Ezekiel Gribble Homestead Claim

Abstract: This patent for 160 acres included the E1/2SW1/4 and SW1/4SW1/4 of Section 27, and SE1/4SE1/4 Section 28, Twp 29S, Range 68W. Final patent was issued 16 March 1889. Full payment of $6 was made on 26 January 1888 in Pueblo, Colorado. Originally, Gribble had made a pre-emption filing (number 7430) and had converted the filing to a homestead entry (#2359) on 7 October 1882. At that time, he had paid $16 to register the land for homestead entry. The land office was over 70 miles from the homesite, so he made his affidavits and payments before Huerfano County officials.

Ezekiel and (third) wife Rebecca and two sons (probably Parrot Wilburn and Henry Ezekiel, sons of second wife Elizabeth Rhodes Jones Gribble) moved onto the land before May 17, 1872. Prior to that move, he had erected a small log house. Ezekiel then arranged for the construction of a larger, partially log and partially lumber house (26 x 34 feet) to which he moved in the spring of 1874. There were three rooms, plus a kitchen, and a shingle roof and board floors. The house had six doors and six windows. There was also a barn (18 x 80 feet), a cow shed, a granary, a chicken house, a coal house, and an outhouse.

In 1882, his improvements to the agricultural and grazing land included the dwelling and out buildings, about 40 acres under cultivation, fencing, and irrigation ditches. In April 1885, Ezekiel and wife "being very old" left his ranch to travel to Georgia "to see our children once more in our life" and returned in August of the same year. The next spring, both Ezekiel and Rebecca became extremely ill with the measles, so they left the ranch and went to LaVeta to be in a doctor's care. They returned to the homestead about a month later, as soon as they were able.

By 1887, Ezekiel was nearly blind, and he sold many of his farm implements. He hired others to crop for him. His household furniture that year consisted of 2 bedsteads and bedding, 2 tables, 2 rockers, 6 other chairs, a cook stove and cooking utensils, cupboard and dishes, a bureau and clock, a washstand, and other minor articles. The 1887 value of all the improvements to the land was $2,225.00.

Crops raised on the land included wheat (average 200 bushels), oats (average 200 bushels), corn (average 50 bushels), barley (average 200 bushels), beans, potatoes, "all kinds of vegetables," and hay (13 - 60 tons). The land did not appear to have any valuable mineral or timber resources. Most of the original trees had been cottonwoods, which had been cut to provide poles for fencing the land. As a result of the ditching, the land in the 1880s had more trees (cottonwood saplings) than it had upon first arrival in 1872.

Other than the lands finally patented, Ezekiel Gribble had made no other homestead or pre-emption filings to the federal government. No one was resident on the lands before 1872 when Gribble settled there. Gribble and wife resided on the lands from 1872 to 1887. Gribble voted at La Veta from 1872 onward and had voted in the November elections at La Veta in 1886. In answer to the question "Have you a family, and of whom does your family consist," Gribble answered "At present my family consists of myself and wife only but we have 10 children, 9 of whom are married who have homes of their own." [Sic, although at least 12 children were alive, of whom 10 were married.]

Ezekiel carried on no other trade or profession other than upon his land, nor had he done so since he came to Colorado. Near neighbors and witnesses identified by Gribble as capable of confirming statements alleged by Gribble were Jasper Bruce, R. A. Hayes, R. B. Willis, and J. G. Hamilton. In 1885, prior to the Georgia trip by Gribble, J. G. Hamilton had leased the Gribble land. A witness to the lease and also worker on the land was Henry Hurst.

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Additional data came from testimony taken from the following two witnesses in 1887:

James Gillespie Hamilton, age 40, resident of La Veta for last two years, a clerk. He was not related to Gribble and his only business with Gribble was as lessor of the land to grow (shared) crops. Lived within 1 1/2 miles of the Gribble residence for last two years, and within 5 miles since 1872. Living closer to Gribble than did Hamilton were R. B. Willis (in sections 26 and 27) and Hiram Baker (section 34). Hamilton had know Gribble for 15 years and "had been looking after the old gentleman's business for several years and consequently visited him and his land often." The land was used "for farming and grazing, the old gentleman being blind or nearly so and incapable of doing any work, he leased the lands to me two years ago for five years to farm the land for him and has me to look after his business." Asked whether Gribble had ever been absent from the lands, Hamilton stated "Claimant and wife composing his present family visited Georgia in the spring of 1885 being old and feeble they were anxious to see their children there and went and spent about 3 months on the trip." Hamilton considered the annual value for the crops grown on the land to be about $500.

Robert Burch Willis, age 53, resident sections 26 and 27, post office address La Veta. Willis was a farmer and stock raiser and was not related to Gribble. Other near neighbors were Hiram Baker and Jerome B. Petine[?]. Willis had known Gribble since 1872 when Gribble moved onto the claim. Willis stated that Ezekiel and wife had "moved here in the spring of 1872 have lived here ever since and are residing there now."