Land Office
From birchyHistory
(→THE HOMESTEAD ACT OF 1862) |
|||
| Line 68: | Line 68: | ||
The Homestead Act was a federal law offering "free land" to any man (with some restrictions) willing to settle and improve it. Unsettled government lands (purchased from Indian tribes and foreign countries) were divided into townships, each consisting of 36 sections. Each section was further divided into four "quarter-sections" of approximately 160 acres each. A homestead claim consisted of one quarter-section, and could be obtained by paying only filing fees if all conditions were met. | The Homestead Act was a federal law offering "free land" to any man (with some restrictions) willing to settle and improve it. Unsettled government lands (purchased from Indian tribes and foreign countries) were divided into townships, each consisting of 36 sections. Each section was further divided into four "quarter-sections" of approximately 160 acres each. A homestead claim consisted of one quarter-section, and could be obtained by paying only filing fees if all conditions were met. | ||
| − | The Homestead Act was designed to make land available "free" to those who would live on and cultivate a tract for a period of time, usually five years. Though the filing provisions were similar to the pre-emption requirements, there was no per-acre payment required for the land itself. An individual meeting certain requirements could claim up to 160 acres and not less than forty acres of available public land. | + | The Homestead Act was designed to make land available "free" to those who would live on and cultivate a tract for a period of time, usually five years. Though the filing provisions were similar to the pre-emption requirements, there was no per-acre payment required for the land itself. An individual meeting certain requirements could claim up to 160 acres and not less than forty acres of available public land. Because most of Montana was so arid, few places were able to support a homestead that small. Occasionally, an open range rancher would have someone else homestead around the local watering hole to get exclusive access to it for his cattle. |
Filing a Homestead entry - The settler was required to complete an application affirming that he or she was age twenty-one or the head of a family, a U.S. citizen or had declared intention to become one, not already the owner of 320 acres of land within the United States, that he had not quit or abandoned land owned by him in the same state or territory, and that the homestead would be for his exclusive use. The entry was then recorded in the records of the land office upon payment of a filing fee. If actual residence had not been established, the settler had six months in which to do so. | Filing a Homestead entry - The settler was required to complete an application affirming that he or she was age twenty-one or the head of a family, a U.S. citizen or had declared intention to become one, not already the owner of 320 acres of land within the United States, that he had not quit or abandoned land owned by him in the same state or territory, and that the homestead would be for his exclusive use. The entry was then recorded in the records of the land office upon payment of a filing fee. If actual residence had not been established, the settler had six months in which to do so. | ||
| Line 85: | Line 85: | ||
Preemptions changed to Homesteads - After a person had filed a pre-emption declaratory statement, he could change the filing into a homestead. The time during which the settler had resided on his pre-emption could be credited to the period of residence and cultivation required under the Homestead Act. Other requirements of the homestead law had to be fulfilled as well. | Preemptions changed to Homesteads - After a person had filed a pre-emption declaratory statement, he could change the filing into a homestead. The time during which the settler had resided on his pre-emption could be credited to the period of residence and cultivation required under the Homestead Act. Other requirements of the homestead law had to be fulfilled as well. | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
==THE TIMBER CULTURE ACT OF 1873== | ==THE TIMBER CULTURE ACT OF 1873== | ||
