Early Movements of the Caleb Davis Family
Clara was 3 months when the family started to Kansas in a covered wagon,
February 4, 1878. Another family traveled along by the name of Rice. Their
destination was Burlington, Kansas. The Davis family were headed for Butler
County. They experienced snow, sleet, rain, mud and sunshine with bad roads
most all the way. It took them 6 weeks. They had a sheet iron stove in the
wagon for heat and cooking. They headed for Uncle Johns place in Butler
County, located 24 miles south and west of Eldorado. They moved into a rock
house and whereever it rained everything got wet from a leaky roof. Later in
the fall they moved into an old time log cabin with a big fireplace.
1879 we raised a good crop of corn and wheat. Elmer worked for a man who
lived at the edge of Douglas. He got $8.00 a month and stayed there while
attending school. Grain, hogs and cattle were hauled to Wichita to market as
it was the nearest railroad town. There were about 500 Indians in town the day
wer went. The Indians stopped often at our house begging bread for their
papooses, and corn for their ponies. They wore blankets around their bodies.
Grandfather Eli Hunt wanted Caleb and Mary Ann to come back to Indiana and
farm his land as he bought land in Howard County, Indiana near New London. No
one else traveled with them but most every night there would be others going
east or west so we were not alone very much. We were 5 weeks on this trip.
It was in 1879, while Nellie was watching a threshing machine, that she was
stricken down with her leg and never walked again without crutches.
We arrived at Grandfather Hunts and moved into a big log house. We lived
here one year. Water was carried from a spring and there was dense woods all
around. A creek ran through the farm called Little Wild Cat which emptied into
the Big Wild Cat River, close to the north side of Grandfather's farm. Just
across the river was a big mill run by water power. The bottom land was very
rich and overflowed when it came a heavy rain. We had good crops, sold corn
in the field for $14. per acre. There was a big fine apple orchard on the
place. Elmer and I took a load of apples to Kokomo, Indiana and got only
10 cents a bushel.
Elmer, Cora and I attended a school 1 1/2 from home. We took cornbread for
our lunch and ate alot of cornbread at home. We got very tired of it. We had
to cross Wild Cat Creek on a foot log. It was 6 foot above the water. When it
was sleety we had to crawl on our hands and knees across it. There were 30 or
35 in the school. Elmer was disabled much of the year due to rheumatism. In
February the sugar trees were taped and maple syrup was made. There were
plenty of blackberries, wild goose berries, walnuts and hickory nuts, lots of
apples and good fishing on the creek. We attended the Quaker Church at New
London, 2 1/2 miles away. Often the children attended the Methodist Church 1
1/2 from home. It was called Twin Spring Church.
Caleb and Mary Ann were not satisfied here. Grandfather Hunt sold his
farm and moved to Council Grove, Kansas and went into the sheep raising
business. Caleb and Mary Ann moved back to Butler County locating 1 1/2 miles
east of Eldorado. We attended school in town. This was Melvins first year of
school. February, 1881 Caleb rented a small farm near Douglas. We lived here
five years. Harlan was born here November 9, 1881.
Our next move was to Edwards County, which is now Kiowa County, where
father homesteaded the farm 3 1/2 miles northeast of Haviland.
Of all the places we lived, Iowa had the best soil, Douglas was the best
place in Kansas but a small farm in Indiana would have been my choice. There
is one thing we can all do is live a Christian life regardless of
circumstances.
Written in the fall of 1938. Yours,
(Has been condensed) Henry E. Davis.! Sent by Marjorie Morgan. S/o John Davis and Lydia Bryant.
TYPE Get Certifcate to
DATE 6 APR 1826
PLAC Wayne County, Indiana, West Grove MM.TYPE Charter Member
DATE MAR 1860
PLAC Hamilton County, Indiana, Greenwood-Eagle Creek MM.
Found in Hiatt Family by John O. Beasley. Sent by Bud Brooks.
Hiatt Hiett Family History Volume I, page 485
(2396.) LOUISA WINSLOW (852.) (229.) (38.) (4.) (1.):
b. 6-3mo-1843, Grant Co., Indiana; d. 24-5mo-1911, Grant Co., m. 23-10mo-1861, to LIXON RUSH, son of Iredell and Elizabeth (Bogue). Rush; b. 30-3mo-1836; d. 30-lmo-1915, Grant Co., Indiana.CH: (4405.) Axelina; (4406.) Myra; (4407.) Emma J.; (4408.) Walter W.; (4409.) Olive R.; (4410.) Calvin C.; (4411.) Charles E. (R91).
