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Preemption Proof
State of Arkansas,
County of Hempstead,
United States of America.
Be it remembered, that on the eighteenth day of February, in the year 1840,
David Simpson Dickson, of the County of Pike, personally appeared before me
the undersigned, an acting Justice of the Peace, within and for the County
of Hempstead, aforesaid, and on his oath deposes and says, that, sometime in
the fall of the year 1833, he purchased an improvement on the public lands
of the United States, at that time, unsurveyed, of a certain Nathan Collier,
consisting of a dwelling house and about eighteen acres of cleared & fenced
land, which the said Nathan had cultivated during that year, principally in
corn; that immediately after said purchase, this deponant removed with his
family and took possession of the said improvement and remained thereon with
his family until some time in February, in the year 1835.
That, this deponant cultivated in the year 1834, on said quarter section,
about twelve acres in corn and some five or six acres in oats, &c. That when
the land became surveyed, the said improvements were found to be on the
southwest quarter of Section fourteen, in Township Eight, South of Range
Twenty-six, West, in the District of Lands subject to sale at Washington,
Arkansas.
And, this deponant further says, that he had possession of the said quarter
section by his actual personal residence, thereon, on the 19th. day of June,
1834, and until the time of his removal therefrom in February, 1835, and
further says not.
D.S. Dickson
Sworn to & subscribed before me, the 18th day of February, 1840.
R.L. Phillips, J.P.
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And at the same time and place and before me, as aforesaid, came also John
Hughes and Rice Stringer, and after being sworn, say, that, they know that
Nathan Collier cultivated the tract of land herein above described in the
year 1833 and that he sold his said improvement to the said David S.
Dickson, who resided on and had possession of the said quarter section on
the 19th day of June, 1834 and that all the material matters and facts by
him, the said Dickson herein above stated, are strictly true in substance
and in fact and further, they say not.
Rice Stringer
John Hughes
Sworn to & subscribed before me, the 18th. Feby., 1840.
R.L. Phillips, J.P.
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Land Office, Washington, Arks.
Feb. 18th, 1840.
We are personally acquainted with Rice Stringer & John Hughes, who signed as
witnesses to the foregoing deposition & know them to be respectable &
entitled to credit.
D.T. Witter, Rcr.
R.L. Phillips, J.P.
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Certificate 4296, Washington, Arkansas Land Office, Record Group 49,
National Arhives, Washington, D.C.
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