Cleburne County AlArchives Deed.....George Washington Gay - Alabama State October 29 1879 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Candace Gravelle tealtree@comcast.net December 27, 2003, 5:17 pm Cleburne County, Alabama Written: October 29 1879 Recorded: October 29 1879 Homestead Applicaton of George Washington Gay for land in Cleburne County, Alabama in 1879 and 1885: Homestead Application No. 9221 Land Office at Edwardsville, Ala. Oct 29, 1879 I, George W. Gay of Cleburne County, Ala do hereby apply to enter under Section 2289, Revised Statutes of the Unitd States, the NE 1/4 of NW 1/4 of Section 2 in Township 17 S of Range 12 E containing 40.01 acres. George W. Gay, X, his mark Land Office at Montgomery, Ala. Nov 28, 1879 I, Pelham J. Anderson, Register of the Land Office do hereby certify that the above application for Surveyed Lands of the class which the applicant is legally entitled to enter under Section 2289, Revised Statutes of the United States and that there is no prior valid adverse right to the same. Pelham J. Anderson, Register. Oct 29, 1879 U.S. Land Office Montgomery, Ala. Homestead Adjoining Farm, Affidavit Post office at Edwardsville, Ala. I, George W. Gay of Cleburne County, Alabama having filed my application No. 9221 for an entry under the provisions of an Act of Congress approved May 20, 1862, entitled "An Act to secure homesteads to actual settlers on the public domain", do solemnly swear that I am the head of a family and a citizen of the United States and that said entry is made for my own exclusive benefit; and not directly or indirectly for the benefit or use of any other person or persons whomsoever; neither have I heretofore perfected or abandoned my entry made under this act; that the land embraced in the said application No. 9221 is intended for an adjoining farm homestead that I own now and reside upon, an original farm containing 80 acres and no more; that the same comprises the N 1/4 of NE 1/4 of Section 2, Township 17, Range 12 and is contiguous to the tract this day applied for and that I am prevented by distance from personal attendance at the District Land Office at Montgomery, Ala. George W. Gay, X, his mark Attest: W.B. Ferguson Sworn to and subscribed this 29th day of October 1879 before me W.T. Noell, Clerk of the Circuit Court for Cleburne County, Alabama, and I do hereby certify the affiant in the above to be an actual resident of said county as witness my hand and official seal of said court, hereunto affixed. Wm. T. Noell, Clerk of the Circuit Court. November 28, 1879 Homestead Receiver's Receipt No. 9221, Application No. 9221 Received of George W. Gay the sum of Six dollars being the amount of fee and compensation of Register and Receiver for the entry of the North East quarter of the North West Quarter of Section 2 in Township 17 of Range 12 East. Paul J. Strobach, Receiver. Feb 20, 1885 Homestead Proof, Testimony of Claimant George W. Gay being called as a witness in his own behalf in support of homestead entry No. 9221 for NE 1/4 of NW 1/4 Sec. 2 Tp. 17 R. 12 E testifies as follows: 1. What is your name written in full and correctly spelled, your age and post office address? George Washington Gay. My age is 39 years. Post Office is Abernathy, Cleburne County, Alabama. 2. Are you a native of the United States or have you been naturalized? I am a native borned citizen of the United States. 3. When was your house built on the land and when did you establish actual residence therein? (Describe said house and other improvements which you have placed on the land, giving total value thereof). My house was built in Nov 1876 and established actual residence in December 1877. Improvements: 3 room dwelling house, smoke house, 6 stables, 1 Barn, Corn Crib, vegetable garden and about 50 acres of land under fence. Total value $300. 4. Of whom does your family consist; and have you and your family resided continuously on the land since first establishing residence thereon? (If unmarried, state the fact.) My family consists of myself, wife and 6 children and have resided continuously on the land since 7 day of Dec 1877. 5. For what period or periods have you been absent from the homestead since making settlement and for what purpose and if temporarily absent did your fmaily reside upon and cultivate the land during such absence? I and family have not been absent from the homestead since Dec 1877. 6. How much of the land have you cultivated and for how many seasons have you raised crops thereon? I have cultivated about 42 acres of said land and have raised crops thereon for 8 seasons last passed. 7. Are there any indications of coal, salines or minerals of any kind on the land, if so, describe what they are and state whether the land is more valuable for agricultural than for mineral purposes? There are no indications of coal or minerals of any kind on the land. Said land is more valuable for agricultural than mineral purposes. 