Nixon Rush was a farmer and Quaker preacher; traveled extensively in the ministry - to the mid-west, the far-west, the south and to Cuba. Settled Land in Kansas in 1856, followed by “Pike’s Peak or Bust” experience. Traveled later among the Indian reservations, as far west as southern California. Was one of the founders and principal supporters of Fairmount Academy. Active in Prohibition work. A self-trained geologist and forester. (R91).
Louisa (Winslow). Rush was recorded minister of the Friends (Quaker). church; accompanied her husband (Nixon Rush). on many religious journeys in the mid-west and the south; long active in local and estate W.C.T.U. work. (R91).
Found in Hiatt Famaily by John O. Beasley.
For many years the Nixon and Louisa Rush were minister in the Society of Friends and traveled not only over this neighboring townships, tirelessly carrying a gospel of love and cheer, but also over many states of the Union, whereever a struggling and discouraged people sought help, and not by Spiritual means alone, but also in a substantial way, they were ever ready continually giving aid of which the world never knew. The land on which Fairmount Academy stands was originally a part of Rush Hill place, and they gave to that institution sums amounting into the thousands.Louisa Winslow Rush
A Disconnected history of my life for the childrenMy grandfather was Wiliam HIATT, son of ___ and Martha of North Carolina. He was married to Elizabeth Sulgrove in 1798. They emmegrated to Inidana in 1820, settled in Wayne Co. for a few years. They were Quaker parentage, grandmother was a member until her death. Grandfather, after suffering twice the Spoilings of his goods for not mustering, as it was called, suffered himself to be disowned, but was in principle a Friend. They came to Grant Co. about 1826, bringing a family of 12 children each taking a quarter section of farming land of the Government between Deer Creek and Jonesboro on either side of the river. My father's farm was one mile south of Jonesboro. (Section is one square mile, 640 acres, so 1/4 was a 1/4 square mile or 160 acres, the typical homestead, Larry Anderson)
Joseph Winslow and family of 8 children came two years later direct from Randolph Co., NC. Grandmother Pennianah Richard Winslow ded at the age of 53. They took Farms along the little stream, named by them, Backcreek,, after their old home stream, of that name in NC. Taking each a 1/4 section up to near Fairmount, we being in the midst of our relatives and having no reason to rove. I never was out of Grant Co. until I was 18 years old, and married.
My earliest recolection there were Deer, wolves, bears, Coon, wild cat, Lynx, or Panthers, Opposum, Ground Hog, Squirrel, Otter, Beaver, Muskrat, and many other animals native here.
On one occation Grand mother Winslow was at her daughters, Caroline Newlegs, to assist her during sickness. They only lived 150 rods apart. So about sundown, grandmother started home and got turned around, or lost. As the timber and underbrush were very thick, she knew it was useless to go farther, until the sun arose. So she climbed some brushs, clad with Grapevines, and lodged for the night. NO one was oneasy, as her folks at home supposed she had remained with her daughter and her daughter supposed she has at home, so amidst the biting of mosquitoes and the growling of wolves, she lodged, rather then slept, that night. The next morning the sun and little stream gave her an index to her home where she arrived a little later.
At one time my mother was riding on horseback near the same place the horse became a little restless and on looking up there lay a panther just eyeing them ready to make spring but did not atact them, one night our young dog treed one of those fellows resting on some haw bushes a few rods from teh house. As soon as it was light enough my father took his gun and shot him. When he took it by the hind legs its nose drug the ground.
When Daniel Winslow (my father) came to Indiana, there were no roads through the timber and it was very difficult getting across streams. So reaching the Mississinawa near its head, they made a raft and put their belongings on it and came down the river as far as where Jonesboro now stands, then going south west a little distance they came to a cabin occupied by John Russell. They stopped over night there, then next morning Father went to the spring to wash before breakfast, without hat or coat. There was very little snow on the ground, seeing some wild turkeys in the trees he ran got his gun to shoot one. They flew and run, he chased them until he lost his bearing and by this time the snow was melting until he could not follow his track. So in an immense woodland he took notice of the moss on the trees going a north west direction about four miles he came to the stream now known as deer creek. Naturally supposing it would empty into the Mississinawa he followed it down to the river and then up to where they had left their raft and from there back to teh cabin by two in the afternoon, quite ready for his breakfast. The folks were just starting out to hunt him when he came in, so rejoiced that the lost was found.
