Subscriber Steven Michael Lusher has written an exceedingly long (over 70 pages), detailed and interesting narrative regarding his genealogical research. It will not all appear in your email, so you will have to go to the website to read it. He DID eventually get back to WV records, and his efforts are instructive in how to interpret them. I will break this into three parts. KB
In Search of My Paternal 4th G-Grandparents:
Looking for the Link of the John Lusher of 1812 Greenbrier County, (W)V to the John Lusher of 1818 Huntington Township, Gallia County, OH, if It Exists
Introduction
This is a personal narrative that shares some of my life experiences and offers (not always explicitly) research ideas/methods/red flags to others that are digging into their family history. Of course, my primary audience is my family. My research has been revealed to them in dribs and drabs over the years. So, it’s good that I’ve finally put a large chunk of it in one document. Also note that I’ve written and re-written the various sections over time so it may seem somewhat disjointed. Included is reporting of investigations I’ve initiated that may or may not help answer my primary question, reflected in the title. But that is the nature of research. I hope the reader finds it enjoyable and informative.
My interest in genealogy began soon after my dad, Donald William James Lusher, crossed the river in 1994. Mom, Loretta Fern (Rogers) Lusher (RIP), has her side of the family documented in the book, “Known Descendants of Daniel Crider, Senior, Pioneer Settler of Gasconade County, Missouri (For Seven Generations).” At the time, I was living in Rolla, Phelps County, Missouri.
I can’t remember exactly when or why, but one day I went to the county courthouse in Rolla and asked to see their archived records. My parents lived and met each other in Belle, Maries County, Missouri. Maries County borders Phelps County’s north side. That may have been the impetus for the visit to the courthouse. I was sent upstairs to a storage room in the eaves of the attic. I was elated when, in the racks of old record books, I found entries for Lushers in the records of the mid-to-late-1850s. Eureka! The seed of curiosity had been planted.
I spent most of the early research years focusing on the family’s presence in Missouri using resources such as Ancestry.com, Find A Grave, The Bureau of Land Management General Land Office Records website, local libraries, and my local Phelps County Genealogical Society, of which I became a member, officer, and newsletter author. But the most enjoyable activity was driving to see the “ground truth” by viewing the actual locations where my ancestors had lived and worked. Examples are the various plots of land obtained through the Homestead Act of 1862 and the Land Act of 1820, Asher Cemetery, The Maramec Iron Works at Maramec Springs Park, and Maramec Community Cemetery which is the cemetery on the hill in Maramec Springs Park where James Henry and Harriet Diana (Hale) Lusher (my 2nd G-Grandparents) buried at least two of their children. James and Harriet also buried some children at Asher Cemetery. Anyway, let me begin by sharing some photos, images, and information about my family.
Parents
Don & Loretta Lusher - Left: May 9, 1953 Newlyweds. Right: 25th Anniversary.
My Parents, Having Fun.
In the “Dining on the Gasconade” photo, Dad is shown in his natural habitat. Every year, he would take a couple of weeks of vacation from driving concrete mixers and dump trucks, to camp out on the banks of the Gasconade River, just a few miles upstream from Bay, Missouri, where he was born, December 11, 1934. An adequate supply of beer, his squirrel gun, a boat and trotline gear, a cache of canned goods like Vienna sausages, and rounds and rounds of visiting family and friends were his idea of a good time. And let’s not forget a place to lay his head, which is that Airstream trailer in the background, christened the Titanic by some of his more artistic friends (see photo insert). Many, many wonderful memories from the river.
Mom, on the other hand, loved working in her garden. Leaf lettuce, green beans, zucchini, and tomatoes were the most common crops, year after year. The photo is Mom, obviously, showing off some of her prize tomatoes, affectionately called “UABFTs.” The seeds had been given to her by her Uncle Austin Drennen, thus, “Uncle Austin’s Big Ffing Tomatoes.” Mom, born in Union, Missouri, on April 12, 1934, graduated from Belle, Missouri, High School, whereas Dad did not finish high school. Some of her other interests were upholstering and writing. Not too long ago, after she crossed the river, I found some of her literary works that she had submitted to Reader’s Digest. A very special find, for sure. Much of her early working life was in local shoe factories, as clerical staff, mostly. But her last endeavor in the working world was at a local hospital cafeteria, cooking and serving, one of her most gratifying activities at work and home. I love and miss them, both.
Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, & Sister
Left: 1959; L to R, Debra Lynn Fossell, Henry Fossell, Earlene Ruth (Lusher) Fossell (Dad's oldest sister), My paternal Grandparents, Mable Thelma (Owens) & Everett Franklin Lusher, Mom, Dad, & Me (where are my sunglasses?) – Right: 1957; My maternal Grandparents, Harry Nelson Rogers & Edna Mae (Drennen) Rogers-Huxel, My paternal Grandparents, Mable & Everett Lusher, & Me.
My recollections from visiting Grandma and Grandpa Lusher in Belle, Missouri, are coffee can raisin bread, a big applesauce cooking kettle in the backyard, blue jays squawking along the creek, the adults playing Rook (the card game), Grandpa “letting” me trim his toenails, and learning how to “burp” on demand by the girl next door. Mom said Grandma Lusher used to cheat at Rook. Recollections from visiting Grandma and Grandpa Rogers in Union, Missouri, are making hand-cranked, home-made vanilla ice cream on the 4th of July, arranging the basement so I could run in a big circle around the furnace, being encouraged to sing “Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley, getting my first set of drums with paper drumheads, and getting in trouble for throwing rocks. The truth is that I don’t have any memories of Grandpa Rogers because he crossed the river July 26, 1960, of a heart attack. He was 47 years old, and I was six.
Left: L to R, My paternal Grandparents, Everett Franklin & Mable Thelma (Owens) Lusher, Earlene Ruth (Lusher) Fossell (Dad's oldest sister), Dad, & Shelby Jean (Lusher) Smith (Dad’s youngest sister) – Right: L to R, Mom, Avery Lavern Rogers (Mom’s brother), My maternal Grandmother, Edna Mae (Drennen) Rogers-Huxel, & Linda Kay (Rogers) Dulany-Govro-Schultheis (Mom’s sister).
My Sister, Faith Renee (Lusher) Bell-Mills, & Me. Left: June 1962. Right: Associate degree Graduation 1993.
Having laid some groundwork about my Parents and Grandparents, above, I’m going to focus on sharing information I began gathering over the earlier years of research concerning my paternal G-Grandparents, 2nd G-Grandparents, and 3rd G-Grandparents.
Paternal Great Grandparents
William Horace Lusher was my G-Grandfather. He was a Rock Island railroad worker and lived in Summerfield, Maries County, Missouri, just a few miles outside of Belle, Missouri. He was married twice. His first wife and my G-Grandmother was Amanda “Mandy” Jane (Butler) Lusher, the mother of Grandpa Everett. After Mandy crossed the river on September 16, 1938, William Horace married, reportedly, Mandy’s sister. Her name was Martha, and she was reported to have had previously been married to Will Helmig of Mt. Sterling, Missouri. William and Mandy are buried in Schaning Cemetery, very near Summerfield. Investigating G-Grandpa Lusher’s history was a good lesson in conflicting and incorrect data. I had previously accepted, based on early research, that William Horace was the son of James Henry Lusher, my 2nd G-Grandfather (more about him and his family, later). My Dad’s name, Donald William James Lusher, was a factor in my earlier belief that James Henry was my 2nd G-Grandpa. However, I obtained James Henry’s death certificate that stated his father’s name was Bill. Hmmm. This threw me off for quite a while. The reason? James Henry had an older brother named William M. Lusher, and William M. had a son named William, as enumerated in the 1860, Liberty Township, Phelps County, Missouri census. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that the “informant” on William Horace’s death certificate, Martha, was not fully aware of her husband’s family history because she was his second wife. I eventually viewed the 1880 census for Dillon Township, Phelps County, Missouri, within which William Horace was enumerated as the son of James Henry. Additionally, William Horace was 2 years old, according to the 1880 census. But his obituary and grave marker show that he was born in 1880. So, the 1880 census cleared up two of the mysteries for William Horace: 1) His parents were James Henry and Harriett Diana (Hale) Lusher, and 2) he was born in 1878, plus or minus a year. This experience is a cautionary tale to frequently check new and multiple sources for data verification. To date, I have not found any photos of William Horace or his wives. Here are his retirement notice and obituary.
