Nebraska, Broken Bow Homestead Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes case files for homestead applications and land applications for the years 1890 to 1908. The files are arranged chronologically and have final certificate numbers. The files are from the Bureau of Land Management and include documents required to qualify for a homestead, such as:
 * Land descriptions
 * Proof of citizenship affidavits
 * Receipts
 * Testimonies of witnesses

The Homestead Act of 1862 was signed into law after the secession of many southern states from the Union. This act allowed for settlement of land in unpopulated areas of America, establishing a land-acquisition system. The process required the applicant to file an application, improve the land over a five-year period, and then file for a deed. After the five years, the homesteader went to a local land office and requested the deed (or land patent) after paying a registration fee. That office forwarded the documentation to the General Land Office in Washington, DC, with a final certificate of eligibility.


 * Roberta King  Homestead Records: Cancelled, Contested, and Relinquished Entries. NGS Magazine 34 #1 (January-March 2008): 46-49.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: Homestead application • 2 Homestead proof:
 * Witness statements

Final certificate: • 2

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the applicant
 * The approximate year of the homestead application

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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

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

 * Try searching by surname only
 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Nebraska.
 * Nebraska Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.