Beatrice High School - Homesteader Yearbook (Beatrice, NE)

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HOMESTEADER J K

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HOMESTERDER 1'-wen. .i 6 , 6

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HOMESTERDER -g,,!,,A ci' A 1. wx Y - 5 ,,k4b ...L 1 -, ,.,77777 77777 3 4 N ' lf- ,,,..-.-- ffl- 'I-,Y7 - I-il. -1.8 fy K -f--179-1-L --- ' i---- -t 2 f - 7----- ' - ---77i,,l3:'i V 7 r , - ki ,f-? A ,fff Q - f'-tf'.7,,-2,17-' '-4-1 - , f-+ '-7' vm -:R 177- 3 245571- ff:- ffff' l 'Rx 'T iii' 7 .3 - L --7-ff - ,I '+ - F.: .77 QY' --j W J, 71, 75? Zfg9,f,:,f-riffs! -L 1 7 f '- f 1-,74 1-4 il - 1.21 5- ,f-l 'k '- ..' -- - -ff2,2 3szf74'- L7 77 -f' f1-7 A ,- -'r-'gr Y 4 'gf' 57,71 Wy -r:.ff1 i:. .77, fl-? 7,4-Q -Y D: .35-Z 'fc-Af glam' -f -7 412-12 1- ',:,ge-41-7 T - ' 47 in 7,:4..7FyffJg,2f If -:.: fi , -: 7 -,gf-.'D ---, ,L 716' ' if ,M .Q '-'Tyr rf,7---- - -7 0 Yi AV k 47, A 147 -f---- 7 , , T7 -3 7 1, -2' tf?5..4e7 ity, 1 -f 1 1 ,-55, AY ' fkvnigifglgi -,, 'gpg Eff Y ing? 1 -,-- '2-ffzfe 4,7,f,?- gf 4-.7 tg17'4a2ff7' 1 f - ' ' - :fe-I 9 rid 1 '- -- - f- f - 'J ' - Q-.-'- flf- ,ff-' , 1 ---r1- ' 7' '- i'?f'5s fl-ff-f , ,.-.....?- - -J.. 4-1 2 ,---M v L- --:' .,:::.----- -- f. 7 , 1- -E' 77 'Ie d - - - -T ' 6 - - tn: -e - --9 1 2 Q. 'A - 777 , ,.. 77 7 fl 1'-T - ,7L:7 ff -2'!',' IYZAEWJM: I-4 ijgf- 7 f?1-'- ,gff 5 ,,, - A7 gig-4:3 T' 'f c,,s7 ,V JQIJIAQALJ . f 'ff -f' --f i ,,ff' - 31771-77f-' -- 7. ii fim-1' X if-f-'-if-1, ,r,,,i- W - ' .fa-lli 2 7 ,DJQ74-f V- - --fn Y W - The First Ho'me'ste'ad V vl. 2 - - 'il Z,f- , T 12:05 o'clock on the morning of January 1, 1863, Daniel Freeman filed papers for the first homestead in the United States. The fact that he filed first, and after the law had been in effect only five minutes, was not the result of a plan but accidental. Daniel Freeman was a native of Ohio and was born April 26, 1826. When he was possession. ' but ten years of age, the family moved to Illinois, where he grew to manhood. About the time of the Civil war he came into government service, and while thus engaged travelled a great deal throughout the West and southwest, becoming familiar with the territory. He chose the West for his permanent home before the close of the war. In July, 1862, Mr. Freeman selected a spot along Cub Creek, in Gage County, Ne- braska, and took a squatter's right on that land. This expired in December and on the last day of the year Mr. Freeman went to Brownville, Nebraska, for the purpose of filing a homestead application before reporting to the army. At a ball held that eve- ning in the hotel, Mr. Freeman met the clerk of the land office, who chanced to men- tion that since the following day was a holiday, the office would be closed. The clerk was an accommodating man and when Mr. Freeman explained that he was under orders to report to an army post on January 2, he made arrangements to file the papers im- mediately after twelve o'clock. So it happened that the first settler to file under the Homestead Act, which provided free homes for free men, was named Freeman. This first homestead lies four miles west of Beatrice, along Cub Creek, which is bordered by abundant timber. The original homestead included 160 acres and its boun- daries are still the same. Daniel Freeman lived on his homstead until his death in 1908. Mrs. Freeman occupied it until 1927 when she moved to Beatrice, where she still resides. The homestead is still in the hands of the family, who greatly prize its The spot is now marked by a tablet upon a stone from the old state capitol and X e f the grave of the first homesteader is appropriately honored by a marker. J MAXINE NELSON F B