George Washington Jones Homestead Applications

Date: 20 Oct 1881 to 21 Apr 1913
Location: United States
Surname/tag: Jones

Iowa Homestead Application

Notes, Homestead Case File, #2404, Ft. Des Moines, Iowa
Homestead application of George W. Jones, 20 Oct 1881, for Sec 18, T95, R31, Des Moines Land Office, No. 744
Homestead Affidavit, Office of the Clerk of the Court, Palo Alto County, Emmetsburg, 17 Oct 1881. Geo. W. Jones of Fern Valley, Palo Alto County, Iowa swears he is the head of family consisting of himself and seven children and a citizen of the United States of America;
that he is now residing on the land he wishes to enter and has made improvements thereon; that he commenced settlement 24 September 1881 and improvements consist of about 40 acres broken, two dwelling houses, five acres of grove, well, sheds, etc., the value of same being $600, and that because of the great distance he is unable to appear at the District Land Office.

Homestead Application, 20 October 1881, Des Moines, Iowa, for George W. Jones of Fern Valley, Palo Alto County, Iowa, for the E1/2 of NW1/4 and NW1/4 of NW1/4 of Sec 18, Township 95 North of Range 31 West containing 120 acres, for which he paid $16.00 Registration Fee

Homestead Proof, Claimant Affidavit sworn 27 Nov 1886 in district Court of Palo Alto County, Iowa by George W. Jones for Homestead Entry on E1/2 of NW1/4 and NW1/4 of NW1/4, Sec 18, Township 95, Range 31, where he has lived continuously since 24 Sept 1881 and is a citizen of the United States; that he is age 47, Post Office Rodman, Palo Alto County, Iowa;
built a house 12x14 with leanto of same size one story high sealed on inside 3 windows and 4 doors built a barn 20x30 story and half high Board roof with leanto on three sides built a milk house 1 story shingle roof and painted Broken 30 acres set out an acre of trees dug a well all at value of $600;
that he is married with a wife and nine children, that he has never made another homestead entry and has not sold, conveyed or mortgaged any portion of the entry.
Testimony of Witness on 27 Nov 1886: Julian A. Mathieson, farmer who reside on Sec 2, T96, R31 and who has been well acquainted with George W. Jones since he made his homestead entry No. 744, who says that claimant is a citizen of the United States and over 21 years old and the head of a family and he has never made a former Homestead Entry “to my knowledge”; that Claimant established residence about 24 September 1881 and has resided there ever since and built a frame house 12 by 14 and an addition 12 by 14 each one story high 4 doors 3 windows, built a Barn 20 x 30 boarded up and a board roof with a lean-to on three sides, built a milk house with shingle roof Painted, broken 30 acres and set out one acre of trees and dug a well, all with a value of $500; that claimant is married with a family of nine children; that “to my knowledge” claimant has not mortgaged, sold or contracted to sell any portion of said homestead and has acted in good faith
Testimony of Witness 27 November 1886: R. H. Miller, farmer on Sec 6, T95, R31, who says the same as previous witness
Certificate of Posting Notice: Notice of Application to Prove Homestead published in the Emmetsburg [Democrat??] once a week for 6 successive weeks, beginning 17 November 1886

Final Certificate #2404: On 23 August 1887 George W. Jones paid $6.00, the balance of payment for entry of E1/2 and NW1/4 of NE1//4 Sec 18, T 95N, R31W; on 20 March 1888, George W. Jones swore that he was born in Grant County, Wisconsin. Certificate Issued 25 July 1892

South Dakota Homestead Application

Notes, Homestead File, Rapid City, South Dakota, Application No. 4760, Certificate No. 2742
Application 4760, Rapid City Land Office, George W. Jones of Spearfish, S. D., 8 Oct 1896, applies for the NW1/4 of SW1/4 of Sec 23, Town 6N, Range 2 East, containing 40 acres
On 8 Oct 1896, at Deadwood, Lawrence County, SD, George W. Jones of Spearfish, filed his application and swore that he was born in Platteville Wisconsin, is the head of a family and over 21 years of age

On 4 June 1902
George W. Jones swore that he was 60 years of age, resident of Spearfish, South Dakota, born in Wisconsin on 1 July 1842; that he moved a house onto the land and established residence on 10 October 1896, also built a house and barn, all with total value of about $250; that his “wife (Silvy Jones) family resided continuously on land”; that he was never absent for more than two months, family remained on land all the time; that one acre was cultivated, 5 cleared, crops raised yearly; that the land was agricultural land, of little value, that he did not have personal property anywhere else
Wash Hughes, of Spearfish, South Dakota, called as a witness, swore that the land was farm land, that claimant settled on 10 October 1896 and had lived there continuously since, except for fives weeks in the winter of 1899 visiting relatives, that the homestead had one acre cultivated, 5 acres cleared, and claimant raised crops yearly; that improvements included 2 houses and barn of value of about $250 (one house $150, one house $50, barn $50), and that the land was valuable only for agriculture and for grazing cattle
Hans Henry of Spearfish, South Dakota, called as a witness, swore the same as Wash Hughes

