Introduction
Homesteading the Plains: Toward a New History, created by Richard Edwards, Jacob K. Friefeld, and Rebecca S. Wingo, challenges the idea that homesteading was a great success in American history by using several networks of newly digitized evidence to reexamine the traditional view of American homesteading. Three different networks were created for each township in Custer and Dawes counties. The reason these networks exist is because the General Land Office required homesteaders to print a “proof of posting” in a local newspaper for five consecutive weeks in order to signal their intent. This posting had to include a legal description of the land and a list of four local community members, also known as witnesses, who could positively testify that the applicant was a good homesteader, which then led to four known socio-legal connections for each homesteader.
Who are the nodes and what are the edges?
In each network, the nodes represent homesteaders and witnesses and the edges represent a socio-legal relationship built off of the practice of witnessing.
How are the relationships characterized and categorized?
The three previously mentioned networks for each township were based on leadership, community, and geography.
Leadership: It was noted that some homesteaders were far more frequently seen as witnessed for neighbors and friends than others. This leads to the leadership networks, with the keystone individuals being based on the frequency with which they are listed as a potential witness.
Community: Homesteaders divided themselves into close-knit community networks. These networks reveal the distinct yet intersecting communities in each township.
Geography: The witness networks were georeferenced using historic survey maps and the legal descriptions of homestead claims. In the geography networks, nodes (homesteaders or witnesses) are assigned to a geographic location. Those with no known geographic location float along the top of the screen.
Concluding Thoughts
Overall, I think that this website is very interesting but could have done a better job explaining exactly what the differences are between the different kinds of networks because they seem to have quite a bit of overlap.
