Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Josie Brewer VanHuss

In 1881, James and Margaret Brewer left their farm near Allendale, Missouri for a new life in Kansas.

They traveled by covered wagon taking with them their six living children, 3 girls and 3 boys. Among the children was 16 year old Josie Brewer, the youngest. The family homesteaded near Beaumont, Kansas and in September 1882, received a land grant from then President Chester A. Arthur.

In 1888, James died. The same year Josie married John VanHuss, the grandfather of Robert VanHuss.

Image from  http://the-cottage-at-pollywog-pond.blogspot.com/2010/06/i-dont-need-bigger-house-just-less.html.

The following is an extract from rootsweb.ancestry.com.

"Josie BREWER "Aunt Josie" b 18 Jun 1865 near Allendale, Worth Co, MO d 3 Oct 1912 Latham, Butler Co, KS; M-24 Apr 1888 John Van Huss b 25 Apr 1859 d 3 Nov 1939, bur: Latham, KS.

Their children: Bula Van Huss m-Everett Schooling and had Ann m-Phil Coffin, Bill Schooling, married and had Billie Jean, Jack Everett and Sharon Louise Schooling; Jack Schooling.

Fred Van Huss m-Beulla Phillips, d/o Dr Phillips of Beaumont, KS and they had Jimmie and Robert Van Huss; Luva Van Huss m-Ernest Foote and they had Richard and Ted E Jon Foote; Elmer Van Huss m- Irene (___); Lois Van Huss m-Mr (____) Gresham."

There is no journal or diary which relates the reason why the Brewers left their farm in Allendale. They had lived there for almost 20 years.

What is known is that the years following the Civil War were tumultuous for Missouri. Outlaws and bandits roamed the state. Jesse and Frank James were from Clay County, to the south of Allendale and Worth County. The James along with many others were Southern sympathizers. James Brewer who came originally from Ohio and then Iowa, was likely northern in his sympathies.

Second, a severe economic depression struck the United States in the 1880's and the effect on farmsteads was severe as produce prices plummeted and banks called in mortgages.

Finally, the Homestead Act passed previously in 1863, was amended in 1880 to open up new opportunities for settlers in both Kansas and Nebraska. the fact that the Brewer family received a land grant from President Chester A. Arthur is evidence that free land was a strong reason for leaving Missouri and settling in Kansas.




"As the story goes...

When they came to Butler County (Kansas)-they came in covered wagons--three families together: Mary Jane & Joseph T Wright, Margaret & James BREWER, and Hephzibah "Aunt Hippy" & Mathew Hightower.

The Hightower's son Otto took sick on the way, and they camped at Eureka (Greenwood County, KS) with him for 'quite a while.' The other families stayed with them for about a week before moving on. Otto died and was buried in Eureka Cemetery before the Hightower's wagon left camp to join the others in Butler County. ...

The James M BREWER family, after fruit was stored and canning done, would load supplies into a covered wagon and travel to Medford, OK, to visit Jim BREWER's brother Henry, camping at regular campsites along the way at such places as Atlanta and Arkansas City in Kansas, giving the children the opportunity to play with other children who were also camping
there. ..."

4 comments:

  1. Abstract from: FAUBION AND ALLIED FAMILIES b Mary Laverne Faaubion, 712
    Myrtle St, Georgetown, TX 78626 pp as noted:
    p 62-73:
    3. William Faubion b East TN ca 1831; d in Platte Co, MO Dec 1857. Never
    married. William's Probate record, in Platte Co (Box 63), provides
    evidence of his death and marital status. His heirs, as listed, were:
    Nancy Faubion, his mother; Margaret BREWER; Hephzibah Hightower; Catherine
    Faubion, and Ruth Ann Faubion. James BREWER was appointed Administrator.
    4. Hephzibah Faubion, b Clay Co, MO 25 Dec 1832; d in Butler Co, KS 20 Apr
    1920...
    5. Catherine Faubion b Platte Co, MO 15 Feb 1839; d in Leavenworth Co, KS
    1918...
    6. Ruth Ann Faubion b ca 1843 MO; data and place of death unknown...
    As the story goes...
    When they came to Butler County (Kansas)-they came in covered wagons--three
    families together: Mary Jane & Joseph T Wright, Margaret & James BREWER,
    and Hephzibah "Aunt Hippy" & Mathew Hightower. The Hightower's son Otto
    took sick on the way, and they camped at Eureka (Greenwood County, KS)
    with him for 'quite a while.' The other families stayed with them for about
    a week before moving on. Otto died and was buried in Eureka Cemetery before
    the Hightower's wagon left camp to join the others in Butler County. ...
    The James M BREWER family, after fruit was stored and canning done,
    would load supplies into a covered wagon and travel to Medford, OK, to
    visit Jim BREWER's brothr Henry, camping at regular campsites along the
    way at such places as Atlanta and Arkansas City in Kansas, giving the
    children the opportunity to play with other children who were also camping
    there. ...
    Margaret Faubion-d/o Abraham & Nancy (Wall) Faubion: Margaret was b in
    East TN, 28 Aug 1821. She died at the home of her son, James M BREWER,
    near Beaumont, Butler Co, KS on 25 May 1901 and was buried there in
    Brownlow Cemetery. {Some family historians record year of birth as 1824 and
    year of death 1904. Gravestone is engraved 1822 & 1901-ed}. Margaret
    married in Clay County, MO on 12 Jan 1843 (Bk B p 1) to James BREWER, the
    second s/o John BREWER and his third wife, Mary "Polly" House. He was b in
    OH (census), 7 Aug 1809. He died at his home near Latham, Butler Co, KS 5
    Jun 1888, and is buried in Brownlow Cemetery. His gravestone is inscribed
    "born 1813."
    James BREWER ran away from home at an early age. He became a
    farmer, and soon after his marriage to Margaret Faubion they moved to
    Winterset, Madison Co, IA. Sometime between 1850 and 1855, James took his
    family to Harrodsburg, KY, to visit his father, John BREWER. They returned
    to Winterset, IA, but within a year or two moved to Maysville, DeKalb Co,
    MO. Their stay in Maysville was a short one, for the gathering clouds of
    the War between the States made the area unsafe for a Northerner such as
    James BREWER "who was not able-bodied." The family started back to
    Winterset, but stopped in Allendale, near Grant City, Worth Co, MO, and
    bought the farm where they lived for more than twenty years.
    In 1881 James, Margaret and the younger children migrated to a farm
    just north of Latham, Butler Co, KS. They may have moved into this area
    earlier with the Wright and Hightower families; however, the land grant
    from President Chester A Arthur to James BREWER was dated 20 Sep 1882.
    James and his son, James Madison, gathered rocks from the prairie and built
    the stone house which still stands on that farm. The land was filed under
    Here is the first half of the extract:

