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
- Source: History Nebraska - Nebraska.govIn 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 swarms destroyed his crops, forcing him to give up the property.
- Instead of abandoning his goals, Anderson spent years working as a railroad cook and farmhand to rebuild his savings.
Unverified
- Source: History Nebraska - Nebraska.govIn 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 swarms destroyed his crops, forcing him to give up the property.
- Instead of abandoning his goals, Anderson spent years working as a railroad cook and farmhand to rebuild his savings.
Sources: Times of India