Harrison Duckworth

Quick Facts

Significance:

Mississippi Homesteader

Place of Birth:

Mississippi

Date of Birth:

April 20, 1854

Place of Death:

Covington, Mississippi

Date of Death:

April 16, 1936

On March 5, 1881, under the Homestead Act of 1862, Harrison Duckworth filed a homestead entry for 80 acres of free federal land (Application No. 11078) with the Smith County, Mississippi Land Office. 

As required under the Act, Harrison solemnly swore in his application affidavit that he was over the age of 21, a citizen of the United States and that bona fide improvements were made to the land that he had previously settled upon. He was not able to make application directly with the District Land Office in Mississippi due to a lack of resources and the distance away from his homestead. He signed the affidavit with the mark of an “X”. It was then notarized by the Clerk of the Chancery Court for Smith County. The $7.00 filing fee was paid three days later at the Receiver’s Office in Jackson, Mississippi on March 8, 1881.

On September 10, 1887, Harrison testified in a Pre-Emption, and Commutation Proof (his actual testimony) that he was the identical person who made entry for the homestead located at the East half of the North East quarter of Section 31 in Township 1 North of Range 9 East of the Choctaw Meridian in Mississippi. He stated that he was a 30 year old a farmer in business for himself. His post office address was Taylorsville, Mississippi. Prior to settling on the land he lived in Smith County, Mississippi and worked as a farmer.

He settled on the land in February 1879 with his wife, mother and four children and was never absent from the land except for a few days at a time when he had to go to the market or to Court in Raleigh. Being their only residence, he and his family lived in the house throughout the year. 

He testified that to his knowledge, there was no oil or other minerals present and that the land was more valuable as ordinary agricultural land than for its mineral potential. He described the improvements to the land as one 18x16 log house valued at $15; one 14x14 kitchen valued at $10, a 14x12 crib valued at $6; a second 11x11 crib valued at $4. Twenty-five acres of land was cleared for cultivation valued at $125, for a total value of $160 in improvements. 

For eight years he owned his own farm equipment including plows, hoes, five weeding axes, three seeders, six shovels. He also owned two horses and 13 hogs. His personal property included beds, tables and chairs. He did not own livestock.

Harrison cleared 20 acres of land. For eight seasons he raised corn, cotton, peas and potatoes. On average, he raised 150 bushels of corn each season, two bales of cotton, 50 bushels of potatoes and 25 bushels of peas. At the end of his testimony, he signed his name with the mark of an “X”. His testimony was certified by S. McLaurin, Clerk of Courts of Smith County, Mississippi.

Additional witness testimonies were given by Vinson Keys, age 44 and Sidney Moffett, age 30, both of Smith County, Mississippi. Keys and Moffett’s testimonies were nearly identical. Both testified that they were not related to Harrison and had no interest in the claim. Both testimonies were certified on September 7, 1887 by S. McLaurin, Clerk of Courts of Smith County, Mississippi.

Public Notice of Harrison’s intention to make final proof in support of his claim was printed by J.A. Myer, publisher of the Weekly Review, a newspaper in the town of Raleigh. The Notice was published for six weeks beginning on July 28, 1887. The posting was certified by S. McLaurin, Clerk on September 10, 1887.

On December 24, 1887, the Receiver’s Office at Jackson, Mississippi received Harrison’s final payment of $2.00 and issued him Certificate No. 4292, proclaiming that he was entitled to a patent for the East half of the North East quarter of Section 31 in Township 1 North of Range 9 East of the Choctaw Meridian, containing 80.14 acres of land.

In a sworn Affidavit on December 11, 1889, Harrison made final proof of his entry, again stating that he was over the age of 21 years and a citizen of the United States. He signed his name with the mark of an “X” before J. F. James, Clerk of the Chancery Court for Smith County.

The patent was signed by President Benjamin Harrison on March 28, 1890.

It is unknown whether the homestead is still in the Duckworth family.

Patent Details - BLM GLO Records

Contributed by Deborah A. Mitchell, descendant

Deborah A. Mitchell

More about the contributor: Deborah is the great-grandniece of Harrison Duckworth, the great granddaughter of Jessie Duckworth, and the granddaughter Lindsey Cleveland Duckworth.

Deborah is an avid family history buff.  She has been researching the genealogy of her family for over 30 years. She completed her stepfather’s book, Bush Family Heritage Book 2000 in May 2000. In a book presentation ceremony held on July 21, 2012, the Bush Family Heritage Book 2000 was recognized as an authentic genealogy research book and is housed in the Genealogy Department of the Dougherty County Public Library in Albany, Georgia. In June 2014, Deborah completed an updated book, Bush Family Heritage Book 2014. In 2019, Deborah completed her mother’s family book, Duckworth Family Heritage Book 2019.

In her spare time, Deborah enjoys genealogy research, interior decorating, event planning and traveling.