The Pike Co. Genealogical Library has been open two years and we continue to thrive and grow. We have had many out of state visitors. The library volunteers enjoy meeting and helping these visitors and are thrilled when information is found.

We are undertaking a major project in trying to get the 1883 History of Pike Co. reprinted. We need to sale approximately 225 books before we can have it printed. Money must be paid before Sept. 152002 in order to receive the pre publication price of $65.00. Your check will not be cashed until we know for sure we will be reprinting. If we do not reprint your check will be returned to you. In this newsletter is a form for ordering the History. Please feel free to make copies of form and pass them on to any one who might be interested in Pike Co. History.

Plans are being made for our annual fund raiser at the Heritage Days in Bowling Green on Sept. 14.

We have applied for a grant to replace our old worn out copier. Whether we get the grant or not, we have to replace the copier. Any donations toward this fund will be greatly appreciated as the cost will be somewhere in the range of $2000.00.

Hope you have a good summer and great ancestor hunting.

  newsletter editor

ADAM BRANSTETTER, the oldest son of Michael Branstetter who was the son of Matthew Branstetter came from Kentucky in 1816 and settled on Lick Creek south of Curryville in western part of Pike County, Missouri. He married Rachel Suavley in Kentucky about the year 1907 and had four or five children before he emigrated [sic] to Missouri. He raised a family of fourteen children, nine boys and five girls. The boys names were Andres; Stephen; William; John; Samuel; Henry; Martin; Simon and Adam. The girls names were Polly; Elizabeth; Julia; Susan and Amanda. They all married and raised families.

Andrew married Minerva Scott and raised a family of eight boys and three girls. He lived near his father until about the year 1856 when he moved on the prarie [sic] in Audrain County and lived just south of Vandalia near where the new coal mine is now located. The place on which he lived is now known as the Graffort land. He moved to Texas County, Missouri in 1861. Seven of his boys volunteered in the U.S. service during the civil war and because he had seven boys to volunteer in the Army the goverment [sic] granted him a lifetime pension. Four of the boys lost their lives in the service, and three went thru [sic] the war, received an honorable discharge, and two of them are still living.

The second son of Adam Branstetter was Stephen. He married Charity Jackson and lived in Illinois for a number of years, but about 1866 he moved near New Harmony living there and in New Harmony where he died at the age of 72 years. He raised a family of three sons and four girls, namely Jackson; Mary; Ellen; Stephen; Amos; Tirissa and Emma.

The third son of Adam Branstetter was William. He married Mary Pigg. He lived and died in Wisconsin. He had a son Jackson and a daughter Mary.

John Branstetter, the fourth son married Dollie Henderson and lived on Lick Creek south of Curryville. He had a family of three boys and three girls. Julia the oldest girl married James Strother. Katie married Sam Green and Viola married James Steel. The boys were Henry who now lives in Oregon; Oscar who lives near the old homestead on Lick Creek, and the other son never married, but died about the time he was entering into manhood.

Samuel Branstetter married Sina Tombs and settled at the spring on the farm now owned by John Hagan. He had three boys Martin; Simon and Isom. Samuel Branstetter died and his widow with the three boys moved and settled the place where Will Maiden now owns and lives. Sina Tombs Branstetter, widow of Samuel Branstetter died on this farm. Samuel her second son married, had one child and died in New Harmony. The other two boys moved to southwest Missouri.

Henry and Martin Btranstetter two of Adam Branstetter’s sons went to California, married, lived and died there.

Simon Branstetter next to the youngest son went to California in 1854 and married there. He returned in 1868, lived in Wellsville, Missouri for a number of years then moved to southwest Missouri and died in 1912 at the age of 85 years, he being the last one as all the rest of the family had crossed over the River that seperates [sic] the seen from the unseen. Two boys and two girls survive him. One boy lives at Hannibal and one at Moberly. One girl lives in the state of Washington and the other in southwest Missouri.

Adam, the youngest son of Adam Branstetter, Sr. died in the U.S. service during the Civil War. He left a widow and one daughter.

Polly, the oldest of the daughters of Adam Branstetter married Amos Jackson and lived in Green County, Illinois.

