Austin Roberts

Quick Facts

Significance:

Alabama Homesteader

Place of Birth:

South Carolina, USA

Date of Birth:

Abt. 1818

This story about Austin Roberts begins when his name appears on a death certificate, but not his own. He was listed as the father of Harry Eddings(sp), a homesteader in Coffee County. Harry died in Caryville, Florida on April 29, 1921, after being in residence there for only 15 days. Based on his death certificate, his burial was in Coffee County, Alabama on April 30, 1921.

A search on the Bureau of Land Management site revealed that Austin Roberts was a homesteader. His homestead was in the SE¼ of Section 22 in Township 3N of Range 20E in Coffee County, Alabama. His homestead consisted of 159.57 acres. Information obtained within the original land entry documents indicated that Austin initially filed his homestead application #17902 on February 2, 1886, where he stated that he commenced residing on the property on February 1, 1886. At the time, his home consisted of a single dwelling house. His paperwork was processed and signed by the Register, Thomas J. Scott, on February 5, 1886, at the Land Office in Damascus, Alabama. On the same date, he paid a $14 filing fee at the Receiver’s Office, which was acknowledged by W.C. Jordan.            

Austin responded to his claimant statement as part of the final affidavit required in proving up his homestead on April 2, 1891. At the time, he was 78 years old, and his birthplace was listed as South Carolina. He reported that his family consisted of his wife and one child. He stated that they lived on the land consistently since February 25, 1886. He described improvements to the land including two dwellings, one smokehouse, two cribs, and one cotton house. Approximately 40 acres of land had been cleared and he reported crops had been produced for five years. The value of the homestead was $300. 

As a requirement of all homestead applications, witnesses were identified to confirm that the homesteader adhered to the requirements to make improvements to the land while maintaining continuous residence. Witnesses listed were Peter Eddings, W.H. Phillips, A.J. Farris, and John Phillips. The two witnesses that appeared on April 2, 1891 and provided written statements were 48 year old Peter Eddings and 37 year old A.J. Farris. Both confirmed the statements made by Austin Roberts in his claimant statement were true, including the condition of the land being mostly timberland, only suitable for farming. They also confirmed that Austin and his family maintained continuous residency on the property starting February 25, 1886, and had cleared an average of 15 acres each year for five seasons.   

A document in the land entry packet indicated that there was a question regarding the accuracy of Austin’s name that had been raised on previous documents. On October 20, 1891, Austin appeared for a deposition before W.M. Hawkins, Circuit Court Clerk after being sworn under oath. He indicated that his name was Austin Roberts and not Austin Robert, as it had been used previously throughout the homestead documents. Although all earlier documents weren’t corrected, all subsequent documents reflected his correct surname. Final approval of the certification at the Land Office occurred on November 5, 1891, and the final patent was recorded on January 18, 1892. 

The story doesn’t end there. Austin Roberts and his wife, Lucretia, moved to Lincoln County, Oklahoma Territory. The timeframe of their move was unable to be confirmed relative to how soon after acquiring their homestead in 1892. Based on a Coffee County deed dated February 21, 1893, Ephraim Smith of Coffee County was appointed as lawful attorney with full power and authority to perform all and everything necessary for the purpose of selling the entire 159.57 acres located at SE¼ of Section 22 in Township 3N of Range 20E that belonged to Austin and Lucretia Roberts. The document was signed and affirmed by Austin’s and Lucretia’s “X” marks.

Less than two months later, a deed dated April 5, 1893, revealed that J.H. Spears purchased the property located at SE¼ of Section 22 in Township 3N of Range 20E to for $300. This was witnessed by C. Berry and A. H. Henderson and confirmed by Ephraim Smith’s “X” mark.

An interesting observation was made after Austin Roberts was identified as Harry Edings’ father on Harry’s death certificate. On the HistoryGEO map of first landowners the northeast corner of Austin’s homestead borders on the southwest corner of Harry’s homestead. Prior to the information provided on the death certificate, there was no evidence that connected Austin Roberts and Harry Edings.

Austin Roberts, Harry Edings, Ephriam Smith and several other Black Homesteaders were among many formerly enslaved residents who migrated from Pike County and formed a large community in Coffee County following the end of the Civil War. A more comprehensive history of the community, including Harry’s and Austin’s expanded stories will be told in a future compilation along with other Black Homestead ancestors and neighbors. 

Patent Details - BLM GLO Records

~ Contributed by Dr. Mary K. Clark

Dr. Mary Clark
Photo Credit: Wayne Norman

About the Author: Dr. Mary K. Clark was raised in rural Millington, Michigan, near Flint. She considers herself a fact teller rather than a storyteller. Her nonfiction stories are based on lived experiences and memories that have been collected in over 30 years of journal writing. She retired as a higher education administrator after over 30 years in various university leadership positions in Michigan. She earned a B.A. in Fashion Merchandising from Bowling Green State University, an M.A. in Counseling from Wayne State University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Toledo. Dr. Clark has served as a Michigan state-appointed AARP volunteer since 2014. She also serves as a national AARP Volunteer Facilitation & Training Team (VFTT) member where she develops and presents specialized volunteer-led training throughout the U.S. She enjoys gardening, traveling, painting, and doing genealogy and family history research.