The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-03-18
The Homestead mn,

lst. That any fec white person. WHO is the
head II ~ family, or who has arrived at the age
oi Fl years aud Is u Cliz.n Of the L. :. shall be
calIil'd to enter. fee OF cost, otia quarter s,c-
ion OF vacant and unnpprprialed land, whlch
a. tie time Of the appl cation, may b" sUt jet
TO private entry. at one dollar twenty five cents
per acre; or n quantity equal theo,to, tu be To-
Gated IN body in conformity with the legal
subdivisions If The pub'cs land. aud nier the
same shall have been surveyed.
I'd Any person applying fr the benefit Of
ms act, shall upon the application to the X
Ister of the land Office into which he "r she,
ahoni to make such entry; make affidavit be
Tore the so d Register, that he she ia the head
oi family, or twenty-one wears Of age and
nron making affid wi, and fling it with She
Hcg,iier he or she shalt thereup"n be per
milted to enter the quantity Of land already
specified provided that no certificate shall be
given, or patent Issued ther, for until the cx-
piratJn Of five yeats from the date oi
such entry; and if at the expiration OF such
time, the person making such entry be dead
hiS widow, or IN Gaze Of h,r death, his heirs, or
his devi~ee or in ot n widow making such
entry her heirs or devisee in case Of her death,
shall prove bv two credible witnesses, he or
she or they have continued TO reside upon and
cultivate said land and still reside upon the
same, and have not ailainated it or or any part
thereoE--'hen in such case he or she or they,
shall be entitled TO a patent, IA in other cases
provided for by law: provided further, in case
of death Of both father and mother, leaving an
inf Mt child or children under q years Of rye,
the right or the fee shall inure to the benefit Of
the said thild or children, and the executor. ad.
ministrator, or guardian, may at any time within
two years after the death of such surviving pa
rcRt and in accordance with the laws Of the
state in which such children for the time being,
have their domicil sell said land for the benefit
Of said infants and for 90 other purpose, and the
purchaser shall acquire the absolute title by the
purchase and be entitled to patient from the
United States.
Sd. All land acauired under this net shall in
no event become liable TO shtisihiinn OF debts
contracted prior to the Issuing Of the patent there
for.
4lh. In case the person who has fled the aHi-
dayit REQUIRED shall have chan ed h's or her
residence. or abandoned said entry for more than
six months at any one time in that event the
land 50 entered to revert back to the govern
men'; subject to appeal to the General Land
Office.
sth Ifany individual now = resident Of any
one Of the states or territories, and not citizen
Of tho L s at the time of making such srpIica-
ton for the benefit Of this Act, shall have filed
declaration Of intention as required by the natural
izcalon laws of the United States and shall he.
come n citizen Of the same before the issuance
Of the ratent. and provided for in this Act, such
individual shall be placed upon an equal footing
with the na.ive.horn citizen Of the L. 5.
9Th. No individual is permitted to make more
than one entry urder the provision of this act.
md the Commissioner Of the General Land Of
fee il REQUIRED to prepare and insure such rules
and regulations cousisten. with this ac', ms shall
he necessary and proper to carry its provisions
into effect. ard the registers and the receivers
Of the several Land Offices shall be entitled TO
receive the same compensation for any lands en-
tered under The provisions Of this act that they
are now entitled 10 receive, when tile sarno guar
antee Of land s entered with money, "ne-hal'
10 he pai bv the person making the application
at the time of so doing. md the Other half on The
issue Of the certificate. by the person 70 whom
it NAV be issued Provided however, M persons
entering land under the provision Of This act
shall .as near "a NAV be practicable ~ making
such entries. he confined TO each alternate quar-
ter section and land subject 10 nrivnte entry; and
provided nothing in this act shall be so construc
ted ms to impair or interfere in anv manner
Whatever. with existing precemption rights; and
rrovided farhcr--that the provision Of this act
sholl bo So construed as to authorize the class NJ
ncrsons provided for who may not own over leo
acres of land to enter free Of cost any public lands
adjoining his or her farm subject to private on.
try. Mt the minimum price or qran'ir, when nd
ed to what he or she now owns, equal to 100
acres provided that lie or she shall cultivate
the whole or part thereof