United States, Homestead Final Certificates - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

What Is in This Collection?
Homestead Final Certificates from twenty-five General Land Offices. The certificates are part of Record Group 49 Records of the Bureau of Land Management located in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The certificates are arranged by land office then numerically by certificate number. The National Archives Identification Number (NAID) is included below. At present images have been published for the land offices Arizona.  Organization Authority Record
 * Arizona. Phoenix.
 * Arizona. Prescott.
 * Arizona. Florence/Tucson

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 General Land Office Records  "Currently Published in this Collection**'''
 * Alaska. Juneau	1902-1908, 1-90
 * Alaska. Nome 1907, Unarranged
 * Alaska. Sitka	1899-1902, 1-42
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 * Illinois. Springfield, 1863-1876, 1-76
 * Indiana. Brooksville/Indianapolis 1875-1909,1-33
 * Iowa. Kanesville/Council Bluffs, 1863-1875, 1-196
 * Iowa. Fort Didge, 1863-1874, 1-874
 * Iowa. Sioux City, 1863-1878, 1-4966
 * Iowa. Des Moines,1863-1908, 1-2,802
 * Ohio, Chillicothe, 1863-1876, 1-110
 * Nevada. Elko, 1872-1877, 1-30
 * Nevada. Carson City,1864-1908,1-432
 * Nevada. Austin & Eureka, 1868-1893, 1-137
 * Utah. Beaver City, 1876-1877, 1-16
 * Utah. Salt Lake City,1868-1946,1-8096
 * Utah. Vernal, 1905-1927, 2-18
 * Wyoming. Cheyenne, 1871-1908, 1-2298
 * Wyoming. Evanston,1788-1908, 1-1477
 * Wyoming. Lander,1890-1908,1-926
 * Wyoming. Buffalo,1888-1908.1-1611
 * Wyoming. Sundance,1890-1908,
 * Wyoming. Douglas, 1890-1908,1-1034

Additional states and descriptive information may be added to this collection.

 Related Publications 
 * Roberta King. Homestead Records: Cancelled, Contested, and Relinquished Entries. NGS Magazine 34 #1 (January-March 2008): 46-49.
 * Kenneth Hawkins, comp. Research in the Land Entry Files of the General Land Office. NARA Reference Information Paper 114

 Related Collections 
 * Public Land Survey Township Plats, 1789 - 1946 NAID 566647 RG 49 Records of the Bureau of Land Management

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Records may contain any of the following:


 * Name of applicant
 * Date
 * Application and final certificate numbers
 * Description and location of land
 * Names of witnesses, family members or neighbors
 * Birth information
 * Previous residences
 * Occupations
 * Marital status
 * If applicant has filed for multiple homesteads

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the applicant
 * The date of application

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select State
 * 2) Select Land office name
 * 3) Select Record type to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the name, location, and date to find the family in census records
 * Use the description and location of land to find the family in other land records
 * Use the description and location of land to find the family in probate records

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, check for nearby land owners with similar or variant spellings of the surnames
 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Look for another index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the United States.
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Related Family History Library Holdings

 * Arizona, General Land Office, Florence and Tucson, 1875-1905
 * Arizona, General Land Office, Phoenix, 1905-1908
 * Arizona, General Land Office, Prescott, 1871-1905
 * Illinois, General Land Office, Springfield, 1863-1876
 * Indiana. General Land Office, Brookville and Indianapolis,1875-1909
 * Iowa. General Land Office, Des Moines, 1863-1908
 * Iowa. General Land Office, Fort Dodge, 1863-1874
 * Iowa. Kanesville and Council Bluffs, 1863-1875
 * Iowa. General Land Office. Sioux City, 1863-1878
 * Ohio. General Land Office, Chillicothe, 1863-1876
 * Nevada. General Land Office. Austin and Eureka, 1867-1893
 * Nevada. General Land Office. Carson City, 1868-1893
 * Nevada. General Land Office. Elko, 1872-1877
 * Utah. General Land Office. Beaver, 1876-1877
 * Utah. General Land Office, 1868-1946
 * Utah. General Land Office. Vernal, 1905-1927
 * Wyoming. General Land Office. Buffalo, 1888-1908
 * Wyoming. General Land Office. Cheyenne, 1874-1908
 * Wyoming. General Land Office. Douglas, 1890-1908
 * Wyoming. General Land Office. Evanston, 1877-1908
 * Wyoming. General Land Office. Lander, 1890-1903

Related FamilySearch Historical Record Collections

 * United States, Cancelled, Relinquished, or Rejected Land Entry Case Files, 1861-1932
 * United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1800-c. 1955

How Can I Contribute to the FamilySearch Wiki?
Estados Unidos, Certificados Finais de Herdade (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)