Don't assume your ancestor didn't get a "federal stimulus." Is it possible he (or his widow) got bounty land for military service or a widow's pension? As time went on and there were fewer veterans or individuals who could qualify, the rules for eligibility were relaxed. And stories of war service are not always passed down from one generation to another. One War of 1812 widow in my family had a wonderful bounty land application documenting her marriage and her deceased husband's military career.
While searching the BLM-GLO records to see who the original owners were in a township in NE Louisiana, I found my ancestor (name misspelled in such a way that I never would have found when searching on the surname)receiving land for service in 1846. Next question what happened in 1846 -- the Mexican War, of course. Never would have thought that my 20 yr. old Prussian immigrant would have been involved.
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