Left: From The Bland Courier, June 7, 1945 – Right: Obituary I found in Mom’s or Grandma Edna’s Stuff
Paternal Great-Great Grandparents
James Henry and Harriett Diana (Hale) Lusher were my 2nd G-Grandparents. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention and thank my cousin, Harley Ray Lusher, who has been my sounding board from almost the very beginning. He has been very active on Ancestry and other genealogy websites for much longer than me, researching and reporting what he has learned about our shared 2nd G-Grandparents and their families. James Henry was born July 2, 1838, based on his death certificate. The likelihood is high that he was born in Decatur Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, based on the 1840 census. He crossed the river on February 13, 1913, again based on his death certificate. His obituary in the March 6, 1913, issue of The Current Wave newspaper states he was interred at the Eminence, Missouri cemetery and a funeral was held, officiated by Rev. C. L. Dennis. I personally walked the old Eminence Cemetery but could not find a grave marker. Below is the link to Find-A-Grave for data and documents (obituary and death certificate) for James Henry, but no grave marker image.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/64822130/james-henry-lusher
Harriett Diana (Hale) Lusher was born on December 27, 1839, in Tennessee. She crossed the river on September 6, 1914, and was buried in Summersville, Missouri. She was living in Casto Township, Shannon County, Missouri when she passed. The preceding information is from her death certificate. I found some newspaper articles about her death and her illness just before her death. There is no information on Find-A- Grave about where exactly she was buried in Summersville. Most of Summersville is in Texas County, Missouri, but the eastern city limits do seem to crossover into Shannon County. I visited Summersville and some of the older cemeteries with no luck. Here are the newspaper articles and death certificate for Grandma Harriett Diana Lusher.
Top Left: Current Wave, September 10, 1914 – Top Right: Current Wave, September 17, 1914
I have found many interesting tidbits about these two over the years, especially James Henry. He was enrolled in the 63rd Enrolled Missouri Militia in 1864 at the Maramec Iron Works but deserted very soon thereafter. All employees of the Maramec Iron Works were required to sign up with the Union Army as the Iron Works were supplying the Union forces with materials.
On a side note, and included because of the many stories of “Brother against Brother” during the Civil War, one of James’ brothers, Fleming B. Lusher, originally enlisted with the Confederate States Army (CSA), was reported as a deserter for unusual circumstances, then re-registered in St. Louis, Missouri for the Union Army because he began working at the Maramec Iron Works. According to the daughter of Fleming and Martha (Murry) Lusher, Mary Malissa (Shaver), Fleming was attacked after the war by Bushwhackers, local Confederate sympathizers, tied to a tree outside of his home, and bayonetted to death. Yikes!
Below are some images of the Civil War records of James Henry and his brother, Fleming B. Lusher.
James Henry Lusher Civil War Record: Union Army Registration – 24 years old in August, 1863
James Henry Lusher Civil War Enrollment Records
The handwritten service records for James Henry Lusher, above, show two different sets of facts. The one on the left is associated with enrollment at the Maramec Iron Works where the other two, essentially, are associated with enrollment at Rolla and state that he deserted on October 7, 1864. The reasons for the two enrollments are still unknown, at this time. His age is in question, as well. He is shown as being 26 years old in the left document, but 29 in the other two. If he was born on July 2, 1838, as indicated on his death certificate, he would be 26 years old in October of 1864. This reasoning also puts his reporting of being 24 years old on the registration document, dated August of 1863 to be slightly incorrect. Oh well. It seems that birthdates and ages are one of those things in genealogy research that will forever confuse us.
