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Descendants of John Conway - June 24, 2003


38. HENRY4 GROUND (RHODA CONWAY3 LONG, MARY2 CONWAY, JOHN1)11 was born 30 May 1804 in Mercer Co, KY; lived 2 miles west of Abington, IL, and died 03 Mar 1881 in Knox Co, IL. He married (1) NANCY SMITH 12 Sep 1832 in Warren or Barren Co, KY, daughter of .. SMITH and ELIZABETH ... She was born 31 Aug 1802, and died 27 Sep 1834. He married (2) ELIZA ANN BOYDSTUN 23 Apr 1840 in Knox Co, IL12, daughter of BENJAMIN BOYDSTUN and MARY GARDNER. She was born 03 Jul 1817 in Barren Co, KY, and died 20 Nov 1887 in Abingdon, Knox Co, IL.

Notes for HENRY GROUND:
The tombstone of Henry and Eliza Ground, as well as their infant son and that of Sarah M. are constructed of white marble and were found in 1984 to be in good condition. The parents' stone is an obelisk with an urn on top, while those of the children are of the upright slab variety. The stones of the children have begun to sink into the ground, nearly obliterating the death information.

Henry and Eliza can be found with their family in the U.S. Census of Knox County Illinois in 1850, 1860 and 1870.
     
Child of HENRY GROUND and NANCY SMITH is:
99. i.   MARY E.5 GROUND, b. 24 Aug 1833, Barren Co, KY; d. Aft. 1886, Res Kansas 1886.
     
Children of HENRY GROUND and ELIZA BOYDSTUN are:
100. ii.   ROBERT E.5 GROUND, b. 17 Apr 1841, Knox Co, IL; d. Aft. 1886, (lived in Kenesaw, NE 1886).
101. iii.   RHODA MATILDA GROUND, b. 06 Sep 1843, Knox Co, IL; d. Aft. 1878, Visited Texas about 1878.
  iv.   SARAH M. GROUND, b. 24 Aug 1845, Knox Co, IL; d. 22 Nov 1856, 11yr - d. Knox Co, IL.
102. v.   MALINDA ANN GROUND, b. 03 Sep 1847, Knox Co, IL; d. 21 Feb 1909, Lawrence, Douglas Co, KS.
103. vi.   WILLIAM HARRISON GROUND, b. 11 Sep 1849, Knox Co, IL; d. Apr 1929, Res. Nebraska 1886.
104. vii.   DRUSILLA J. GROUND, b. 17 Feb 1852, Knox Co, IL; d. 1923, Knox Co, IL.
105. viii.   JOHN HENRY GROUND, b. 02 Aug 1854, twin to Martha L. b. Knox Co, IL; d. Unknown, Res Nebraska 1886.
106. ix.   MARTHA L. GROUND, b. 02 Aug 1854, Twin to John Henry b. Knox Co, IL; d. 23 Mar 1909, Knox Co, IL.
  x.   INFANT GROUND, b. 07 Feb 1857, Knox Co, IL; d. 26 Feb 1857, Knox Co, IL.
107. xi.   JAMES EDWARD GROUND, b. 26 Nov 1858, Knox Co, IL; d. Aft. 1934, Abingdon, Knox Co, IL.


39. EDWARD4 GROUND (RHODA CONWAY3 LONG, MARY2 CONWAY, JOHN1) was born 09 Apr 1809 in Mercer Co, KY, and died 25 Apr 1885 in Scio, Lynn Co, OR. He married (1) ELIZA ANN BUTLER 30 Oct 1834 in Warren Co, KY, daughter of PETER BUTLER and RACHEL MURPHY. She was born 02 Dec 1816 in Barren Co, KY, and died 24 Dec 1864. He married (2) SUSAN MCCANN 1868 in had two daughters from an earlier marriage (see notes on Edward). She was born Unknown in had a sister or sister-in-law in Iowa, and died 15 Mar 1877 in Monmouth, Polk Co, OR.

