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.
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.
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.
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”.
Harry Eddings and his family made their way to Coffee County, Alabama, and on December 19, 1885, he filed his Homestead Application No. 17698. He swore that he was a native-born citizen of the U.S. and the head of his family. He also confirmed that he intended to settle and cultivate the land for him and his family’s benefit.
On November 13th, 1883, Hutchins filed a homestead for 160.11 acres of land in Geneva County. Five years later, on December 27th, 1888, Vandy returned to the courthouse in Montgomery, Alabama to swear to his improvement of the land. He testified that the tract was nothing more than “common piney woods farming land”. He said that he was never absent from his land once he settled on it. After twelve years on the land his patent was signed on June 8th, 1891.
On February 19th, 1890, a notice appeared in the Coffee County News announcing that Mary’s son Green Thompson would make final proof in his mother’s name on April 19th, 1890. Green went to the courthouse on that date with his witnesses, Solomon K. Sconyers and Henry Goodwin, who were fellow homesteaders.
Luke made his Final Affidavit on March 22, 1884, which stated that he settled on his land in 1875. According to his Testimony of Claimant form, he built a log dwelling, a meat house, and cleared 30 acres of land.