    James BREWER's name in Apr 1888. James Madison received a land grant of his
    own adjacent to his parent's land on 28 Jul 1888, a month after his
    father's death 5 Jun 1888.
    After James' death, Margaret lived out her life with her widowed
    son, James M BREWER, and his children.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Brewers were most likely motivated to move by the passage of the Relief Act of the Homestead Act passed in June 1880 for settlers in Kansas.

    http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~necuming/homestead.html

    ReplyDelete
  3. http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/v/e/r/Steven-C-Verden/GENE2-0037.html#ENDNOTEREF2034

    James Brewer ran away from home at an early age. He became a farmer, and soon after his marriage to Margaret Faubion they moved to Winterport, Madison County, Iowa. Sometime between 1850 and 1855, James took his family to Harrodsburg, kentucky to visit his father, John Brewer. They returned to Winterset, Iowa, but within a year or two moved to Maysville, Dekalb County, Missouri. Their stay in Maysville was a short one, for the gathering clouds of the War between the States made the area unsafe for a Northerner such as james Brewer "who was not able-bodied." The family started back to Winterset, but stopped in Allendale, near Grant City, Worth County, Missouri, and bought the farm where they lived for more than twenty years.

    In 1881 James, Margaret and the younger children migrated to a farm just north of Latham, Butler County, Kansas. They may have moved into this area earlier with the Wright and Hightower families; however, the land grant from President Chester A. Arthur to James Brewer was dated 20 September 1882. James and his son James Madison gathered rocks from the prairie and built the stone house which still stands on that farm. the land was filed under James brewer's name in April 1888. He died 5 June of that same year.

    After James' death, Margaret lived out her life with her widowed son, James M. Brewer, and his children.

    More About JAMES BREWER:
    Event 1: buried Brownlow Cemetery, Latham, Butler County, Kansas2032

    ReplyDelete
  4. Children of MARGARET FAUBION and JAMES BREWER:

    1. MARY E.BREWER, b. September 19, 1846, Winterset, Madison County, Iowa; d. October 30, 1928, Kingfisher, Kingfisher County, Oklahoma.

    2.INFANT BREWER, b. Abt. 1848, Winterset, Madison County, Iowa; d. Abt. 1849, Winterset, Madison County, Iowa.


    3.NANCY BREWER, b. August 31, 1850, Winterset, Madison County, Iowa; d. December 1930, Allendale, Worth County, Missouri.

    4. STEVE BREWER, b. Abt. 1853; d. Abt. 1857.

    5. MELISSA BREWER, b. May 20, 1855, Winterset, Madison County, Iowa; d. Abt. 1946, Allendale, Worth County, Missouri.

    6. JAMES MADISON BREWER, b. September 27, 1857, Allendale, Worth County, Missouri; d. May 7, 1934, Beaumont, Butler County, Kansas.
    326.

    7. HENRY MONROE BREWER, b. Abt. 1861, Allendale, Worth County, Missouri; d. February 28, 1931, Medford, Grant County, Oklahoma.

    8. O'FALLEN BREWER, b. March 18, 1862, Allendale, Worth County, Missouri2039; d. April 1869, Allendale, Worth County, Missouri.
    327.

    9. JOSIE BREWER, b. June 18, 1865, near Allendale, Worth County, Missouri; d. October 3, 1912, Latham, Butler County, Kansas.

    ReplyDelete