Notes for EDWARD GROUND:
Additional information on this family group was obtained from:
      George E. Ground letter to Roberta Dukes Richardson
      Willamette Valley Oregon History, Bio, F. P. Ground
      Plymouth Rock to the Pacific, Mullenneix
      ODL Vol. II $5177
      Sec. land Oregon, 7 Feb 185_, arrived 5 Aug 1853
Descendants in Portland Oregon (in 1985):
      A. R. Ground
      Evelyn A. Ground
      Mrs. Sarah J. Ground

Edward Ground was a farmer born in Kentucky, moved to Warren County, Illinois, then to Oregon Territory in 1853 (Polk County), later to Yamhill County and Lynn Counties in Oregon.

Edward Ground writes to John & Eliza Butler, his brother-in-law and sister-in-law in Illinois from Polk County, Oregon Territory, 5 Mar 1854.

He tells of being healthy and claims of a nearby gold mine discovery, and then about the "connections."

Tom Hutchinson is not yet settled, cannot make up his mind.
George Duese (Deweese) paid $600 for a good prairie claim.
Ira (Butler) bought a claim for $900 with ample timber, but is homesick.
"Your father" (apparently writing to Butler) bought a claim for $2000 & gave it to Isaac (Smith). He and wife are "tolerably" home sick.
Isaac (Smith) paid $2000 for his claim.

He explains that the Butlers began to think, when the snow fell and the price of goods rose, that they had been well fixed in Illinois, and "like the isrealites of old tha began to repent that tha had ever left egipt wel I dont blame them for we have had a long gloomy winter the hardest every says that tha have ever seen in oregon and not beinglookt for made it set hard."

A letter on March 5, 1854 to P. M. Butler from William B. Ground describes the land claimed by Edward Ground: 320 acres situated on the Luckamute river about three miles from its mouth where it emties into the Williamet. We live one mile and a half from E. D. Butlers, one mile from Uncle Ira's and about 7 miles from Grandpaps.

In August, 1855, Edward writes that things are "tollerable dull" there, but there is some excitement about nearby gold mines having been discovered on the "Columby" river. He, however, does not yet have gold fever. He, George Dueese, Marshal, and A. W. Lucas will start in October for Illinois and will tell all the news.

He complains that he has not received a letter in 6 months, and please tell all friends and neighbors, as well as Sigh, Uncle Porter and Jameson Leeper to write. He asks that they send Sloanes ointment, because Luther's legs are breaking out again. He wants the "jenuine" kind from C. K. Smith.

He adds that William has hired on with a surveying team for $50 a month and is away at that time.

Edward writes in July 1857 about the upcoming vote on the slavery issue. He hopes that the "pro Slavrey men will Stand (no) shoe heare." He relates that Margaret Butler Smith "made a confesion last Sundy and was immersed."

In April 1879, Edward write to Rhoda Ground Greer. Mamie Ground Hays copied the letter and distributed it to relatives in 1937. He tells that he has been keeping house with his two little girls, but that his son John had married the previous winter and he was living with them, along with the girls, while he is going back to his farm every day (a trip of 1-1/2 miles). His wife, he says, has been dead 2 years. Her oldest girl, he says, went back to Iowa to her aunt's home and is since married. That left but one more, and she was too young to keep house, so he allowed her to go stay with a woman who could train her.

He laments being too old perhaps, to see his children grown, and wishes he could travel to Illinois and Kentucky to visit.

Notes for ELIZA ANN BUTLER:
Eliza Butler Ground wrote home to Illinois on 25 Dec 1853 when the wagon train arrived safely in Oregon. She reported that all were tired, but resting up, and that "the trip was tolerably tiresom but knot so mutch so as I expected to find it."

She reports gathering water and wood to last for 200 miles at a time, and finding "currents" that were "verry exseptable they was the best I ever tasted there was red yellow and black ones in the mountains we found rasberry des berrys thimble berrys."

As for her current new home, they lived close to a lake where there were hundreds of geese and ducks swimming, and reports the local crops of cabbage, beets and squash are very good. A neighbor has offered them pick of the garden if they will tend it.

She mentions "connection" (kinfolks): Tomas Hutcheson, gone to the Umqua with brother Robert to look at the country, has been gone a month.

Mack Timmons who lives three or four miles away; she has heard he is rich and has seven sons.

Charles Wells; one of his sons visited them the day before Christman.

The Hendrilks (Hendricks?) lived in Oregon, the singing teacher.

