DCHP-1 Online

locate

• 1 v. I (often passive) establish (someone) legally as a settler on land under terms of settlement set by the government.

  See also: location (def. 2)  homestead ((v.))  

  • 1790  (1905)  The board then examined John Snider's ticket for Lot No. 1 73, New settlement, and finding no reason why he should not be located, they proceeded to take his solemn affirmation of and subscription for the oaths of Allegiance, etc. and granted him a certificate for a single Lot.
  • 1801  Notice is hereby given to all persons located upon Yonge Street, that the 16th day of September next is appointed to hear the Defaulters.
  • 1819  No vacant land being found in the District of Niagara, it is not expedient to appoint a Board to locate desirable Settlers therein.
  • 1929  (1930)  "I figure on locatin' Mr. Kent on the northwest of eight, just across the slough," said Webb. "It's just about as good a quarter as I know of.

• 2a legally occupy (land) under government-established conditions of settlement.

  See also: homestead ((v.))  

  • 1822  As the sons and daughters of those whose names are on the U.E. list become of age, they petition the lieutenant-governor, in council, stating the facts and verifying them by their own oath, and the affidavit of one witness, and upon such petitions obtain orders for the land, which they locate in some of the new townships, and then take out their patents without cost.
  • 1926  Script, or official writing entitling the holder to locate land in free grant sections, was given to the half-breeds descended from the Indians, in the years 1899 and 1900.
  • 1954  By both of us taking homesteads and locating scrip we can get a whole section for what one quarter would cost us here.

• 2b take up residence, especially as a settler under a Homestead Law.

  See also: Homestead Law  

  • The general sense of locate "take up residence, settle," which has been in American use since the 17th century, seems to have become common among Canadians somewhat later than the more technical senses associated with homesteading; early writers in Canada (usually British in origin) attribute the term to "Yankees," classing it as a barbarism.

  • 1888  (1963)  . . . a certain portion of the press in the east is proclaiming that Alberta is closed to settlement; being parcelled out in grazing leases upon which settlers are not allowed to locate.
  • 1958  We must be prepared to supply their needs if they locate in North Vancouver City.
  • 1964  After finishing the panning of the gold he located on that piece of land, later securing the homestead.

• 3 †  establish (a town).

  • 1830  (1954)  This splendid harbour was the bauble that dazzled the eyes of those by whom the town [Shelburne] was (to use an appropriate American expression) first located.
  • 1882  [It] appears to be the intention of the Ottawa Government to abandon Battleford and locate some other place as the capital of the north-west--probably the C.P.R. crossing of the South Branch.

• 4 Obs. open up for settlement ; arrange for the establishing of settlers on new land.

  • 1832  Major Campbell, of Seymour, will locate the Township of Seymour and its Neighborhood.

• 5a West act as a land-guide for.

  See also: land-guide  locating  

  • 1912  "She's been locatin' settlers along them old clearings in the black pine and, judging by samples I'd seen, she's swept the jails.

• 5b West find the exact location and boundaries of a tract of land.

  • 1963  . . . the business of locating a certain quarter section in an unsettled area boiled down to finding the "corner mounds" of the section in question

• 6 survey and establish the route for (a railway line).

  See also: location (def. 4)  

  • 1880  Were it necessary to locate a line across this northern part of the Province more than one favourable route might be found connecting Port Simpson with the Pine River Pass.
  • 1883  Westward from Leopold the line has been located to Calgary, 120 miles, leaving a distance of 140 miles to the summit of the Rockies, to be finally decided upon next year.

• 7 †  Mining stake and register a claim.

  See also: location (def. 5)  locator (def. 1)  

  • 1897  Then the "angel" when the mine was located would reap the reward of his childlike trust and implicit faith. . . .
  • 1964  Henderson . . . had prospected and located on the same branch [Gold Bottom], a few claims above where Hunker staked at a later date.