Last updated: February 26, 2024
Article
Homestead Roots Deep In The South
- 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.
- Homestead National Historical Park
Ephram Smith
- Locations: Homestead National Historical Park
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
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
- 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.