The Brownville Land Office was the first location in the U. S. to
file homestead claims. The first homesteader was Daniel
Freeman who filed his claim in Brownville, Nebraska on January 1,
1863, the first day that the Homestead Act was in effect.
Mr.
Freeman was originally from Illinois and settled near Beatrice,
Nebraska. Apparently Mr. Freeman was on furlough and due back
to his unit before the official opening of the land office.
Her convinced the registrar to open up the office just after
midnight so that he could file his claim.
The Homestead Act was signed into law in 1862 by then President
Lincoln after the secession of southern states. According to
some sources as much as 10% of the United States was claimed and
settled under the Homestead Act. Homesteads were 160 acres
each and required only a small filing fee and improvements on the
land. But improving the land required extreme sacrifices and
hard work by those early pioneers.
