Helen's report makes sense. The 20 or 40 mile either side of the Right of Way for RR land grants was for alternating sections. IIRC, the portion the government retained land was not eligible for homesteading. Helen's exception would have been entirely in keeping with the spirit of granting pensions, etc., to veterans. Bob -- Bob Huddleston Metro Brokers Adco Associates Office: (303) 457-9300 Toll Free: (888) 451-6376 E-Mail: adco@rmi.net <http://www.realtorads.com/denver/bobhuddleston> Helen Graves wrote: > > Bob was correct in saying that no 'bounty land' type land grants were > given to veterans of the Civil War. > > However, perhaps the deed being discussed as a land grant was actually a > special privilege-type homestead for Union Veterans. > > This land grant discussion sent me to my files as my great grandfather > took advantage of this special privilege offered by law to Union > Veterans. > > "Union veterans of the Civil War received special homestead rights -- in > 1870, the right to claim 160 acres within railroad grant areas (other > homesteaders could claim only 80 acres); and in 1872, the right to > deduct their length of Civil War service from the 5-year residency > needed to prove the homestead." (page 231, The Source, lst edition) > > My grt grandfather applied for a 120-acre homestead on railroad right of > way land near Council, Idaho, in 1905 and he received his final patent > in 1907 -- indicating they must have waived off 3 years of the normal > 5-year requirement to homestead due to his CW service. > > Being able to homestead land on a rr right of way was definitely a > benefit as when the rr came, land values usually went up. By being able > to shorten the 5 year requirement by debiting their years of service, > veterans could receive their final patent more quickly and 'turn over' > the land for a tidy profit by selling it. That's what my grt grandfather > did. As soon as he received his patent in 1907, he sold his land to > developers who plotted a town which became a hub for shipping local > fruit for a soon-to-boom apple orchard industry. Alas, if he had only > held onto it, perhaps he would have been a rich man! > > -- Helen Graves