Elizabeth, the second daughter of Adam Branstetter married James Branstetter, a second cousin in 1834, and settled two and one-half miles east of New Harmony on the place now owned by Pete Hanson. They lived there until 1859 when they moved to New Harmony where they lived until 1881 when James Branstetter died, after which Elizabeth Branstetter moved to Vandalia and died there in 1898. To Them [sic] were born fifteen children, three dying in infancy and twelve lived to be grown and have families. Eight are still living, namely William, James and Martha in California; Sara Gourley of New Harmony; Henry and Darrie Dye of Vandalia, Susan Wilson of Utah and D.E.S. Branstetter of Farber, Mo.

Julia the third daughter of Adam Branstetter married Sanford Pigg, lived and died on Lick Creek east of New Harmony where James Jones had his annual picnics a few years ago. To them one child was born, George Pigg of Vandalia.

Susan, the fourth daughter married James Lemons, who lived but a short time after they were married. To Susan Lemons one daughter was born. Susan lived with her father Adam Branstetter and moved with him and family to Wellsville about the year 1858. Susan then married Hiram Lewis and lived in Wellsville where she died.

Amanda, the youngest daughter of Adam Branstetter married a Mr. Manning and moved to California where she died.

This concludes a brief history of Adam Branstetter and family, one of the pioneer settlers of western part of Pike County, Missouri.

H.A.B.

The exodus of more than fifty Pike county people to Canada began Friday evening when nine freight cars left Clarksville, Annada and Louisiana for Ste. Rose du Lac, Manitoba, Canada, carrying the stock, farm implements and household goods of the emigrants. The following men accompanied the cars: T. J. Burnett, M.S. Beauchamp, Perlie Harvey, Guray Harvey, Riley Collins, James Mays, Willie Berry, C. A. Smith, Clarence Long, Vardie Whiteside and Dorsey Edwards.

The remainder of the party, forty one men, women and children left Clarksville Tuesday afternoon in a Pullman tourist sleeper provided by the Burlington for the journey. All but three of this number were from Calumet township. Their departure was witnessed by a large number of friends and relatives who came to say goodbye and bid them God speed and a safe trip. Much sorrow was felt at their going, but it is the sincere wish of all our people that each one may be successful and that they may enjoy life in their new home.

The party which left Tuesday included: Mr. and Mrs. Henry Long; Mrs. M.S. Beauchamp; Mr. and Mrs. S.E. McGeorge; Mr. and Mrs. N.D. Millner and their four sons, Harry, Clen, Vincil and Buford; Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Taylor and little son, Wallace, and Master Harlod Smith; Mrs. T. J. Burnett and Harry Meckley; Mrs. Riley Collins and three children, Mrs. Vardie Whiteside and little son, Edwin, and Newton Park; Mr. and Mrs. Robt.. Harvey, Miss Reama and little Lucile; Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Berry, Miss Birdie, Bennie, Oscar and Mabel; Mr. and Mrs. A.Z. Crabill, Mrs. Harvey Middleton and daughter, Mildred; Harry Mays, Calvin Kennedy and J. S. Conner. They were joined at Louisiana by J. Willard Turpin, Gene Edwards and E. R. Price, whose wives will join them in August.

Frank Currie, Edgar McDannold, Rev. M. E. Broadus and Fritz Schafer also went along, but Mr. Currie and Mr. McDannold will return in about three weeks after looking over their land interest there and outlining the work they want done. James Mays, who went up with a car, will also return in about three weeks. Fritz Schaefer will go to Sasgatoon, Canada, about 300 miles west of Winipeg, where he expects to homestead land after which he will return home.

The land the Pike county people purchased and homesteaded is situated in two townships that join. They will therefore be located close together, and as the saying goes “once a Piker, always a Piker”, it will not be surprising if they annex the rest of Canada to the “colony of Pike” and may decide to put a star on the British flag. A new town, which has been laid out near them on the railroad now being built, will be named Clarksville and of course that city will be their seat of government.

Aside from the loss of these good people as citizens there is also a pecuniary loss, it is estimated that the expatriation of this colony of Pikers, together with those who have purchased land in Canada but who do not expect to go there to reside, will take about $75,000 in cold cash from this community.
 

