Clear Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Bounty Land Warrant

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, May 24, 2018

1. Bounty Land Warrant Marker

Inscription. On the night of September 13-14, 1814, an artillery soldier named Francis Scott Key watched as the British attacked Fort McHenry. With bombs bursting mid-air, and in dawn’s early light, the American flag remained. Key was so inspired by the sight, he wrote the four stanzas of words that were adopted in 1931 as the National Anthem. Decades later, in 1855, another veteran of the War of 1812, Pvt. Thomas Toam, took ownership of 128.5 acres in Hudson, Wisconsin, through a bounty-land warrant signed by President James Buchanan. The United States Government issued these warrants entitling veterans to up to 160 acres of land. Veterans of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, Indian Wars, and Mexican War of 1848 were eligible for warrants before the program was discontinued in 1855. Toam’s land encompassed lots 13, 4 & 5 of Sec. 19, Township 32 of Range 15, recorded at Hudson, Wisconsin as Warrant # 24871, making him the first owner of these parcels of land on which these monuments are located.

Erected 2017 by Wisconsin Historical Society. (Marker Number 569.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in

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these topic lists: Settlements & Settlers • War of 1812. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #15 James Buchanan, and the Wisconsin Historical Society series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is September 13, 1814.

Location. 45° 14.704′ N, 92° 16.505′ W. Marker is in Clear Lake, Wisconsin, in Polk County. It can be reached from the intersection of 25th Avenue and 5th Street, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located in the Clear Lake Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 450 25th Ave, Clear Lake WI 54005, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area

and in Western Wisconsin. It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Great North Woods,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Historic Bounty Land Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, May 24, 2018

2. Historic Bounty Land Memorial

Historic Bounty Land Memorial (Private Thomas Toam – War of 1812 Veteran – received a warrant to own the land on which this memorial is built) The United States of America Vol. 0722 Page 499 to whom these presents shall come, Greetings. Whereas in pursuance of the Act of Congress approved March 3, 1855, entitled an act of addition to certain acts granting bounty land to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in military service of the United States, there has been deposited in the general land office warrant no. 24871 for 120 acres in favor of Thomas Toam, private, Lieutenant Davenport’s Company, Virginia military War … 1812. With evidence that the name has been duly located upon the lots number thirteen, four and five of section nineteen in township thirty two of range fifteen in the district lands subject to sale at Hudson, Wisconsin containing one hundred and twenty eight acres and fifty one-hundreds of an acre.

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, May 24, 2018

3. Bounty Land Warrant Marker

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, May 24, 2018

4. Bounty Land Warrant Marker

All Veterans Memorial entrance image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, May 24, 2018

5. All Veterans Memorial entrance

marker is to the left of the directory sign

Credits. This page was last revised on December 8, 2024. It was originally submitted on May 29, 2018, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,112 times since then and 62 times this year. Last updated on November 9, 2021. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 29, 2018, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.