Re: Mina Arr Townsend -- Powell Co., KY
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In reply to:
Mina Arr Townsend -- Powell Co., KY
Cathy Davis 6/18/01
My Bush family ancestors lied near your Townsend ancestors near Zachariah, Wolfe County, Ky.Martha Townsend, married to Llewyllen Bush, the man who orchestrated the campaign that led to the creation of Wolfe County, was my great-great-great grandmother.I hae not yet researched the Townsend portion of my ancestry, but much can be found on the Bush message boards.Following is a copy of a posting by Ken Bush that hopefully will prtoide you with interesting and enlightening information.If I can be of assistance please do not hesitate to ask.Do you hae any info regarding the family's oirigins?If so, I would be much ppreciatie.There were many Bush-Townsend weddings spanning the course of a century.LEWELLYN BUSH
Author: Ken BushDate: 17 Jun 1998 12:00 PM GMT
Classification: Biography
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Lewellyn Bush, 1804-1859, probably first visited what is now Wolfe County as a youngster. His family, along with the Quisenberry, Elkin and other Clark County families, came to this scenic land to hunt and relax.
Lewis Grigsby, Enoch Elkins and Ezekiel Elkins purchased a 10,000-acre tract of land here in 1835. Upon this land, Grigsby and Elkins had hogs, mules and cattle. They hired Lewellyn Bush to take care of their stock and to build and maintain the brush fences.
Lewellyn had married Polly Vaughn in Clark County in 1825, and their union produced four children. They were: Ambrose Bush, 1825-1861; Jenny Bush, circa 1826-circa 1900; Nancy Bush, circa 1830-1852 and Llewellyn Edward Preston (L.E.P.) Bush, 1836-1902. Though Lewellyn worked this land, Clark County remained his home. Not long after the birth of their fourth child, Polly Vaughn Bush passed away.
During visits to this area to care for the Grigsby and Elkins stock, Lewellyn became acquainted with the Townsend family that lived in the area where Natural Bridge State Park is presently located. He courted Martha Townsend and they were married in January of 1839. Lewellyn and his new bride moved to this land two months later and established their home in a cabin on the dividing ridge between the head of Walker's Creek and the Graining Block Fork of Red River.
At different times, the children by Lewellyn's first wife lived in this area near or with their father. The youngest daughter, Nancy, married and made her home near her father's cabin. The Lewellyn Bush Cemetery was probably formed in 1852 with the death of Nancy in the fall of that year. Her grave is probably under the ancient cedars where her father now rests and may be the grave located between Lewellyn and Martha.
Lewellyn and Martha Townsend Bush had ten children during their marriage. They were: John Bush, circa 1842-1881; William Lemon Bush, 1844-1915; Mary R. Bush, 1845-1885; Elizabeth Bush, 1847-1929; James Pleas Bush, 1847-1922; Fielding Bush, 1850-1935; Thomas Jefferson Bush, 1851-1942; Adalade Bush, 1851-1911; Jacob Absent Bush, circa 1856-1932 and Susan Catherine Bush, 1857-1927.
In 1859, Lewellyn was stabbed and killed trying to break up a fight after a political rally in Campton. His death left a widow with ten children to raise in a wilderness. Times were hard, but perseverance brought them through many trying times.
A few of Lewellyn and Martha's children moved to other states to follow their dreams, but most remained here in the area. Today, only a few descendants remain in Wolfe County.
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Re: Mina Arr Townsend -- Powell Co., KY
William Townsend 1/20/04