She send her respects to Matilda Smith, James and Mary Butler, and all inquiring friends.
     
Children of EDWARD GROUND and ELIZA BUTLER are:
108. i.   WILLIAM BUTLER5 GROUND, b. 06 Jan 1836, Warren Co, IL; d. 05 Jul 1880, Columbia Co, Washington Territory; d of pleurisy.
  ii.   FRANCIS J. GROUND, b. 08 Jan 1838, Monmouth, Warren Co, IL; d. 31 Aug 1840, Monmouth, Warren Co, IL.
  iii.   ROBERT GROUND, b. 14 Jan 1840, Monmouth, Warren Co, IL; d of heart asthma; d. 28 Dec 1917, Independence or Dallas, OR.
109. iv.   LUTHER GROUND, b. 22 Mar 1842, Warren Co, IL; d. 20 Feb 1918.
110. v.   PETER BUTLER GROUND, b. 16 Apr 1848, Warren Co, IL; d. 07 Apr 1874, Buena Vista, Polk Co, OR; a shoemaker.
111. vi.   FRANKLIN PIERCE GROUND, b. 11 Jan 1852, "Frank" b. Warren Co, IL; d. 03 Oct 1936.
112. vii.   JOHN HENRY GROUND, b. 04 Jan 1856, Polk Co, OR; died of TB & pneumonia; d. 24 Sep 1914, Polk Co, OR.
  viii.   SYLVESTER GROUND, b. 28 Aug 1858, Polk Co, OR; d. 15 Feb 1860, Polk Co, OR.
     
Children of EDWARD GROUND and SUSAN MCCANN are:
113. ix.   ALICE MAY5 GROUND, b. 28 Oct 1871; d. Aft. 1936, res Los Angeles, CA 1936.
  x.   EVALINE ADELL GROUND, b. 22 Oct 1873; d. Aft. 1925, unmarried 1918; res Portland ORE 1925.


40. DRUSILLA4 GROUND (RHODA CONWAY3 LONG, MARY2 CONWAY, JOHN1) was born 11 Jul 1811 in Mercer Co KY, and died 05 Feb 1856 in Pleasant Valley, Dallas Co, TX. She married JACOB GARDNER BOYDSTUN 27 Aug 1833 in Bowling Green, Warren Co, KY13, son of BENJAMIN BOYDSTUN and MARY GARDNER. He was born 24 Jan 1812 in Russellville, Logan Co, KY14, and died 25 May 1899 in Pleasant Valley, Dallas Co, TX15.

Notes for JACOB GARDNER BOYDSTUN:
Jacob Gardner Boydstun was born in Kentucky on January 24, 1812, the son of Benjamin and Mary Ground Boydstun. On August 27, 1833, he married Drusilla Ground, and on their wedding day, the couple joined members of the Boydstun, Lowe, Holland, Dowdy, Ground, and Goodnight families and moved to Abingdon, Knox County, Illinois.

Jacob and Drusilla Boydstun had seven children born in Illinois - Henry, Mary Margaret, Rhoda E., Robert Ground, Julia Ann, Nancy Jane, and Susan Caroline.

Harassed by illness and failed crops, several of the younger settlers began looking for a new home. Perhaps differing opinions on the upcoming Civil War caused these families, including Jacob and Drusilla Boydstun, to make the Great Move to Texas in the spring of 1848. Indeed, the kinsmen who stayed in Illinois supported the Union, while those, who moved to Texas supported the Confederacy. The Boydstuns moved in two wagons,; one contained tools and farm implements, driven by Robert Ground Boydstun with his father beside him, and the second contained Drusilla and the family, and was driven by Henry Boydstun.

The trip from Illinois to the new state of Texas took six weeks by boat and wagon train, and once there, the families camped near Dallas. In the early morning, the men mounted their horses for a look around. They traveled about 20 miles southwest from Dallas and came to a large cedar break and a small range of hills rising majestically from the rolling prairie, with a fertile valley watered by a stream the Indians had named Mountain Creek. Prairie grasses were as high as a man on horseback. Texas Rangers aided the exploration by dragging logs chained behind their horses, flattening the grass to provide overland passage.

