Paul,
 Unable to get it scanned but here is a transcription of the Deed:
On the side of the Page is written: P.H. Mason Homestead
  " This Deed made the 19th day of Sept. in the year One Thousand Eight
Hundred and Seventy Eight, Witnesseth that I Peter H. Mason of the
County of Amherst, State of Virginia being a householder and head of a
family, do hereby declare my intention of claiming as my Homestead free
and exempt from levy, garnishieing or sale, under any execution order or
other forced ( I think this is what the word is) issued on any demand
for any debt heretofore or hereinafter contracted in addition to the
articles exempt from levy or distress for rent by statues, the following
property towit-
 One tract of land lying and being in the county of Amherst upon which I
reside and adjoining the lands of James Byas, Ro. a. Coghill and others
and containing 91 1/2 acres - valued at $200. also my interest in
another tract of land in said county now in my possession and containing
62 1/2 acres- it being the same land I purchased of Jno. C. Noel and
valued at $125.
 Witness my hand & seal the day and date above written - Peter H. Mason"

 Then following below
 "Amherst county Towit:
 I Thomas J. M. Goodwin a Justice of the Peace in and for the County
aforesaid in the state of Virginia, do hereby certify that Peter H.
Mason, whose name is signed to the writing hereunto annexed bearing date
on the 19th day of Sept. 1878 this day appeared before me in my said
County and acknowledged the same- Given under my hand this 19th day
Sept. 1878.  (signed) Thos. J.M. Goodwin, J.P."
 Then below that is
 " In the Clerk's Office of Amherst County Clerk Sept 23 1878
  This Homestead was this day rec'd in said office and with the
certificate of acknowledgment of Peter H. Mason the party thereto,
admitted to Record.
  Teste  ( a signature I cannot read) , Clerk"
 Any more ideas or suggestions as to how he obtained this or where I
should search next? Thanks for all replies and help.  Barbara in Idaho


paul drake wrote:

>
>
> I very much suggest that you send us a pic of that "deed" and that
> you exhaust the records of that county for a few years before and a
> few after the date of that document for any other courts' orders or
> entries that might have to do with the land you mention.  The reason
> for that suggestion is that the "deed" - if it truly was just that -
> would be a result of a formal order of the court in the first and
> third of the choices above, though it would not usually have been
> required in land gained as a result of the extension of the
> Homestead Act of 1862.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: karl Binz
>
> I have a deed that was recorded in 1878 in Amherst County . It is
> labeled as homestead and the Clerk's Office is said to recorded this
> homestead, with the certificate of acknowledgement. Can someone
> explain to me how he obtained a
> homestead? I thought Virginia was land grants? When did homesteading
> start and end? Thank you! Barbara in Idaho

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