Thanks Mike for the information. Maybe the stories of free land to CSA veterans got started because so many left Ga., Ala., N.C., and other states that were part of the Confederacy. You did answer my questions, I think. Since Wise County is just a little west of Ft. Worth, then even if homesteading was not included in Wise County, it was close enough. My search right now does not focus on the war, just the areas that might have been open to homesteading. My dad's name was Alvord, so he tagged me with it as a middle name, so I tagged one of my sons with it. It was such an unusual name, and I always wondered where my Grandfather came up with it. It is especially unusual that the city of Alvord is in Wise County. This combination has brought me to think that one of my relatives (even if he were not a veteran), went to Texas and homesteaded close to Wise County and maybe came back to Georgia and just brought the name with them. The internet provided me with the information about the city of Alvord, which was the first time I had ever heard the name outside my family. Now I am finding out there are several areas in the US named Alvord, but Texas is my best bet for finding my answers.
Do you know what years the areas were open to homesteading so I may be able to check Wise County and surrounding counties census records for a clue. Thanks again, tom