Research

Scope and Content Note

The series consists of releases, vouchers, receipts, title searches, parcel maps, and resolutions of the canal commissioners acting under their authority to authorize commutations to claimants and owners for rights to bridges built over the Erie and other branch canals. Damage appraisal and appeals were procedurally handled in the same way as those for damages to lands, streams, or waters appropriated by the canal commissioners for public use.

Commutation releases for farm bridges over the Erie Canal and branch canals give: name and residence of landowner; description of parcel; sum paid by state for commutation of right to farm bridge; release of said right; date; and signature of landowner.

The few maps included in the series are varied, but all are present to document land ownership and to locate farm bridges over a canal, thus qualifying the claimant for commutation. Descriptions of land parcels prepared as part of the commutation releases often refer to a separate map attached to the release. Some maps are drawn in colored inks and in greater detail. Most often represented are solid blue lines to distinguish areas of state owned land, and the solid red line of the towpath with dashed red inset lines marking distances along the canal. A few maps show dashed blue lines apparently representing canal enlargements and yellow lines distinguishing land parcels. Larger maps also show rivers, highways, roads, railroads, and outlines of significant area structures (houses, barns). Other maps are simply small sketches of land parcels giving simple boundaries and acreage, usually as part of a copy of a warranty deed. The maps range in size from 5 x 9 cm to 70 x 86 cm.