Transcribed and submitted by Barbara Hale Reynolds.
Please check here for further information about the Matilda Jones Welch Family.

Land Office
At Dardenelle, Ark
November 19, 1875
Sect 26, Town 3N Range 26W
Pat. - March 1, 1876
Rec. Vol. 2, P224
Approved February 25, 1876

It is hereby certified, that, pursuant to the provisions of the act of Congress approved May 20, 1862, entitled "An Act to secure homesteads to actual settlers on the public domain," Matilda Welch made payment in full for W1/2 NE1/4 and E1/2 NW1/2 of section No. 26 in township No. 3N of range No. 26W containing 160 acres.

Now, therefore, be it known, that on presentation of this Certificate to the COMMISSIONER OF THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE, the said Matilda Welch shall be entitled to a Patent for the Tract of Land above described.

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$14.00
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AFFIDAVIT
Land Office at Clarksville, Ark.
2925
Oct 30, 1869

I, Matilda Welch, of Scott Co. Ark having filed my Homestead Application No. 2925, for an entry under the provisions of the act of Congress approved May 20, 1862, entitled "An act to secure Homesteads to actual settlers on the public domain," do solemnly swear that I am the head of a family, and citizen of the United States � that I make my application No. 2925 for my exclusive use and benefit, for actual settlement and cultivation, and not directly or indirectly for the use or benefit of any other person or persons whatsoever and that I have not heretofor had the benefit of this yet.

Matilda Welch (her X mark)
Sworn to and subscribed before this 30th day of October 1869 before

James Ashingley
Reg of the Land Office

I, Matilda Welch, having made a Homestead entry of the W1/2 of NE1/4 and E1/2 of NW1/4, Section No. 26, Township 3N, Range 26W subject to entry at Clarksville, Arkansas under the first section of the Homestead Act of _______________, do now apply to perfect my claim thereto by virtue of the first proviso to the second section of said act; and for that purpose do solemnly swear that I am the head of a family and citizen of the United States; that I have made actual settlement upon and have cultivated said land, having resided thereon since the 30th day of October, 1869 to the present time; that no part of said land has been alienated, but that I am the sole bona fide owner as an actual settler, and that I will bear true allegiance to the Government of the United States, that I have not heretofore perfected title or abandoned equity made under this act.

Matilda Welch (her X mark)

I, W.M. Sand, Reg. of the Land Office at Darndenelle do hereby certify that the above affadavit was taken and subscribed before this 19th day of November, 1875.

W.M. Sand
Register

That the said Matilda Welch entered upon and made settlement on said land on the 30 day of October 1869 and has built a house thereon and has lived in the said house and it is his exclusive home from the 30 day October 1869 to the present time, and that he has, since settlement, plowed, fenced, and cultivated about 18 acres of said land, and has made the following improvements thereon to wit: dwelling house, crib, stable, and other out buildings.

Bevely Oller (his X mark)
L.B. Jones (his X mark)

I, W.M. Sand, Reg. Do hereby certify that the above affadavit was taken and subscribed before me this 19 day of November, 1875.

W.M. Sand
Registrar

WE certify that Bevely Oller and L.B. Jones whose names are subscribed to the foregoing affadavit, are persons of respectability.

Robert I. Naylor, Register
W.M. Sand, Receiver

Notes:

1. The Register and Receiver signatures were difficult to read and may not be transcribed correctly.
2. Homestead document courtesy of William J. Welch, 2^nd great grandson of Matilda and Thomas J. Welch.
3. Bevely Oller was most likely Belvedere "Beverly" Oller, husband of Cynthia Bartlett. He was the son of Jesse and Polly Oller and was on the 1850 census with them as a 14-year old boy in Montgomery County, Arkansas.
4. L.B. Jones was most likely Levi Benton Jones, my third great grandfather and nephew of Matilda Jones Welch Oller. His father was Levi Bauze Aday Jones who died November 25, 1860. Levi Sr. and Matilda were the children of John William Jones and Elizabeth Eddy.

Barbara Hale Reynolds
Transcribed March 30, 2002