Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Nova Scotia Commissioner of Crown Lands fonds
General material designation
Parallel title
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Title statements of responsibility
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Level of description
Fonds
Repository
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
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Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
Physical description area
Physical description
- 40 m of textual records
- 69 microfilm reels
- 191 maps
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
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Numbering within publisher's series
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Administrative history
In order to promote settlement in Nova Scotia, Governor Edward Cornwallis was directed in 1749 to make fee simple or absolute possession of land grants tax free for the first three years; thereafter an annual rent was to be paid. Later laws changed the regulations relating to the size of grants, quit rents, and taxation, and, at times, the sale of land took the place of free grants. In 1749 Charles Morris was appointed the first Surveyor General to administer the granting of land. The Surveyor General was responsible for surveying of the boundary lines of land grants, roads, and other lands and the preparation of maps and plans. Deputy surveyors were appointed for each district or county. In 1827 a Commissioner of Crown Lands was appointed to oversee the sale of crown land and in 1851 the commissioner absorbed the position of Surveyor General. A separate Commissioner of Crown Lands for Cape Breton existed until 1847, reporting directly to the Provincial Secretary. In 1877 the Attorney General became ex officio Commissioner of Crown Lands. In 1926 the Department of Lands and Forests was created, and the functions of the commissioner were transferred to the new department.
Custodial history
Scope and content
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Original records were transferred from the Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forests.
Arrangement
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Originals of many of the records are held by the Crown Land Records Centre, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources.
Availability of other formats
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Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
Series descriptions available.
Generated finding aid
Associated materials
Related records of Crown Lands after 1926 may be found in 163 Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forests fonds.