____________________________________________________________________________ Preemption Proof State of Arkansas, County of Hempstead, United States of America. Be it remembered, that on the Twenty Second day of February in the year of 1840, Micajah Jo(h)nston, of the County of Pike in the State aforesaid, 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 he is about twenty six years of age the head of a family consisting of a wife and two children. That sometime in the winter of the year 1835 he commenced an improvement on the public land of the United States at that time not surveyed. That in surveying the lands, his said improvements were found to be in the Southwest Quarter and the Northwest Quarter of Section nineteen in Township Eight, South of Range Twenty five West, in the District of Lands subject to sale at Washington, Arkansas. That his dwelling house is on the Southwest Quarter and the greater portion of his cleared land is on the Northwest Quarter of said Section. That he erected dwelling houses and other buildings on said tracts and continued to improve said Land from the time of his removal thereto in the year 1835 to the present time. That he was an actual set(t)ler and a housekeeper in possession by personal residence on the said tracts above described on the Twenty Second day of June 1838 and for four months next preceding that date; and that he still has possession of and personal residence on said Land; and further says not. Micajah (his x mark) Johnston Sworn to and subscribed before me the 22 day of Feby. 1840. R.L. Phillips, J.P. ____________________________________________________________________________ And at the same time & place and before me as aforesaid came also William Johns(t)on and & John G. Barnett, who after being duly sworn, say that they are personally well acquainted with Micajah Johns(t)on who subscribed the above and foregoing oath, that they know he is the head of a family as therein stated, and that all the material matters and things by him set forth therein, are Just and true in substance and in fact. Willi (William) Johnsten John G. Barnett ____________________________________________________________________________ Land Office, Washington, Ark's Feb. 22d 1840. We are personally acquainted William Johnston & John G. Barnett who signed as witnesses the foregoing deposition & know them to be respectable & Entitled to credit. D.T. Witter, Rcr. R.L. Phillips, J.P. ____________________________________________________________________________ State of Arkansas, County of Hempstead, Be it Remembered that on this the 22d day of February A.D. 1840, personally came before me, the undersigned, a justice of the peace in and for the County and State aforesaid, Micajah Johnston, of the Count(y) of Pike, who being by me duly sworn, Deposeth and says: that he entered on the Northwest and Southwest quarters of Section 19 in Township 8, South (of) Range 25, West, in which he claims in his own right and exclusively for his own use and benefit and that he has not directly nor indirectly made any agreement with or contract in any way or manner with any person or persons whatever, by which the Title he might acquire from the government of the United States should (e)nure to the use or benefit of any one except himself or to convey or transfer the said land or the Title which he may acquire to the same, to any other person or persons whatever, at any subsequent time. Micajah (his x mark) Johnston Sworn to and subscribed to by and before me the day and date above written. R.L. Phillips, J.P. ____________________________________________________________________________ Certificate 4312, Washington, Arkansas Land Office, Record Group 49, National Arhives, Washington, D.C. ____________________________________________________________________________ HTML file and design by David Kelley, 1997. All rights reserved.