A special examiner from the pension department of the government came to Clarksville Thursday and notified Mrs. Salle Clark that her application for a pension would necessarily be rejected on account of a rather singular occurrence which was brought to light in an investigation of the case.

In 1865, Miss Sallie Middleton of Clarksville married Simion A. Godfrey of New York, who, after living with her in this city about six months mysteriously disappeared and the wife never heard from him from that day to this. A son was born by this union and he was named for his father. He grew to manhood, married and was killed in a railroad wreck in California. His widow, who has since married, and one son reside in St Louis.

Mrs. Godfrey mourned her husband as dead and fifteen years later was united in marriage to Thomas Clark, who died at his home in this city a little more than a year ago. Following his death Mrs. Clark made application for a pension but was unable to show that her former husband was dead.

Having become interested in Mrs. Clark’s application for a pension the examiner went to work on the case expecting in the end to establish the fact of Mr. Godfrey’s death as the law requires, before a pension can be granted but with a thread of evidence to start with the investigation resulted in showing that instead of being dead Mrs. Clark’s first husband, Simeon A. Godfrey, is still alive and resides with a sister, in Birmingham, Ala. He is now 69 years old.

In a deposition establishing his identity Mr. Godrey (sic) said he left his wife without cause and to satisfy his roving nature. He made two trips to Louisiana in the 90’s and learned that his wife had married again and that their son had been killed in a wreck. He gave a detailed account of his marriage and the names of many Clarksville citizens at that time, and clinched his identity with the statement the he was generally known in Clarksville by the nick-name of “Skip Jack”.

Mrs. Clark accepted the deposition of her former husband as authentic proof of his identity and withdrew her application for a pension which she assured the examiner she had made on the firm conviction that her first husband was dead.
 

Will of William McCune
Pike Co. Mo. Probate, Vol. 1, page 122

I, William McCune being advanct in life and knowing that I must shortly die think it proper as I am now in health and enjoy the right use of my reason to set my house in order and dispose of that earthly substance which God in his grait kindness hath bestowed upon me in the following manner. 1st: after my body is decently buried and all my debts paid It is my will and I do hereby bequeath to Nansy Reading my eldest daughter four dollars, 2nd: It is my will and I do hereby bequeath to my eldest son John McCune four dollars. 3rd: It is my will and I do hereby bequeath unto the children of my deceased daughter, Susanna pattin, wife of John Pattin four dollars to be equally divided among them. 4th: It is my will and I do hereby bequeath to my daughter Margrit Shanhan four dollars. 5th: it is my will and I do hereby bequeath to Betty Gray four dollars. 6th: It is my will and I do hereby bequeath to my beloved wife, Elizabeth McCune, the third part of all my estate, real and moveable. 7th I will and bequeath all the balance of my estate to be equally divided between my four youngest children, William P. McCune, Polly Lacy McCune, Joseph P. McCune and Susanna McCune on condition thair should be no more loving but in case there should they are to have an equal divide with William, Joseph, Polly Lacy and Susan.

It is my will that my wife Elizabeth McCune and my son John McCune be and they are hereby appointed execretrix and Exacitor of this my last will and testament.

Signed and Sealed this 9th of November 1819.

Pike County Missouri Territory

William McCune    

Presents of:
Jacob Mathews
James Stark
Henry Mathews
Jon Patterson

************************

As a supplement to the with in will, I, William McCune have thought proper to leave the home place where I now live on containing about 300 achers to my son William P. McCune and my son Joseph P. McCune provided thay should think proper to keep it at its aprais value or thair guardians for them it is clearely to be understood that this supliment is to have no other change or bearing on the within will except giving William and Joseph the right to keep the home place at its apraised value. Given under my hand this 8th day of August 1827.

William McCune    

Witness Present:
Rane Lafore
Jane P. Patterson
John McCune

Proved in court, 15 Nov 1830

Note by Bowen Rogers:

This will was written before Missouri became a state. The words underlined are words that the recording clerk perceived to be misspelled. The Pike co. History (1981) page 523, covers this individual and his family. However the death date given as 1823 is clearly inaccurate.
 

