1862 Homestead Act Question (certificate, government, obtain, father)

Does anyone know if the President actually signed the Certificates or did someone else sign his name?

[TravisW]

As far as I'm aware, the certificates were signed at the land offices.

I have the Certificate and at the bottom a portion reads:

In Testimony Whereof, I, Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States of America, have caused these letters to be made Patent, and the seal of the General Land Office to be affixed.

Given under my hand, at the city of Washington, the first day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Seventyfive, and the Independence of the United States the one hundred and [Blank]

By the President U.S. Grant

By D.D. Cone Secretary

All the underlined are hand written.

Who the heck is D.D. Cone - Secretary of what?

Just found this on the Government website: Homestead National Monument of America - About the Homestead Act (U.S. National Park Service)

With application and receipt in hand, the homesteader then returned to the land to begin the process of building a home and farming the land, both requirements for "proving" up at the end of five years. When all requirements had been completed and the homesteader was ready the take legal possession, the homesteader found two neighbors or friends willing to vouch for the truth of his or her statements about the land's improvements and sign the "proof" document.

After successful completion of this final form and payment of a $6 fee, the homesteader received the patent for the land, signed with the name of the current President of the United States. This paper was often proudly displayed on a cabin wall and represented the culmination of hard work and determination.

But does that mean he signed it?

[TravisW]

I think it was likely just filled in by the clerk. My great-grandfathers' were "signed" by Theodore Roosevelt, and it appears that "Theodore Roosevelt" wrote exactly like the secretary, M.W. Young, and not at all like his signatures on other documents.

Yeah, that's what I thought - kinda a waste of time for the Prez to do all that.

[Terryj]

What is interesting is that these are "land patents" and not warrenty deeds, a land patent is a non revocable land grant. It is the only type of land grant that the US government can not invoke eminent domain on and the only grant of ownership that will stand up in the Supreme Court.

[ArkansasSlim]

In my archeology work I obtain and use these documents quite often. Short answer; "someone" at the area Land Office completed and signed the document. The County Clerk at the county seat filled out the application and forwarded it to the Land Office. There were many ways to acquire federal land during that time and Homestead was only one of them. Also, as far as I know, Homestead was the only acquisition process that required occupation and improvement of the property which was limited to a maximum of 160 acres. The other most popular process at that time was "Cash Purchase" and with it you could buy as much as you could afford. It usually sold for around $1.25 per acre. There were other ways to acquire the property but these were the two most often used.

Originally Posted by ArkansasSlim

In my archeology work I obtain and use these documents quite often. Short answer; "someone" at the area Land Office completed and signed the document. The County Clerk at the county seat filled out the application and forwarded it to the Land Office. There were many ways to acquire federal land during that time and Homestead was only one of them. Also, as far as I know, Homestead was the only acquisition process that required occupation and improvement of the property which was limited to a maximum of 160 acres. The other most popular process at that time was "Cash Purchase" and with it you could buy as much as you could afford. It usually sold for around $1.25 per acre. There were other ways to acquire the property but these were the two most often used.

Yeah, I believe that was a 5 year period. He eventually aquired 400 acres

[bjh]

Originally Posted by Terryj

What is interesting is that these are "land patents" and not warrenty deeds, a land patent is a non revocable land grant. It is the only type of land grant that the US government can not invoke eminent domain on and the only grant of ownership that will stand up in the Supreme Court.

Cool! Eminent domain is getting out of control!