San Diego County Recorder Declarations of Homestead

Title: San Diego County Recorder Declarations of Homestead

Dates: 1860-1931

Collection Number: RCC/OFR07

Creator/Collector: San Diego County (Calif.). Office of County Recorder

Extent: 13.2 cubic feet (18 oversize boxes)

Repository: San Diego County Archives

Abstract: Declarations of Homestead provide evidence of property settlement in San Diego County, especially in the early years of California’s US statehood, and date from 1860-1931. These documents relate to the Homestead Act (1862-1976), which allowed the settlement of hundreds of millions of acres of land by Americans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Language of Material: English

Please contact the San Diego County Archives staff at archives@sdcounty.ca.gov for access information.

[Identification of item]. San Diego County Recorder Declarations of Homestead. Collection Number: RCC/OFR07. San Diego County Archives

Declarations of Homestead provide evidence of property settlement in San Diego County, especially in the early years of California’s US statehood. The documents relate to the Homestead Act (1862-1976), which allowed the settlement of hundreds of millions of acres of land by Americans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Declarations of homestead are divided into two series: Indexes to Declarations of homestead (1860-1931) and Declarations of homestead (1860-1931). Series 1, Indexes to Declarations of Homesteads, consists of two volumes. The first is a disbound volume recorded chronologically at the time of recordation. The second, more complete volume is bound. This volume was transcribed and consolidated with later Declarations, having great temporal breadth, and is arranged alphabetically by last name. Both volumes note the date, book, and page number where the Declaration of Homestead is recorded. Few have other notes, including separate property, abandonment, wife of, homestead, error, etc. Series 2, Declaration of Homestead, consists of 16 disbound volumes. A Declaration of Homestead is a recorded document providing a narrative assertation by an adult living in/on unclaimed land specified in the document. These Declarations include the name and marital status of the person filing the declaration, the boundaries of the land being homesteaded, the family’s intention to reside on said land, and a valuation of the cash value of the property. The date of recording is also present. Records are arranged chronologically by date of recording.