Archives at Cornell

United States General Land Office land grants to New York State

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: 7-2-96

Scope and content

Approximately 400 items including land grants giving plots of federal land in Wisconsin to New York State under the provisions of the Morrill Land Grant College Act, with Ezra Cornell acting as the state's assignee. The grants are signed by President Andrew Johnson among others.

Dates

1867.

Creator

United States. General Land Office (Organization)
Cornell, Ezra, 1807-1874. (Person)
United States. President (1865-1869 : Johnson) (Organization)
New York (State) (Organization)

Language of Material

In English.

Biographical / Historical

The Morrill Land Grant College Act of 1862, titled "Act donating public lands to the several States and Territories which may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts" fostered the building of state colleges and universities throughout the United States. One of those institutions that benefited was Cornell University, founded by Ezra Cornell in 1865 as a land-grant institution. Ezra Cornell acquired timber lands in Wisconsin on the University's behalf and held them until the time was right to sell, then donated the proceeds to the University's endowment.