8. Have you ever made any other homestead entry, if so describe same. I have never made a former homstead except No. 9221. 9. Have you sold, conveyed or mortgaged any portion of the land, and if so, to whom and for what purpose? I have not sold, conveyed nor mortgaged no portion of said land. George W. Gay (signature). I hereby certify that the foregoing testimony was read to the claimant before being subscribed and was sworn to before me this 20 day of February 1885. James T. Yarbrough, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Cleburne County, Ala. Feb 20, 1885 Homestead Proof, Testimony of Witness Henry T. Deese being called as witness in support of the Homestead Entry of George W. Gay for NE 1/4 of NE 1/4 of sec. 2 township 17 R12 East, testifies as follows: 1. What is your occupation and where is your residence: My occupation is that of a farmer. My post office address is Abernathy, Cleburne County, Ala. 2. Have you been well acquainated with George W. Gay the claimant in this case ever since he made his homestead entry No. 9221 ? I have known claimant for 6 years last passed. 3. Was claimant qualified to make said entry? (State whether he was a citizen of the United States over the age of 21 years or the head of a family and whether he ever made a former homestead entry. ) Claimant was qualified to make said entry and was a citizen of the Unitd States over the age of 21 years and never made a former homestead entry to my knowledge. 4. When did claimant settle upon the homestead and at which date did he establish actual residence thereon? (Describe the dwelling and other improvements, giving total value thereof). Claimant established actual residence on said land prior to 1st day of November 1879. Improvements: 3 room dwelling house, smoke house, 6 stables, 1 barn, corn crib, vegetable garden and about 50 acres of land under fence. Total value $300. 5. Have claimant and family resided continuously on the homestead since first establishing residence thereon? Claimant and family has resided continuously on the land for six years last passed. 6. For what period or periods has the settler been absent from the land since making settlement and for what purpose; if temporarily absent did the claimant's family reside upon and cultivate the land during such absence? Claimant and family have not been absent from the land since November 1, 1879. 7. How much of the homestead has the settler cultivated and for how many seasons did he raise crops thereon? Claimant has cultivated about 42 ares of land and has raised crops thereon for six seasons last passed. 8. Are there any indications of coal, salines or minerals of any kind on the homestead? There are no indications of coal or minerals of any kind on the land. Said land is more valuable for agricultural than mineral purposes. 9. Has the claimant mortgaged or sold or contracted to sell any portion of the said homestead? Claimant has not mortaged, sold or contracted to sell any portion of said land. 10. Are you interested in this claim; and do you think the settler has acted in good faith in perfecting this entry? No, I am not interested in this claim but do think that the claimant has acted in entire good faith. Henry T. Deese Subscribed and sworn to before me this 20 day of February 1885. James T. Yarbrough, Clerk of Circuit Court, Cleburne County, Ala. February 20, 1885 Homestead Proof, Testimony of Witness Z.H.J. Benefield being called as witness in support of the Homestead Entry of George W. Gay gave identical testimony and answers as Henry T. Deese, indicating that Z.H.J. Benefield was a resident of Abernathy, Cleburne County, Alabama and was well acquainted with George W. Gay. February 12, 1885 State of Alabama, Cleburne County I, John W. Yarbrough, editor of the Edwardsville Standard a newspaper publication at Edwardsville in Cleburne County do solemnly swear that the notice of George W. Gay of intention to make final proof of homestead entry No. 9221, copy of which is hereunto attached, has been published in the paper once a week for six consecutive weeks commencing January 8th 1885 and ending February 12, 1885. John W. Yarbrough Newspaper Notice Notice No. 3725 Land Office at Montgomery Ala. Dec 31, 1884 Notice is hereby given that the following named settler has filed notice of his intention to make a final proof in support of his claim and that said proof will be made before the Judge of the Circuit Court or in his absence Clerk of circuit court at Edwardsville, Ala. on February 20, 1885 viz: George W. Gay, homestead 9221 for the NE 1/4 NE 1/4 Sec. 2 township 17 south range 12 east. He names the following witnesses to prove his continuous residence upon and cultivation of said land, viz: Henry T. Deese, Z.H.J. Benefield, Solomon F. Benefield, Benjamin J. Shelton, all of Abernathy, Ala. Thomas J. Scott, Register ********************************************************* This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/alfiles/ File size: 10.2 Kb