I have found that most home steaders didnt file claim paperwork for their workings because their workings and improvements were part of the home stead agreement/laws. They owned the land as long as they "worked/improved" it threw farming, building, mining. So ownership was all they needed. Now if the mines were assayed then you might be able to find something threw the local assayers paperwork filed federally but that would be a loooong shot. What was the time frame that he home steaded the property? What county was it then? Most claims stayed in the original county even after the counties were broken up and made smaller so you may be looking in the wrong books. Just some hints and things I have run accross in my claim tracking. Good luck.
