{"id":2617,"date":"2016-04-27T21:19:42","date_gmt":"2016-04-27T21:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rootdig.genealogytipoftheday.com\/?p=2617"},"modified":"2016-04-27T21:19:42","modified_gmt":"2016-04-27T21:19:42","slug":"platting-out-a-plat-book-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rootdig.genealogytipoftheday.com\/?p=2617","title":{"rendered":"Platting out a Plat Book Strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Beginning in roughly the middle of the 19th century, a variety of publishing firms began publishing what are commonly referred to as “plat books.” These books show the sizes, shapes, and acreages of farm properties along with the name of the owner. Typically drawn from information contained in property tax and real estate records, modern copies of these books are usually a well-worn reference in many farm households across the United States.<\/p>\n

Older ones don’t just include maps of farms. They can often include \"people\"<\/a>a variety of other reference material. Sometimes that material was added to sell books or to raise money from selling the privilege of having a picture (of a farm, house, or your ancestor’s\u00a0own visage) published in the books. Sometimes these books contained directory-type information, particularly in those rural areas where directories were not common.<\/p>\n

Sometimes those whose ancestors were not farmers avoid using “plat books,” often referred to as atlases. That can be a mistake. The 1874 Hancock County, Illinois, “atlas,” includes:<\/p>\n