The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-03-02
oTTUMwA wApEILO COUNTY IOWA THURSDAY MARCH . 1s7
Soldiers Hornesteads.

Soldiers Homesteads.
The amsndstory act Of 2lst March
1864, United States Statutes, vol, 13
page 35, relaxes tho requirements 0l
personal attendance At tho districi
Office TO persons in tho military OF
naval service, where the party's fam
lily, or some membor, Is residing on
tho land that il i desired to cnter,
and upon which : Bos0 fde improve.
ment and cultivation has been made.
IA such GASES she said act Of 1854
allows the bsne6ciaryl to>nakc the
affidavit before tho ohcer command.
Ing in tho branch of fse8vice in which
he may bc engaged, and, tho same
may be 6lcd, By tho wife or other
representative Of the absenteo, with
the Register, together. with the
Homestead ,ApPliaafiyn.- His claim
is that case win bStnne efEcOtive
from tho date Of fling provided the
reqnired tee and commissions accom-.
pany tho same but Immediately up.
on his discharge no must enter upon
tho land and make it his bona tide
home, as required BY the original act
OF 10th Of May 1867. se -
Thc 25th section Of The act of 10th
July, 1870, 90 far IS modifes the
original homestead act as to allow
officers, soldiers, and sailors, who
have served in the army and navy OF
tho United States for ninety days,
and remained loyal TO the Govern
ment, to cnter 16O acres instead Of
30 acres Of double minimum lands.
In all other respects tho require.
ments Of tho original amendatory
acts remain in forco, actual settlement
and cultivation being in no case dis.
pe'ased Nth. Special affidavits arc
required in such casos. Congress
has also enacted that any alien Of
tho age Of 81 years andupward, who
has cntered or shall enlist in the
armies Of the United States aud be
honorably discharged thercfrom, shall
not be required to make any dcclara-
ton Of intontion to become citizen
of the United States, and may upon
his petition and on proof Of honor
able military service bo admitted to
full citizenship, after not loss than
one years residence in the United
States.
Upon payment Of the fees and
commission in accordance with tho
above tables, tho receiver will issue
his receipt therefor, and furnish o
duplicate to.the claimant. The mat
ter will then be entered on their
records and reported to the General
Land Office An inceptive right is
vested in the settler by such proceed
ings, and by faithful observance of
the law in regard to settlement and
cultivation for the term of five
years, and at the expiration of that
timc, or within two years thereafter,
upon proper proof to the satisfac-
tion OF the land officers and payment
TO the receiver the register will issue
his certificate, and mako proper
returns to this Office as the basis Of
patent or complete titlo to the homo
stcad.
The law is specific in requiring
final proof to be made within two
years after the expiration of the five
years. In making final proof it is
indispensable under the statute, that
the homestead party shall appear in
person at tho district land office, and
there make tho affidavit required Of
him by law in support of his claim.
Whore from physical disability, or
absence or other good cause, the
witnesses of said party cannot attend
in pcrson at the district Office their
testimony in support of the claim
may be taken. where thcy reside
before an officer authorized by law
to administer oaths. Their testi-
mony must state satisfactorily the
reason of their inability to attend at
the district Office, and the credibility
and responsibility OF tho witnesses
must bc certified to by tho magis-
trato officiating, whose official
character must be authenticated
under seal. The corroboratlng tosti.
mony thus prepared must be de-
posted with the register aud receiver
and flied with the affidavit of tho
homestead party, and tho decision of
the register and receiver endorsed
thereon as preliminary to tho trans
mission of the same to tho General
Land Office.
TIE DISPOSITION OF HoMEsTEADs.
Whero u homestead settler dies DO.
fore the consummation OF his claim,
tho widow, or in case Of hcr death,
tho hoirs may continue the settle.
ment and cultivation, aud obtain title
upon requisite proof at the proper
time. lfthc widow proves up, tho
title passes to her; if sho dies before
proving up, and tho hoirs mako the
proof the titlo will vost to them.-
Whore both parents die, leaving in
FAINT hoirs, tho homestead may be
sold for cash for tho benefit of such
heirs, and the purchaser will receive
tito from the United States. The
salo OF a homestead claim by the set
tier to another party before compile
tion OF title il not recognized by tho
General Land Office, and not only
vests NO title or equities in the pur.
chaser, but would be prin,a t;lcic evil
denco Of abandonment, and might
givo cause tor cancellation of tho
claim. A party may rolipquish his
claim, but only to the Government,
and in such cases should surrender
his duplicate receipt, with relin-
quishment endorsed thereon, or if tho
duplicate has been lost, that fact
should be stated in the rclinquish.
ment, duly signed and acknowledged.
THE ACT OF JULY Is, 1870,
Which gave 10 tho soldiers and sail
ors of tho country quarter sections
Of land along the lines Of the railroads
to which grants have been made is
is follows:
SECTION %. And be 1t further en-.
ected, That every private soldier and
officer who has served in the army of
the United States during the rebel
lion, for ninety days, and remained
loval To tho Govnrnmant and evary