Beside the creek, Boydstun erected a "Big Room" built of cedar logs. As time went by, more rooms, halls, and long porches were added, and better windows and doors replaced old ones. But the rock chimney and the "Big Room" made from cedars on the hill remained unchanged for 72 years until it was destroyed by fire in 1920.

It was not long after the family arrived that Henry was kicked by a horse and killed, at the young age of 13.

In 1850, Boydstun's land was surveyed and a land certificate was issued in the Peters Colony of Texas for 640 acres in southwest Dallas County.

Two more children were born in Texas, Sarah M. Boydstun (1850 - died before 1852), and Martha Virginia Boydstun in 1852. On February 5, 1856, Drusilla Ground Boydstun died and was buried on the family farm.

On March 15, 1862, Robert Ground Boydstun enlisted as a private in Company A, 19th Regiment, Texas Cavalry, Confederate Army. He was admitted to the Confederate Hospital at Shreveport on February 13, 1864, and returned home after a lingering illness. He died in 1868.

October 4, 1862, Jacob G. Boydstun married again, to Sarah Louisa Wilson, the widow of Andrew Jackson Vaught. She had six Vaught children, three of whom became cousins, aunts, and uncles, as well as step-brothers and sisters, through marriages to the Boydstun, Holland, and Poe families. Jacob and Lou Wilson Boydstun had two children: James and Sarah Louisa.

In 1870, Jacob Boydstun gave three acres of his land to build a church and cemetery, which became known as Pleasant Valley Cemetery. Four family members had been buried there already - Sarah, Drusilla, Henry, and Robert. Rhoda died in 1870 and is buried there.

In September 1894, the Illinois and Texas Boydstuns reunited at a gathering at the Boydstun farm at Pleasant Valley. Jacob G. Boydstun died on May 26, 1899, and is buried on the land he gave for a cemetery. Today, all that remains of the Pleasant Valley community is the cemetery where the Boydstuns, their kin, and their neighbors are buried.

"Early History of Cope Grove Community"
by I.T. Goodnight, Wellington, Texas

East of Mountain Creek were: (in the Valley Community) Robert Ground, Jacob Boydston, Isaac Lowe, Kirb Wilson, W.S. Rickets, Jim Holland, Isaac Holland and his brother Tom were just boys in those days, and Iddo Cope and his son J. B. Cope. Iddo's other sons were Tom and Rube Cope.

All the above men possessed all of the requirements necessary to overcome the hardships of settling a new country.

US Census:
1820-
1830
1840-Knox Co. IL
1850-Ellis Co. TX
1860-Dallas Co. TX
1870-Dallas Co. TX
1880-Dallas Co. TX

Other sources for this family:

"Boydstun Family" by Gustine Weaver
Warren County, KY Marriages 1797-1851, by Helen Thomas, 1970; p. 85
"The Boydstun Family" by Gladys Domonoske
J.G. Boydstun family Bible as recorded by Robert Dukes Richardson
Land Patent of Jacob G. Boydstun, Dallas County, TX
"The Peters Colony of Texas" by Seymour V. Connor, 1959; p. 198
"The History of Cedar Mountains" by Lucretia B. Vinyard
Dallas & Ellis County, TX Tax Records 1851-1862
Roberta Dukes Richardson notes to 1935
Pleasant Valley Cemetery Records
A.J. Dukes II
Records of Tivola C. Wright, descendant of Jacob G. Boydstun's 2nd marriage.
     
Children of DRUSILLA GROUND and JACOB BOYDSTUN are:
  i.   HENRY5 BOYDSTUN, b. 1834, Abingdon, Knox Co, IL; d. 1848, Pleasant Valley, Dallas Co, TX.
  Notes for HENRY BOYDSTUN:
While we knew this son was named Henry, the 1850 Death Index (cojoined with the 1850 US Census) gives his name as William H. Boydston, age 15, died October 1850, from a kick from a horse. This record gives the death location as Tarrant County, Texas.

  ii.   MARY MARGARET BOYDSTUN, b. 10 Oct 1836, Abingdon, Knox Co, IL; d. 25 May 1921, Midland, Midland Co, TX; m. WILLIAM HENRY WOLCOTT, 28 Mar 1867, Dallas, Co, TX; Triple Ceremony at Home; b. 29 Nov 1843, Alabama; d. 26 Mar 1927, Midland, Midland Co, TX.
  Notes for MARY MARGARET BOYDSTUN:
Mary Margaret Boydstun was about 12 years old when she came with her parents to Texas in 1848. Traveling in the same train with her uncles and aunts and numerous cousins from Abingdon, Illinois. It was an eventful trip and one she never grew tired of relating to her nieces in later life.

