Someone on Umatilla Co Anc Boards asked about "proving up' a homestead claim. Her ancestor did not prove up. I posted following with couple of modifications. The Act, which became law on Jan. 1, 1863, allowed anyone to file for a quarter-section of free land (160 acres). The land was yours at the end of five years if you had built a house on it, dug a well, broken (plowed) 10 acres, fenced a specified amount, and actually lived there. Additionally, one could claim a quarter-section of land by "timber culture" (commonly called a "tree claim"). This required that you plant and successfully cultivate 10 acres of timber. Above is a quote from article by Richard Pence. My families had homesteads in Morrow and Sherman Counties in addition to Umatilla Co. I have been on those lands and doubt all claims got water if they had to dig a well, In all cases at least one of the homesteads had a water source,.and some would be difficult to plow 10 acres. not sure how closely the government watched. From stories I have heard, the important things were to live there, have some sort of home and some fence. My families proved up. but they had multiple claimants living next to each other which helped. 160 acres is not enough land to survive in much of Umatilla Co,.