Free land homestead grant, new settlers to Maine.
The free land Homestead Land Grant Act of 1862.
The legislation enacted into law during the Civil War opened up wilderness, vast expanses of acres with little or no population. Land was plentiful and not so valuable. Clearing it, settlements in Maine took a lot of hard work, plenty of faith in yourself and others in the new neighborhood.
In Maine, 100 free acres of land were available to help attract new settler immigrants to move to America.
Unfortunately, no one fighting on the side of the Confederacy was allowed to play in the Homestead Land Grant of 1862. That changed in 1890 to open it up to those wearing gray during the War Between The States.
160 acres of free land to open up and settle parts of the West, up into Maine, everywhere.
This Homestead Land Grant Act of 1862 was different than the land given to fund college education in Maine.
The Morrill legislation provided for 210,000 land grants to promote higher education. Going to the University of Maine I always knew UMO was a land grant college.
Giving land to the land grant educational state colleges and university institution to sell to fund the higher education was a lofty idea.
I had listed a 50 acres of Maine land in New Sweden recently and got to thinking how the Swedish picked up state in their old country. To make the trip across the pond to rural Maine.
Up here in Maine, instead of 160 free land acres, the offer was changed a little.
Five acres of 100 were cleared, an 18’x26′ cabin provides to help the new Maine settlers. Each log cabin had a Hampden wood cook stove.
The settlements sprung up around a brook, stream, river. The waterways were vital to run mills and if successful, a boarding home might spring up. The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad helps open up the Swedish settlements in Northern Maine.
When you are warm from an unending supply of firewood and you raise your own food, the national economy news is not of much effect.
Oh sure, teacher salaries might have to be cut but the Maine free land homesteading settlement farm and lumbering families had all they needed.
Peru and Mexico were Maine town names that came from struggles happening in those countries at the time. Paris Maine was in honor and payment for service in the French and Indians Wars. The land grant from Massachusetts before Maine became a state.
Poland Maine and higher wages in the US than Europe caused the influx of population during the Gilded Age in the late 1800’s.
A name for an unorganized Township 5 Range 2 came from many places. Not because the earlier settlers had a connection to a particular country or culture. You think of the early Swedes or whatever country the immigrant came from and have to admire their grit and faith.
The early years in New Sweden, Stockholm area had setbacks like anyone farming, working in the woods getting the timber to the mills.
Poor crops, lousy market prices, forest fires, sickness but always always a hard work day ahead. Clearing the land, farming, lumbering, toiling to create strong lasting Maine communities. It took stamina, a strong faith and cooperation from other free land homesteading immigrants resettling in rural Maine. Free land grant in Maine, an opportunity for a brighter future than staying where you were across the ocean.
Unsettled and under populated wilderness areas of Maine and the free land to homestead were an opportunity. For families to pack up and move here but not for vacations. For a new start, for free Maine land and some other perks to entice settling rural parts of the state. To carve out a life where family values, cultural and religious traditions could continue in the new Maine location.
I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573 | info@mooersrealty.com |
MOOERS REALTY 69 North ST Houlton ME 04730 USA