My grandfather, William Hiatt was born in NC the 18 of 8 month in the year 1775, died at my fathers when I was twelve years old, he was nearly 80 years old. I do not remember of seeing either of my grandmothers, as I was only 2 years old when they died, near the same age. Grandfather Winslow was 82 years old when he died at the home of his youngest son with whom he had made his home for many years. My father was 77 years and 10 months, and Mother, 55 years and 10 months old at death.
There were 7 children of my mothers, two dieing in infancy, 4 older and 2 younger than me. At this writing 10th mo. 1904, only myself and a half sister remain alive. Father married twice after my mothers death. Ellen Hillman, Avilas mother only lived with him two years dieing when Alvila was nine months old. He then married Martha Rush, widow of one Duncan Rush of NC, who lived six years longer then my father.
Our home of 160 acres of heavy timbered land was entered of the Government, and I now have the Deed framed, and signed by Andrew Jackson on the 10th day of February, 1895, making Father and Mother owners thereof, which right they held until their demise, and about 60 acrds of it is in my name now. My first recollection we had a cabin 24 feet square with big fireplace, stairs in one corner with a garret above two small windows above and below, two beds down stairs and two low beds above. We did our cooking in pots, baking in ovens and skillets on the hearth putting coals under, also on the lids. For supper, we generally had mush, and milk. Corn meal was much cheaper then flour. Indeed wheat bread was a rarity, until I was 10 years old.
The woods furnished gooseberries, plumbs, onions, crabapples, nuts, as well as sasapras and other delicasies for variety. And had it not have been, for climatic conditions causing Ague and fevers (until after the country was cleared and ditched) we should have had many blessings, which were not realized, as so many were sick and died. During the times of mailignant fever when I was four years old we had a hewn log house put up two stories high and sealed with dressed lumber. Two bedrooms and sitting room down stairs. This remained until one year after I was married then the brick followed and by this time most of the farm was cleared of its heavy timber.
(4405.) AXELINA RUSH (2396.) (852.) (229.) (38.) (4.) (1.):
b. 24-1mo-1863; d. 5-2/3mo-1865. (R91).
(4409.) OLIVE R. RUSH (2396.) (852.) (229.) (38.) (4.) (1.):
b. 10-6mo-1873, Grant Co., Indiana; spent many years in Sante Fe, New Mexico; unmarried; one of America’s foremost women artist.WHO’S WHO - 1948-1949 - page 2138:
“Olive Rush, artist; b. Fairmount, Ind.; d. Nixon and Louisa (Winslow). Rush; ed. New York and Paris schools. Paintings in the oil, tempera, water color, and fresco. Murals and decorative paintings in the Sandia School, Alburquerque, New Mexico, in New Mexican room of La Fonda, in the Sante Fe Public Library, and other public bldg.; murals and decorative paintings in homes of Miss Mary Cabot Wheelwright, Miss Florence Barlett, Mrs. David McComb, Mrs. Howard Linn, Mrs. Cyrus McCormick, Jr., Charles Lore. Louis Randolph, Mrs. Albert Simms. Rep. in permanent collections of Brooklyn Mus., Worcester Mus., Phillips Memorial Gallery, Washington, D.C., Wilmington Soc. Fine Arts, John Herron Art Inst., Neb. Art Assn., Witte Memorial Mus., San Antonio, Houston Museum, N. M. Laboratory of Anthropology; in private collections of Walter Brewster, Mrs. William Dean, Paul Henderson, Elizabeth White, Herbert Hoover, Katherine Rhoades, John Meem and others. Awarded prizes and hon. mention at Richmond Art Assn., John Herron Art Inst., Denver Mus., Hoosier Salon. Wilmington Soc. Fine Arts. Quaker. Address: 95 Dudley Rd., Newton Center, Mass. “ (R166).