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Wrapping Up the Becker Research & Sharing Resources

  I'm concluding my research into the Becker/Baker family and their immigration from New York to Canada, and later from Canada to Cleveland. I have made some amazing discoveries along the way, and feel I have a much better handle on when and why they immigrated from place to place. Here are some highlights and important discoveries I made along the way: I located a fabulous original photo of my great-grandfather Edward in a St. Catharines museum! While creating a timeline, I noticed that Joseph Becker's grandfather Peter Schiltz died in St. Catharines, Ontario, not in Sheldon, Wyoming, New York, where he lived. A Belgian cousin contacted me about our common Schiltz ancestors after reading a blog post. I discovered there were two Joseph Beckers in Sheldon, Wyoming, New York, who each had a son named Joseph. While attempting to separate them in land records, I came across the not-my-ancestor Joseph Becker's will in a Wyoming County deed book.  Though my great-great-grandfathe
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Proving the Blackman Homestead: Logan, Oklahoma Territory

Homestead patent artwork.1

by Nancy Gilbride Casey


I interrupt the previously scheduled post in my series about the two Jesse Caseys, to bring you the just-received homestead file for Jim's 4x great grandparents Dewitt and Elizabeth Blackman. I just received it from the National Archives, and had to dig in.

Just what was homesteading? 

Courtesy of the Homestead Act of 1862, "...any adult citizen, or intended citizen, who had never borne arms against the U.S. government could claim 160 acres of surveyed government land..." This included men and women, both single or married, over the age of 21. Homesteaders had to live on the land for at least 5 years, make improvements, such as building homes and other structures, and cultivate the land. After five years, the claimant could obtain the land free and clear after paying a minimal registration fee.2

The original homesteader (and Jim's 3x GGF), was Dewitt Samuel Blackman (1828-1895), a Civil War Union Army veteran from Ohio, who later moved to Kansas, and then Oklahoma sometime between 1889 and 1892. He was then living in Bowman, Oklahoma Territory, with his wife Elizabeth Butler Blackman (1834-1907), a fellow Ohio native, and their family.3

Dewitt applied for a homestead patent on 7 September 1892 in Logan, Oklahoma Territory, at the land office in Guthrie. He sought lots 3, 4, 5 and the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 6, Township 18 North of Range 3 West. First, some explanation of the survey system.4

About Those Land Descriptions

The Public Lands Survey System, also known as the Rectangular Survey System, has been in use in the United States since about 1785. It is the principal method used to survey land in 30 federal land states, including Oklahoma; 20 other states still adhere to the metes and bounds survey system.

The system is based on principal meridian and base lines measured out with scientific precision. "As each territory or state opened new public lands, the government identified a meridian (running north and south), and a base line (running east and west), to guide all future land surveys in that area." Below, the Indian meridian and base line are shown on a map of Oklahoma.5

Surveyed land was divided into square townships measuring 6 miles on each side, which were laid out in tiers north and south of the baseline. Numbered ranges were then laid out to the east and west of the meridian, forming a checkerboard-type grid when complete. Townships were then subdivided into 36 sections of one square mile each (640 acres). These sections could then be further subdivided by settlers or speculators into quarter sections of 160 acres, then half-quarters of 80 acres, or quarter-quarter sections of 40 acres—parcels or lots individually termed aliquots.6

In Dewitt Blackman's case, the land he wished to homestead on was located in present-day Logan County, between Lovell and Mulhall. The map below, generated on the Bureau of Land Management website, shows his four parcels in the upper-left corner. The medium-sized orange square is Section 6, while the four smaller squares are his four lots:7

 

Below, the original plat map surveyed in 1872 is shown. Blackman's land is the four upper-left corner squares. The plat also shows representations of a waterway—likely Otter Creek—coursing through section 3 and below that the parcel noted as "SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4," as well as timbered land.8


In Dewitt's Homestead Application sworn out in September 1892, he stated that he was, "the head of a family and native born citizen of the United States." He accepted further that, 

"...my application is honestly and in good faith made for the purpose of actual settlement and cultivation, and not for the benefit of any other person, persons, or corporation, and that I will faithfully and honestly endeavor to comply with all the requirements of law as to settlement, residence, and cultivation necessary to acquire title to the land applied for..."9

He also had to swear an affidavit that, "....I did not enter upon and occupy any portion of the lands described and declared open to entry in the President's proclamation, dated March 23, 1889, prior to 12 o'clock, noon, of April 22, 1889." In other words, he did not "rush" the land as so many other settlers—known as "Sooners"— did in the famous 1889 Oklahoma land rush.10

To complete his application, Dewitt paid a registration fee of $13.84.1

Proving the Claim

The next documents in the file, dated in 1899, were not filed in the name of Dewitt S. Blackman. Sadly, Dewitt never lived to see the hard-won fruits of his labors. He died in 1895, a little over three years after filing for the homestead patent.12 Proving the claim would ultimately be the work of his widow, Elizabeth Butler Blackman—then about 60 years old—and their family.

