In 1870, a former slave and Union soldier staked a homestead in Nebraska; drought and grasshoppers cost him the claim, but he eventually owned more than 2,000 acres
Comments Off on In 1870, a former slave and Union soldier staked a homestead in Nebraska; drought and grasshoppers cost him the claim, but he eventually owned more than 2,000 acres
August 15, 2026
Homestead soddy in Box Butte County. Source: History Nebraska – Nebraska.gov In 1870, Robert Ball Anderson, a former slave and Union Army veteran, filed a claim for a 160-acre homestead in Butler County, Nebraska. Severe drought and grasshopper…