Arter Bugg

Quick Facts

Significance:

Louisiana homesteader

Place of Birth:

Homer, Claiborne Parish, Louisiana

Date of Birth:

March 1869

Place of Death:

Gordon, Louisiana

Date of Death:

March 1, 1928

Place of Burial:

unknown (chance he was buried under the name Arber Bugg in Monk Cemetary Homer, Claiborne Parish, LA)

Arter Bugg (also known as: Etta Rugg, Otto Brigg, Etta Bugg, Otto, Ardis, Ardor Bugg) was born March 1869 to Simon Bugg of Columbia County, Georgia and his wife Georgia “Fathy” White of Virginia. In 1870, Simon and Fathy resided in a rented farmhouse outside of Homer, LA, with three daughters and two sons. Simon was a mulatto farmer by trade and his family worked alongside him as field workers.

Arter’s wife, Emma Lowe, was also born in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, in 1869. She lived with her mom, sister, two brothers, and grandfather. She worked as a farmhand. 

Arter (Ardis) Bugg married Emma Lowe on the 23rd of November in 1889. They made their home in Claiborne Parish, moving several times throughout the years. Together they had 14 children. In 1910, Arter’s mother, Fathy, lived with him. She was 75 years old, according to the census taken that year. 

Arter filed Homestead Application #08860 under the Homestead Act of 1862 for 39.08 acres next to his property on December 18th, 1918, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The July 17, 1914, Agricultural Entry Act stated that Federal Lands containing valuable minerals, oil, or gas could be leased to private developers. This Act complicated the homestead application approval process and made petitioners wait longer for official certificates of ownership.

Mr. Bugg offered his final proof on May 27, 1920. Then on October 26, 1920, an inspection report was filed. A number of questions were included in the report and Arter’s answers were recorded by the inspector. The document noted that Mr. Bugg “lived in a good log house (built by his brother-in-law, Perry Dennis) and cultivated 10 acres of land- now a practically worthless farm.” It also stated that there were oil and gas-producing wells to the east and also to the west of his property.  

A December 8th, 1921 report stated that Arter “is anxious to know what has become of his said final proof, and whether he is to get his patent. Some white man has been trying to get a patent under the same permit to exploit this land under some kind of mineral regulation, and the negro of course is afraid to assert his rights.”

February 6th, 1922 two men experienced in identifying land with possible valuable oil or gas content swore in an affidavit for Mr. Bugg that the tract of land in question was not rich in either. They quoted 15 years of experience for each gentleman in the affidavit. They swore that three sites neighboring that tract had been drilled for oil or gas, and neither produced very well. In their expert opinion, the land did not contain any valuable substances that would prevent Mr. Bugg from obtaining this tract from the government. 

On October 26, 1921, Arter signed his mark to a document stating he willingly was signing over his rights to oil, gas, or valuable minerals the land may contain to the government so that he could move forward with his application. Arter then commuted the homestead and bought it via a Sale-Cash Entry land patent and not the Homestead land patent he'd intially applied for. The official patent is dated June 14th, 1922, and posted July 24th that same year. He was approved for the 39.8-acre tract of land for which he paid $49.75 on August 5, 1922. Arter received the official paperwork stating exactly that on August 16, 1922.

Little is known regarding Mr. Bugg after he received the land. He died March 1, 1929 at 65 years old. His wife, Emma, died in 1945. Their son Jules served in the army during World War I. He repaired and built roads and bridges with the 508th Engineers Company “A” in France.

Patent Details - BLM GLO Records
 

~ Researched and contributed by Laura Wright, MSN

More about the contributor: Wright is an accomplished WGU Master-prepared Informatics registered nurse, professional writer, and National Park Service volunteer. She was born and raised a Texan who married her high-school sweetheart. They raised their three children at home and abroad while serving in the United States Armed Forces. After 26 years of homeschooling, she transitioned into professional careers as an EMT-basic, firefighter, and nurse(UTHSC-SA).