She was 20 when her mother died and the role of mother fell on her young shoulders, to comfort, to administer to the needs of the young sisters and advise the older members of her father's household. With loyalty and tender affection the sisters regarded her for 65 years, even the nieces and nephews were admonished to respect her.

  Notes for WILLIAM HENRY WOLCOTT:
From William F. Dukes:

Uncle Henry had an iron fence around his house. He went to town every day and jumped the fence. Said that kept him young.

Henry Wolcott had a brother nicknamed "the Millionaire Rancher" from the Midland, Texas area.

Henry Wolcott served in the Confederate Army.

The Wolcotts had no children. Mary Margaret was 20 when her mother died, and declined to marry until all of her younger sisters were married, except Martha Virginia. Martha Virginia came to live with the Wolcotts when they lived on a ranch in Ellis County, Texas, situated on Village Creek, near Waxahachie. They all moved to Tarrant County about the year 1870 where Wolcott purchased a large tract of land lying near the town of Mansfield, and built for his wife a beautiful home. Subsequently, in 1902, they sold the property and moved to Hereford, Texas. At that time, his ranch in the west was the last one inhabitated in that vicinity until entering New Mexico. He disposed of the ranch and bought several sections of land at Midland, Texas, where they lived 20 years. Martha Virginia was married in the Wolcott home near Mansfield, Texas, in 1873.



  iii.   ROBERT GROUND BOYDSTUN, b. 1839, Abingdon, Knox Co, IL; d. 1868, Pleasant Valley, Dallas Co, TX.
  Notes for ROBERT GROUND BOYDSTUN:
Robert Ground Boydstun, the first son of Jacob Gardner Boydstun and his wife, Drusilla Ground, was born near Abingdon, Illinois, in the year 1839. With his brother Henry, shared the honor of driving his parents' wagon team to Texas in the "Great Move."

From Civil War records at Washington, D.C., the following services were issued:

"Robert G. Boydstun, private, Company a., 19th Regiment, Texas Cavalry, Confederate Army. Enlisted March 15th, 1862 at Waxahachie, Texas, age 23 years. He is shown to have been admitted to C.S.A. General Hospital at Shreveport, Louisiana on Feb. 13, 1864, with Intermitten Fever and no later records have been found. There are no muster rolls on file in this office subsequent to the date of admittance to the hospital of that company.
(Signed) Brigadier General James K. Kinley
Acting the Adjutant General, 1933"

Robert Ground Boydstun, after a lingering illness in the hospital at Shreveport, was dismissed and allowed to return to his father's house. He died the following year, 1868, and was buried in the family cemetery at Pleasant Valley, Texas.

NOTE: Robert Ground Boydstun died two years before his parents gave the ground for the cemetery.

114. iv.   RHODA E. BOYDSTUN, b. 11 Jul 1840, Abingdon, Knox Co, IL; d. 30 Aug 1876, or 1876; Dallas or Ellis Co, TX.
115. v.   JULIA ANN BOYDSTUN, b. 04 May 1843, Abingdon, Knox Co, IL; d. 23 Aug 1883, Dallas Co, TX.
116. vi.   NANCY JANE BOYDSTUN, b. 18 Jun 1845, Abingdon, Knox Co, IL; d. 24 Jan 1931, Lubbock, TX.
117. vii.   SUSAN CAROLINE BOYDSTUN, b. 20 Sep 1847, Abingdon, Knox Co, IL; d. 12 Dec 1929, Roswell, NM.
  viii.   SARAH M. BOYDSTUN, b. Aug 1850, Pleasant Valley, Dallas Co, TX; d. Bef. 1852, Pleasant Valley, Dallas Co, TX.
118. ix.   MARTHA VIRGINIA BOYDSTUN, b. 04 Jul 1852, Dallas Co, TX; d. 16 Mar 1903, Mansfield, Tarrant Co, TX.

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