Regarding the anecdote from Mary Malissa (Shaver) Lusher about her dad, Fleming, being murdered by Bushwhackers, probably because he was reported as deserting the Confederate company he was assigned to, and then switching sides in the war, here is an explanation about the desertion allegation from an expert friend of Garrett Gabel. Garrett is a Phelps County, Missouri Civil War historian and author. Below it are images from the Union Army registration ledger, showing Fleming’s entry in July 1863. Note that his occupation is Laborer Iron Works.
Fleming B. Lusher Civil War Record: Union Army Registration – 28 years old in July, 1863
I have been unable to find any public reporting of this incident, but I have found, on microfilm, in the Rolla Library, an Order of Publication in the January 1,1866, issue of The Rolla Express newspaper reporting that “In the Phelps County Court at the November term, 1865, and on the 5th day of the term, being the 10th day of November, 1865, personally came Henry Boyer, Public Administrator, having in charge the estate of Fleming B. Lusher, deceased, and applied for an order of publication for the sale of the real estate of said estate, lying and being situated in the County Phelps, Missouri, to wit…”, and the description of the land is entered. So, Fleming was, reportedly, violently pushed across the river sometime in 1865, the year the bloody war ended.
Finally, here is a photo/image of James Henry and Harriett Diana Lusher sent to me by Cousin Harley Ray Lusher, but attributable to the SJKFamily account/tree on Ancestry.
Harriett Diana (Hale) and James Henry Lusher
Paternal Great-Great-Great Grandparents
My 3rd G-Grandparents, John K. and Mary A. Lusher, had moved to Phelps and Crawford County (which borders Phelps County’s east side) between 1850 and 1858. I know this because the family was listed in the 1850 federal census of Madison County, Missouri (about 100 miles southeast of Rolla), and Mary A. had crossed the river in 1858 and was buried in Asher Cemetery, about 10 miles east of Rolla. I also learned that John K. and several of his sons, William M., Julius R., and James Henry (discussed earlier), worked at the Maramec Iron Works, southeast of St. James, Missouri and east of Rolla. I also learned that some of the family members obtained land through The Land Act of 1820 and The Homestead Act of 1862. Below is a cropped version of the 1850 Madison County, Missouri, Census.
1850 Madison County, Missouri Census
To be clear, the 1850 census of Madison County, Missouri, was one of the earliest inspirations to my subsequent research. I knew about this before much of anything else regarding my more distant ancestors. Now, my understanding is that the 1850 census was the first to include names and ages, etc. of all household members. This certainly imparted greater confidence in genealogical research, using 1850 as a general baseline. So, if John Lusher, head of the household, is shown to be 52 years old in 1850, one would presume that he was born in 1798, plus or minus a year. Ha! Assumptions like that are risky. More on that, later. I was, and still am, amazed at the occupations of some of the younger children. James Henry, at 11 years old, is listed as a wagon maker. He was probably more of a helper. Fleming B. was a merchant at 14 years old. That’s not such a stretch as I know youngsters, to this day, that run lemonade stands on the curb. But Elizabeth, a collier? That seems to be awful dirty and dangerous work for a female teenager. It should be noted that the older children, Malissa, William M., and Julius R., are not included in the 1850 census. A female between 15 and 20 years old was enumerated in the 1840 Decatur Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, census for John Lusher (more about this, later). That female is presumed to be Malissa. There is very little information that I have found about Malissa. She may have married in Ohio and stayed there. William M., on the other hand, was in Madison County, Missouri, reportedly working in the iron mining industry at Pilot Knot, Iron County, Missouri, around 1850. I have also found him referred to in legal/court documents in the Madison County records. Julius R., however, is another on which I have not spent a lot of time pursuing details of his life trajectory after leaving Ohio. He, too, worked at the Maramec Iron Works with his dad, William M., and James Henry.