The interest in the Old Settlers Reunions seems to increase with age and is looked forward to from year to year by big, little, old and young. Earl Saturday morning, those who had not gone in private conveyances were to be seen wending their way to the Short line depot and by the time the train arrived (8:30) the waiting room and platforms were crowded. Upon the arrival of the train it was found to be filled with people from southern points on the road and as a consequence but few person could get aboard. The second train had only two coaches and a large portion of the crowd did not get away until the third train at 11 o clock. We were on the last train and when we arrived at Ford’s pasture just south of and adjoining Frankford, we found the “woods full” of people just on the eve of partaking of the bountiful dinner spread by the good people of Peno.

After music by the 1st Regiment Bank of Hannibal, J.H. Orr, welcomed the crowd to hospitialities of old Peno. He was followed by Judge N.P. Minor, Capt. J.D. Kincaid, M.S. Goodman and Jas. R. Abernathy, of Paris, Mo. The latter is 92 years of age and was the first criminal lawyer that ever practiced in Pike county. After dinner the awarding of prizes took place. For the oldest native born lady present, Mrs. Thos. M. Carroll, of Grassy Creek, who was born Apr. 20th, 1828, was awarded a handsome silver cup suitably engraved. John Ford, of Peno, was awarded a silver headed cane as the oldest native born male citizen. He was 65 years old. John J. (Jack) Smith of Buffalo, was awared a silver cup for the oldest settler present. He was 72 years of age and has been in this county 68 years.

The following persons present who had resided in pike county 30 years and upwards came forward and signed the roll, viz.

With the exception of president, officers were elected for the ensueing year.
H.F. Summers, Secretary, T.M. Rhea, Treasurer, Vice Presidents: Ashley-B.F. Birckhead, Buffalo-T.M. Carroll, Calumet-Frank Mackey, Cuivre-Wm Basye, Hartford-M.E. Motley, Indian-Moses A. Farmer, Peno-J.D. Pitt, Prairieville-RC. Pew, Salt River-Richard Tompkins, Spencer- A. P. James.

Mrs. Milburn, of Arkansas, an old resident of Frankford was on the grounds. “Uncle Billy” Holliday, of Slater, an old Piker, was on the grounds. “Papa” Fisher and wife, of Paris, Mo. were circulating among their old friends. Dr. T. N. Thornton, wife and daughter, of Kansas City were at the Reunion. Uncle Gabe Hostetter was “awfully” afraid some person would go away hungry.

We are under obligations to Mrs. J.J. Steele, S.W. Jones, D.F. and “Bus” Unsell for courtesies extended--about dinner time.

We have all had family members that seem to fall off the face of the earth. They are in a certain place at a certain time then bingo they are gone without a trace. You can’t find any marriage records, no burial records and no probate records. Where did they go?

Have you looked in unusual places? Genealogists are very naive people. Their families were always good law abiding, healthy people who took care of their own. Unfortunately this is not always true.

Let’s look at some unusual places to look for our family members. First, on the county level, check the county poor farm. In Pike co. this was located in Ashley township, and it first appears on the 1870 census. Many families were unable to care for their physically and mentally disabled family members and since there were no nursing homes the only choice they had was to send them to the Poor Farm. The second place to look on the County level is the County Jail. This applies mainly for the male family members as women were seldom placed in jail. The Pike County Jail was in Bowling Green, which is in Cuivre township and the inmates were enumerated on the census the same as any other citizen.

On the state level, you might consider the State Insane Asylum. People who suffered from diseases like senile dementia, depression, or unusual or violent behavior were often sent to the Asylum. It was very common for a news item to be in the paper that “the Sheriff took John Smith to the Asylum yesterday.” The Mo. State Insane Asylum was located in Fulton, Mo. Callaway Co. Fulton is located in two townships, East Fulton and West Fulton. In 1903, Pike Co. was charged $2717.00 by the Asylum for the care of 38 inmates which came from Pike co.

The second place to look on the State level is the Mo. State Penitentiary located in Jefferson City, Cole co. Mo. The census taker had to enumerate the State Penitentiary and it is listed on each census.