23 Jun 1902, Rapid city, South Dakota Land Office
Final Certificate No. 2742, Application 4760
George W. Jones has made payment in full for NW 4 SW4, Sec 23, T 6N, R2E, of the Black Hills Meridian, containing 40 acres, and shall be entitled to a patent for the tract of land on presentation of this certificate to the Commissioner of the General Land Office

BLM-GLO Patent Search, South Dakota
JONES, GEORGE W, patent issued 5/15/1903 [15 May 1903], Document #2742 NW¼SW¼, Sec 23, T6N - R2E, Lawrence County, South Dakota

Wyoming Homestead Entry

Notes, Homestead Entry, Final Proof, Sundance, Wyoming, HE 3643 No, 09144 and No. 05575, Patent No. 553148
Testimony of Claimant:
Name George W. Jones, age Seventy-one, Post Office Tower, Wyoming
Native born Citizen of US, born in State of Wisconsin
made Homestead Entry at Sundance, Wyoming:
No. 09144 on 24 Dec 1906 for E1/2 NW1/4 Sec 31
No. 05575 on 31st March 1910 for SE1/4 SW1/4 and SW1/4 SE1/4 Sec 30, both Township 53 N, Range 64 W, Sixth Principal Meridian.
Single, widower, have a little boy I am going to adopt.
Established residence on land in March 1907, which is when house was built, and have not been absent since
Property has small jack pines scattered over the claim and is not merchantable. Has 65 cultivatable acres.
First year cultivated fifteen acres, raised wheat
Second year cultivated twenty acres, raised corn, potatoes, wheat, and oats
3rd year cultivated about 30 acres, raised same crops
4th year cultivated about thirty acres, raised oats and potatoes
5th year cultivated thirty-five acres, raised wheat and oats. Cut for hay. “I have had over thirty acres under cultivation for the past three years. I graze about seven head of cattle and three head of horses on this land, owned by myself.”
Improvements (on the SE1/4 SW1/4 Sec 30): House 16x16, small house 10x12, barn 18x20, grainery 16x16, hay barn which holds 12 ton of hay, two root houses, 10 ft well lined with stone and tiled out to drain off, hog house and corrals. The land is all fenced and cross fenced with three and two wire fencing. “I value the improvements at $1000.00”
Has made previous homestead entry, No. 4760, Final Certificate No. 2742, for NW1/4 SW1/4 Sec 23 Twp 6N Rg 2E, Black Hills Meridian, filed at US Land Office, Rapid City, S. Dak.
Signed: 21 April 1913

Testimony of Witness: Name, John L. Sherrard, Thirty-one, PO Tower, Wyoming
Has known Claimant for five years, and Claimant was living on land when witness first came to “this country”. Claimant has resided on land continuously except for a short while last summer working out. Land has 50 acres cultivable land, timber is scrub pines, not merchantable. There are about 30 acres broken on the two claims, Claimant has raised wheat and oats and has planted some timothy and corn. Has had over 20 acres under cultivation for the last three years and grazes about 10-12 head of stock owned by himself. Improvements include House 16x18, barn 18x20, a log house 14x16, hay barn 14x16, chicken house and grainery 14x16, dug out spring. Corrals. The land is all fenced and cross fenced with most of the fencing three wire. “I value the improvements at $500.00.”
Claimant lives about a mile from me and I see him very often. He has worked for me a number of times.
Signed 21 April 1913

Testimony of Witness: Name Luke O. Smith, age 61, PO Tower, Wyoming
has known Claimant about six years since he settled on homestead in spring and established residence there. Has never been absent from residence.
Property has 62 acres cultivatable land, about 10,000 ft of black jack pines that are not merchantable. Has 8 acres in oats and wheat, 12 acres in corn, wheat and oats, 10 acres in oats, 5 acres in same crops. Grazes about 10 head of stock owned by himself.
Improvements include: house 16x16, another house 16x16, grainery 16x16, barn 18x24, another barn 18x8, cellar 11x13, dug out spring, chicken house. Land is all fenced and cut up into three fields with cross fences, three wire fence. “I value the improvements at $500.00.”
I have seen the land about five times a year. I live about two and one quarter miles from him.
Signed 21 April 1913.

The Claim was approved 10 October 1916, the Patent sent to Local Office 9 November 1916

Source: MySource:GayelKnott/George Jones Documents