As stated earlier, the family moved to the Phelps/Gasconade counties area sometime between 1850 and 1858 when Mary A. Lusher crossed the river on April 9, 1858, at the age of 57 years and 8 months, according to her gravestone. Here’s a photo that I took of her marker at Asher Cemetery. Check my math on this but I calculate that Mary A. Lusher was born in August 1800, based on the dates on her marker.
Mentioned earlier was my enjoyment of checking out the “ground truth” regarding my ancestors. Visiting Asher Cemetery was a fairly regular occurrence. There are other Lushers buried there, mostly children of William M. and Mary Agnes (Murray) Lusher, and James Henry and Harriett Diana (Hale) Lusher. Below is a screenshot of all of the Lushers buried at Asher Cemetery on the Find-A-Grave website, accessed at time of writing. Included in the image is a photo I took of the actual entry in the Iron Works diary of “Old Man Lusher’s Death.” The Iron Works diary and store ledger books were in a collection being held at the Missouri University of Science and Technology Library. Below the photo is a transcription of said entry. Note that the entry/transcription needs a little tweaking. “Packenhaw” should be “Pakenham,” the British general in command during the Battle of New Orleans at the end of the War of 1812. He was killed on January 8, 1815, during that battle. Of course, Old Man Lusher’s wife, Mary A., was buried at Asher Cemetery in 1858, not 1859. A couple of minor typos: “buy” should be “but,” and “9now in rolling mill” should be “now in rolling mill.” GGG-Grandpa Lusher was a teamster, a truck driver, if you will. When this fact became known, I understood my pre-occupation, and Dad’s, with driving trucks. Funny, that.
Asher Cemetery Lushers & John K. Lusher’s Contemporaneously Generated Obituary
So, it appears that John K. Lusher is buried at Asher Cemetery but there is no grave marker. That is not surprising. Below is another photo (annotated) I took that shows the area in which the Lushers (Mary A., Edward S., Henry M., John B., and Julia A.) are resting. As a member of the Phelps County Genealogical Society (PCGS), and retired newsletter editor, I have been in contact with an Asher Cemetery board member in charge of keeping records, etc., of the cemetery. When presented with the information about John K. Lusher being buried there, and that he was, reportedly, a veteran of the War of 1812, she said there would be an application submitted to get him a headstone through the government. I have not checked in with her recently, but I went by the cemetery and there is still no headstone/marker. Incidentally, if John K. was 86 years old when he crossed the river in 1877, his birth year would be 1791, plus or minus a year.
Area of Asher Cemetery Showing All Five of the Lusher Grave Markers
Referring back to that Find-A-Grave list of Lushers buried in Asher Cemetery, I have documentation that William M. and Mary Agnes Lusher are not buried there. Below is a series of newspaper articles, reporting that William M., Mary Agnes, and one of their sons, William B., died and are buried in or near Bessemer, Alabama.
Documentation of William M., Mary Agnes, & William B. Lusher’s Deaths/Interments in Alabama
As indicated many times, one of my favorite activities is checking out the “ground truth” regarding locations where my ancestors may have lived, worked, played, and/or finally been laid to rest. Below are two maps that show portions of Phelps and Crawford Counties where my Lusher clan purchased land through the Land Act of 1820 and the Homestead Act of 1862. It is important to note that the “purchase” dates came from the book, “Phelps County, Missouri, Original Tract and Plat Books” (Transcribed by John E. C. Simmons, August 7, 1987). The Tract Book was created in 1858 from information provided to Phelps County by Crawford, Maries, and Pulaski Counties.
Lusher Family Land in Phelps County
NOTE: The land patent for John K. Lusher’s purchase on January 30, 1858, under The Land Act of 1820, is given below. The official registration of the purchase, as shown in the patent image is dated September 1, 1859. Since the beginning of this journey, it is the ONLY primary source document that I remember seeing that has on it the middle initial “K”. That fact is a wall that I am working to break through, and could be an answer to my primary question, reflected in the title of this document. If anyone finds another primary source with the middle initial “K”, please contact me.
Lusher Family Land in Crawford County
. . . to be continued