Talk:Timber Culture Act

G.W. Swink first timber culture certificate in doubt
Note: James Adams received a Timber Culture Act patent October 5, 1883. Merrick County, Nebraska.

I removed the reference to G.W. Swink as being the first timber culture certificate for these reasons:

1. He appears to have been the first certificate out of the Pueblo Colorado land office, but this does not make him the first national timber culture certificate recipient, and perhaps not even in Colorado. Research into all the timber claim patents for all the Colorado land offices would be necessary to rule out everyone else.

2. Many land offices were open throughout the West, and each land office has a first certificate Timber Culture holder.

3. The source reference has weak credibility, pointing to a town history as the source, a very derivative source and not primary. A land record source would be more credible, plus a comparison to other land offices would be in order to rule out the granting of another tree claim patent being granted before November 3, 1887.

4. Fourteen years is quite a long time to prove up a timber claim, chances are someone within the national land system did prove up a timber claim earlier than this date, nationally speaking.

5. Presidents stopped signing patents in the 1830s. The statement that Mr. Swink received a patent signed by the president further points to a lack of historical accuracy in this assertion.

Sincerely, Rking24600 (talk) 06:44, 26 November 2012 (UTC)

"After this period of time a certificate of ownership could be obtained for $30" removed as inaccurate statement
I removed "After this period of time a certificate of ownership could be obtained for $30." as an inaccurate statement.

Final payment of fees varied depending on translator's services, and the like. I have seen no set fee rule or regulation from the GLO circulars, nor seen any provision in any timber culture act concerning the set amount of $30. Rking24600 (talk) 07:00, 26 November 2012 (UTC)