Article

Homestead Roots Deep In The South

Homestead National Historical Park

Homestead Roots Deep in the South
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration -:-
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
      Visit our keyboard shortcuts docs for details
      Duration:
      23 minutes, 54 seconds

      Many formerly enslaved people and their descendants became landowners through the Homestead Act of 1862. Race was not recorded on homestead Land Entry case files. It is not yet widely known how many black homesteaders never left the South and became landowners via the Homestead Act. Explore with two families from Maryland, as they go on a genealogical journey back in time that connects them to family members that took part in the Homestead Act of 1862 in the Deep South.

      Check out more information about black homesteading across America in all 30 homestead states and the Black Homesteaders Project!
      Showing results 1-10 of 79

      • Homestead National Historical Park

        Ephram Smith

        • Locations: Homestead National Historical Park
        Faded B&W photo of black man with gray gotee and a black button overcoat.

        Ephram Smith, Jr.'s Homestead application # 25026 was recorded on December 11, 1890, in the Register of Land Office by J.H. Bingham. According to his land entry papers, his homestead was located in the SE¼ of NE ¼ of Section 14, S ½ of NW ¼, NE ¼ of SW ¼ of Section 13, Township 3N of Range 20E in Coffee County, AL. His homestead consisted of 138.57 acres. The required filing fee of $13.50 was also recorded on December 11, 1890, at the Receiver’s Office.

      • Homestead National Historical Park

        Martin James Barlow

        • Locations: Homestead National Historical Park
        Man and woman pose for picture.

        M.J. Barlow married Annie McLendon on 27 May 1893 in Clarke County, Mississippi. Annie, born in March 1878 in Mississippi, was the daughter of homesteader Alfred McLendon, and his wife, Roseanna Porter (a.k.a. Cooley). In the 1900 census, M.J. Barlow is a minister, and his wife Annie is a farmer. Both are identified as renting farmland in Shubuta, Clarke, MS, and both are literate. They have three children, and the oldest one attends school and can read.

      • Homestead National Historical Park

        Clem Horn

        • Locations: Homestead National Historical Park

        Clem Horn was born enslaved in Georgia in 1825. After emancipation, he moved across the Chattahoochee River into Henry County, Alabama. Horn filed Homestead Application# 14524 for 160.4 acres of land in Coffee County, Alabama on August 11th, 1883 and received his land patent certificate # 7508 on June 8th, 1891.

      • Homestead National Historical Park

        Malery Quitman Wells

        • Locations: Homestead National Historical Park
        Scan of image of black man with mustache and wearing a black suite with a bow tie

        Malery Quitman Wells was born a last-generation slave in Mississippi. He was one month shy of fourteen years old when President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.

      • Homestead National Historical Park

        Austin Roberts

        • Locations: Homestead National Historical Park

        This story about Austin Roberts begins when his name appears on a death certificate, but not his own. He was listed as the father of Harry Eddings(sp), a homesteader in Coffee County. Harry died in Caryville, Florida on April 29, 1921, after being in residence there for only 15 days. Based on his death certificate, his burial was in Coffee County, Alabama on April 30, 1921.

      • Homestead National Historical Park

        Peter Eddins

        • Locations: Homestead National Historical Park

        Peter Eddins submitted his homestead application #23624 for 39.83 acres in Coffee County at the Elba Post office on December 27, 1889. The small filing fee was paid at the Receiver’s Office in Montgomery. The process was acknowledged by Peter’s mark of an “X”.

      • Homestead National Historical Park

        Arter Bugg

        • Locations: Homestead National Historical Park

        Arter Bugg (also known as: Etta Rugg, Otto Brigg, Etta Bugg, Otto, Ardis, Ardor Bugg) was born March 1869 to Simon Bugg of Columbia County, Georgia and his wife Georgia “Fathy” White of Virginia. In 1870, Simon and Fathy resided in a rented farmhouse outside of Homer, LA, with three daughters and two sons.

      • Homestead National Historical Park

        Richard Peevy

        • Locations: Homestead National Historical Park

        Under the Homestead Act of 1862, Richard Peevy filed a homestead application for 160 acres of land in Union County, Arkansas on April 25, 1871 and received his patent on March 1, 1877. 

      • Homestead National Historical Park

        Isham Brumfield

        • Locations: Homestead National Historical Park

        Isham filed application #6899 on March 6, 1873 for 160 acres of land in Walthall County, Mississippi at the Land Office in Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi for a fee of $14.65.

      • Homestead National Historical Park

        Alfred Davis

        • Locations: Homestead National Historical Park

        Alfred Davis, originally from Bienville Parish, Louisiana, filed Homestead Application No. 10677 on January 25, 1905 and paid a filing fee of $6.00. Due to the long distance from his home in Bienville Parish, to the District Land Office in Natchitoches, Louisiana, he submitted an affidavit in Arcadia, Louisiana stating he was over the age of 21.

      Last updated: February 26, 2024