Person

Ephram Smith

Faded B&W photo of black man with gray gotee and a black button overcoat. — Reverend Ephriam Smith
Margarett Loman Hester

Several connections linked Reverend Ephram (Ephriam) Smith to other Black homesteaders in Coffee County who had migrated from Pike County, Alabama. His name was identified as the Minister of the Gospel on more than 40 marriage certificates as having performed the marriage ceremonies between 1871 and 1890. In addition to performing marriages, he was named as a witness for Black homesteaders Peter Eddings, Dalva Mincy, James Mincy and Henry Edings. It was no surprise when a search on the Bureau of Land Management revealed that Ephram Smith had also obtained land through the homestead process.

On December 6, 1890, Ephram Smith completed a Homestead Affidavit, required for settlers who could not appear at the District Land Office. On the form, he solemnly swore that he was a married man over 21 years old and a citizen of the United States. He also indicated that he was unable to make it to the Montgomery Land Office because of the distance from his home. He reported that home improvements made since settling on his land consisted of a dwelling house, a corn crib, and one other small house. Thirty acres of land were reported as cleared and the value placed on the homestead at the time was $300.

Ephram Smith’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, Alabama. 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.

As part of the final proof process, an announcement was placed, once a week, in the Elba Clipper for six consecutive weeks. In the posting from October 21, 1897, to November 25, 1897, names of four witnesses who could confirm Ephram’s continuous residency and cultivation of the land were James A. Phillips, Kiah Kelley, John Phillps, and Croel (sp.) Berry.

A claimant statement was required as the proving process was close to completion. On November 27, 1897, Ephram’s statement was taken and included the following information. He confirmed that he was 50 years old at the time and resided with his wife and 6 children. They had maintained continuous residence without absence since the original claim of the land on December 6, 1890. Improvements listed included a two-room plank dwelling, a kitchen smokehouse, and a crib cotton house. The value of the homestead was reported as $250. Since the establishment of his homestead, about 65 acres had been cultivated and 7 seasons of crops had been raised. He confirmed the statement with his “X” mark by his name.

Two witnesses provided written statements to confirm improvements, continuous residency and crop cultivation on November 27, 1897. James A. Phillips, 66 years old of Goodman, Alabama, and John Phillips, 59 years old, of Leverett, Alabama, both provided comparable statements affirming all what Ephram had stated. It appeared that James Phillips signed his own name and John Phillips provided his “X” mark by his name.

The remainder of the process for the final patent occurred as the paperwork made its way through the Land Office in Montgomery. The final Certificate # 16192 was recorded on December 1, 1897. The process was approved by the Clerk on February 12, 1898, and Ephram Smith’s Land Patent was issued on March 21, 1898, making his land ownership complete. Although Ephram died in 1910, his widow Missouri and several of their children and their families owned and farmed the land well into the 1940’s. The current status of landownership has not been confirmed.

Ephram Smith was one of several Black homesteaders, many who were formerly enslaved and who had migrated primarily from Pike County to nearby Coffee County following the end of the Civil War. A more comprehensive history of this community, including Ephram’s expanded story will be told in a future compilation along with other Black ancestors and neighbors who acquired land through the homestead process.

Patent Details - BLM GLO Records

Dr. Mark Clark
Dr. Mary K. Clark
Photo credit: Wayne Norman

~ Contributed by Dr. Mary K. Clark

About the Contributor: Dr. Mary K. Clark was raised in rural Millington, Michigan. She considers herself a fact teller rather than a storyteller. Her nonfiction stories are based on lived experiences and memories that have been collected in over 30 years of journal writing. She retired as a higher education administrator for over 30 years in various leadership positions in Michigan. She earned a B.A. in Fashion Merchandising from Bowling Green State University, an M.A. in Counseling from Wayne State University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Toledo. For over six years, Dr. Clark has served as a Michigan state-appointed AARP volunteer. She also serves as a national AARP Volunteer Facilitation & Training Team (VFTT) member where she develops and presents specialized volunteer-led training throughout the U.S. She enjoys gardening, traveling, painting, doing genealogy and family history research