around the 0,0 point are Range 1
and Township 1.

                        N
             Range 1W   |  Range 1E
            Township 1N | Township 1N
        W  -+-----------0-----------+-  E         
             Range 1W   |  Range 1E              
            Township 1S | Township 1S
                        S


EXAMPLE:
                                 N
                                           T
                                          *4*  o
   Range    :  3 E                         w
   Township :  4 N                         3   n
   Section  : 15                           s
   Aliquot  : NE                           2   h
                                  i
                                          1   p
            W  E
                               /  1     2   *3*
                             0,0     ranges
                          SW Lee 
                          county 
                                 S

                                                    section 15
                     
            6   5   4   3   2   1             NW *NE*
                     
            7   8   9  10  11  12             SW  SE 
                     
           18  17  16 *15* 14  13   >
                     one section
           19  20  21  22  23  24          1 mile x 1 mile
                     = 640 acres
           30  29  28  27  26  25 
                     1/4 section
           31  32  33  34  35  36            = 160 acres
          

            36 sections in one township
                 6 miles x 6 miles

<<< Note >>> Sections are numbered like an "S"
             starting from the top right.


Calculating the Approximate Location:

   Using the rectangular system of survey, the distance is computed
   in miles North or South and East or West from the starting point
   in the state (where the baseline and meridian intersect). The
   result is the distance to the corner of the section nearest the
   meridian/baseline junction.  The boundry of the section can then
   be computed as the 1 square mile section extending in the same
   directions as the Range and Township from the Section Corner.
   More precise location can be obtained by calculation for the
   Aliquot Parts within the Section. 

                              N
                              |
            Range W           | Range E
            Township N        | Township N
            SE Section corner | SW Section corner
        W  -+-----------------0-----------------+-  E         
            Range 1W          | Range E              
            Township 1S       | Township S
            NE Section corner | NW Section corner
                              S

   Example: 

   Range    :  3 E
   Township :  4 N
   Section  : 15  
   Aliquot  : NE  

   Step 1 : Calculate the distance to the corner of the township.
            This is done by subtracting 1 from the Range and
            Township and multiplying by 6.

               Range miles =   (Range-1)  X 6  = 12 miles
            Township miles = (Township-1) X 6  = 18 miles

            The SW corner of the township is 12 miles East and
            18 miles North of the SW corner of Lee County.

   Step 2 : Calculate the Section distance from the corner of the
            township.

            Referring back to the Township/Section grid above,
            count the number of section in the direction of the
            Township and Range up to the Section you are trying
            to locate.

            Sections N = 3
            Sections E = 3

   Step 3 : Add the Range Miles and number of Sections E-W, and the 
            Township Miles and number of Sections N-S.

               Range Miles + Sections E  = 12+3 = 15 Miles East
            Township Miles + Sections N  = 18+3 = 21 Miles North

            The corner of the Section pointed to is the inverse of
            the Range and Township directions. Thus, we have the
            approximate SW corner of Section 15 which is 15 miles
            East and 21 miles North of the SW corner of Lee County.
            The boundry of the Section extends 1 mile North and
            1 mile East of this point.

   Step 4 : Calculate for the Aliquot parts.

            Since the Section part is the NE corner of the section,
            add  mile to the Range and Township miles to give you
            the inverse corner of the part.

               Range Miles +  mile = 15 Miles East
            Township Miles +  mile = 21 Miles North

            Thus, the approximate SW corner of Section 15 NE is 15
            miles East and 21 miles North of the SW corner of Lee
            County. The boundry of the Section part extends  mile 
            North and  mile East of this point.

            For more complicated Aliquot parts like NSW (the North
            half of the SW quarter of the section) you'll have to
            adjust the calculations for the actual fraction of a
            mile - but you get the basic idea.

   Step 5 : Break out your map and ruler and start measuring off the
            miles. This should give you a good idea geographically
            of where the land is located.


<< Note >>  This is just a suggestion but it sure makes it easier if
            you're working from an atlas or road map if you mark the
            meridian/baseline junctions. This saves you from having
            to measure it off each time you want to locate someplace.


* End of : HOW TO MAP COORDINATES
