United States, Homestead Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
Homestead files contain unbound documents that include final certificates, applications with land descriptions, affidavits that show proof of citizenship, register and receiver receipts, notices and final proofs, along with testimonies of witnesses. National Archives and Records Administration, Denver, Colorado.

 Related Publications 
 * Roberta King. Homestead Records: Cancelled, Contested, and Relinquished Entries. NGS Magazine 34 #1 (January-March 2008): 46-49.
 * Kenneth Hawkins, comp. Research in the Land Entry Files of the General Land Office. NARA Reference Information Paper 114

 Related Collections 
 * Public Land Survey Township Plats, 1789 - 1946 NAID 566647 RG 49 Records of the Bureau of Land Management

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 2

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Try searching by surname only
 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the United States.
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * United States Research Tips and Strategies

Other FamilySearch Collections
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FamilySearch Catalog
Homestead
 * Arizona, Apache County, 1884-1951; index, 1880-1985
 * Arizona, Florence and Tucson, 1875-1905
 * Arizona, Phoenix, 1905-1908
 * Arizona, Prescott, 1871-1905
 * Colorado, Denver County, 1864-1908
 * Illinois, Springfield, 1863-1876
 * Indiana, Brookville and Indianapolis,1875-1909
 * Iowa, Des Moines, 1863-1908
 * Iowa, Fort Dodge, 1863-1874
 * Iowa, Kanesville and Council Bluffs, 1863-1875
 * Iowa, Polk County, 1863-1908
 * Iowa, Pottawattamie County, 1863-1875
 * Iowa, Sioux City, 1863-1878
 * Iowa, Webster County, 1863-1874
 * Iowa, Woodbury, 1863-1878
 * Ohio, Chillicothe, 1863-1876
 * Oregon State Archives, Index to Oregon donation land claims
 * Montana, Flathead County, 1897-1933
 * Nevada, Austin and Eureka, 1867-1893
 * Nevada, Carson City, 1868-1893
 * Nevada, Elko, 1872-1877
 * New Mexico, Socorro County, 1882-1906
 * Utah, Beaver, 1876-1877
 * Utah, 1868-1946
 * Utah, Vernal, 1905-1927
 * Wyoming, Buffalo, 1888-1908
 * Wyoming, Cheyenne, 1874-1908
 * Wyoming, Douglas, 1890-1908
 * Wyoming, Evanston, 1877-1908
 * Wyoming, Lander, 1890-1903

Donation Land Claims
 * Oregon and Washington donation land files, 1851-1903, NARA M815
 * Abstracts of Oregon donation land claims, 1852-1903
 * Abstracts of Washington donation land claims, 1855-1902
 * Donation land claims by orphans in Oregon and Washington, 1867-1873
 * Washington County, Oregon donation and land claim records, 1849-1851, 1910

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Harry P. Yoshpe and Philip P. Brower, compiled,  Preliminary inventory of the land-entry papers of the general land office Washington, D.C. : s. n., 1949
 * Manual of surveying instructions : for the survey of public lands of the United States and private land claims Washington, D.C. : Government Printing Office (United States), 1894

Citing This Collection
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