On 14 June 1899, Elizabeth filed her notice that she intended to "make final proof to establish my claim to the land." This involved advertising her intent in the local newspaper, in order to give others a chance to dispute her claim if needed, as well as naming possible witnesses who would swear affidavits that she had complied with the terms of the claim. She suggested Osbourne B. Acton, Simeon S. Williams, John B. Favor and Walter P. Arnett, as witnesses; Favor and Williams provided affidavits.13

Notice published in the Mulhall Enterprise for 6 weeks in May-June, 1899, notifying the public of Elizabeth's claim.14

Improvements Made

Elizabeth provided testimony regarding her claim on 14 June 1899. In it she described the house and other improvements:

"We established residence in a house on the land in Oct. 1892. A 5 Room House 20 by 30 ft, Finished, Painted, Granary, Shed, Storm Cave, Well, Orchard, About 2 mi of Wire Fence, 65 acres in Cultivation about. Value about $500.00."

At the time, her family consisted, "...of myself and 4 children." She stated that, "Dewitt S. Blackman died on the land May 9, 1895."  They cultivated about 65 acres of land in the previous seven seasons.15

For their part, her witnesses John B. Favor, age 25, and Simeon S. Williams, age 45, confirmed that they were well acquainted with Elizabeth and Dewitt, and described the nature of the land as "timber & prairie land." They attested that the couple settled on the land about October, 1892, and Williams affirmed that, "...Elizabeth Blackman, his [Dewitt's] widow, has resided on the land and kept up the cultivation since his death." Interestingly, while Elizabeth valued the property at about $500, her witnesses estimated its value at $1,000-$1,200.16

Patent Awarded

Elizabeth fulfilled Dewitt's dream of owning land in Oklahoma. On 24 November 1899, Homestead Certificate No. 3467 was signed by F. M. McKean for President William McKinley, awarding the claim "containing one hundred and fifty-three acres and fifty-hundreths of an acre," to Elizabeth. She was then 64 years old.17


Image of Elizabeth's patent for her Oklahoma homestead.

The formidable Elizabeth Blackman is pictured below in a cabinet card photo held by the Oklahoma Historical Society, which I discovered quite by accident while randomly searching her name on OHS's website a few years ago. My husband and I were later able to view the original photo of his 3x great grandmother on a visit to OHS. The photo was likely taken in the early 1890s.18


By 1900, it appears that Elizabeth owned only one portion of the original homestead, as drawn on this map of Rose Hill township.19


Elizabeth Butler Blackman, native Ohioan and Oklahoma homesteader, died on 2 March 1907 in Rose Hill. She was laid to rest in Mercer Cemetery (now Hope Cemetery), in Arkansas City, Kansas, her former home with Dewitt and their family, and where he too, was buried.20

Up next: What is a Cyclone Cave?

 

NOTES

1 Bureau of Land Management, "Patent Image," General Land Office Records (https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx : accessed 30 June 2022), Elizabeth Blackmon, patent no. 3467.

2 National Archives, "Homestead Act (1862)" (https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/homestead-act : accessed 30 June 2022); last updated 7 June 2022.

3 Dewitt S. Blackman and Elizabeth Blackman (Logan County) homestead file, final certificate No. 3467, Guthrie, Oklahoma, Land Office; Land Entry Papers, 1800-19008; Record Group 49; Records of the Bureau of Land Management; National Archives, Washington.

4 Ibid.

5 FamilySearch Research Wiki, "Rectangular Surveys," (https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Rectangular_Surveys : accessed 28 June 2022), last updated 24 May 2019, at 08:11.

6 Ibid.

7 Bureau of Land Management, "Land Descriptions," images, General Land Office Records (https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx : accessed 30 June 2022), Dewitt S. and Elizabeth Blackmon (Logan County, Oklahoma), homestead location Lots 3, 4, 5 and SE 1/4 of NW 1/4, section 6, Township 18N-3W.

8 Bureau of Land Management, "Plat Image," General Land Office Records (glorecords.blm.gov/details/survey/default.aspx : accessed 30 June 2022), Township No. 18 North Range No. 3 West of the Indian Meridian.

9 Dewitt S. Blackman and Elizabeth Blackman (Logan County) homestead file, "Homestead Affidavit."

10 Ibid, "Affidavit."

11 Ibid, "Receiver's Receipt, No. 11425."

12 Ancestry, Find a Grave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39751561/dewitt-samuel-blackmon : accessed 30 June 2022), memorial 39751561, Dewitt Samuel Blackman (1829-1895). Hope Cemetery, Cowley County, Kansas.

13 Dewitt S. Blackman and Elizabeth Blackman (Logan County) homestead file, "No. 1, - Homestead."

14 Ibid, "Proof of Publication."

15 Ibid, "Homestead Proof-Testimony of Claimant."

16 Ibid, "Testimony of Witness," John B. Favor and Simeon S. Williams.

17 Bureau of Land Management, "Patent Image."

18 Phillip A. Miller, Arkansas City, Kansas, cabinet card, "Mrs. Elizabeth Blackman," circa 1890, "Industries and Occupations - Photographers," Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma City.

19 Logan County Genealogical Society, Farmers of Logan County, Oklahoma, 1900 (n.l. : Logan County Genealogical Society, n.d.), n.p., map of 18N-3W Rose Hill, "Blackman"; digital image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/239941-farmers-of-logan-county-oklahoma-1900?offset=1 : accessed 30 June 2022); citing Houston Public Library.

20 Ancestry, Find a Grave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39751597/elizabeth-blackman : accessed 30 June 2022), memorial 39751597, Elizabeth Butler Blackman (1834-1907). Hope Cemetery, Cowley County, Kansas. Also: Ancestry, Find a Grave, memorial 39751561, Dewitt Samuel Blackman (1829-1895).



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