If you cannot find a family member on the 1850 census, consider that they were on the move, usually to California or Oregon. One census that I checked actually had a member listed, then the note, “on the trail to California”. What a find!!!

If your ancestor lived in a town located on a major river, and you can’t find him on the census, perhaps he was a member of a river crew and he was enumerated where ever his boat was at the time.

Can’t find a female family member? Consider looking in the neighboring counties where you might find her listed as a boarder and her occupation is listed as school teacher.
 

Big family reunion was held at the home of Agee Raufer, 6 miles north of Bowling Green. Grego Raufer and wife, the parents of Agee, are natives of Germany. They came to America in the year 1855 with one child. They landed at St. Louis, and soon a second child was born, Barbara Price (that is now). They again moved up into old Pike and settled on the north branch of Noix Creek. By industry and perservance Grego Raufer, with his estimable wife and stirring boy, Agee, got together a nice little property and raised up a family of ten children, six of whom are still living, all married and settled off to themselves except bachelor, Joe. The guest present were the father and mother of the host, Lum Price and wife, nee Barbarb Raufer and their three little children, Pearle, Mamie and Grover Cleveland; The widow, Mrs. Mary Jones, nee Raufer, and her four children, Joseph, Mary, Clydie and Susie and her father-in-law, Robert Y. Jones, who is in his 76th year; John and Cora Raufer and their two children, Ruby and Henry; Frank and Rosena Pollak, of Louisiana, and their little Jessie and David; Julia Hettich and two children, Ambrose and Lucretia; Mrs. Wm. Maddox and daughter; Mrs. Lou Luck, Hennie and Orie Luck; Miss Fannie Johnson, of Bowling Green; Miss Nina Luck and Joe Raufer. Last but not least were two lovely sisters of Mrs. Raufer, Misses Almira and Annie Hendrix, of Curryville, Uncle Al. R. Maddox and his daughter, Mrs. Wm. Todd. Bowling Green Times, April 10, 1890

Mrs. Margaret Forgery of Paynesville, celebrated her 83rd birthday by finishing a quilt containing 2600 pieces. She came to this section in 1827 and came to Pike Co. a few years ago. J. D. Stone is her only son. Clarksville Banner Sentinel, page 1, col. 6 Wed. Jan 12 1910

Students listed in the May 24, 1895 Hickory Grove School report: Maggie M. Holman, teacher. Leona Burch, Dollie Harrelson, Maggie Kelly, Lula Driver, Myrtle Zumwalt, Ira Burch, Jennie Hoag, Fannie Hoag, Lavirttia Kelly, Forrest Harrelson, Henry Kelly, Roy Kelly, Sue Brown, Jennie Brown, Mary Inlow and Arthur Inlow. Bowling Green Times, June 6, 1895

Some given names are generally associated with a certain region of the country. If you find an ancestor with a “Virtue” given name, (Hope, Charity, Patience, Prudence, etc.) look for a New England Heritage. Mid-Cities Genealogical Society Newsletter, Bedford, Tx. Sept. 2001

Truisms copied from the Bowling Green Times, Jan 7, 1897

• “Business” covers a multitude of transactions just out of reach of the law.
• Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but it takes a lot of advertising to sell soap nevertheless.
• Married men do not live longer than single ones, it only seems longer.

Dover Baptist Church was organized 8 Sept. 1862 at Goodman’s Grove in Pike co. Mo. Constituent members of the church were: James A. Sanderson and wife, Nathaniel R. Smith and wife, John R. Smith, Edwin B. Smith, Henry T. Ogden, Mary E. Goodman and two colored persons, Mary and George. N.R. Smith was elected church clerk and Rev. M.M. Modisett was elected Pastor and served until April 1873. Salt River Association, by Wiley Jones Patrick, E.W. Stephens Publishing Co. Columbia, Mo. 1909. page: 227

A GEDCOM is a standard file format for exchanging information between computer genealogy programs. The acronym GEDCOM stands for GEnealogical Data COMmuniciations and was developed by The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When buying a new genealogy program make sure that both the new program and your old program have this capability. It saves retyping of information.
 

PARSON C. MACKEY is a son of John T. Mackey. Parson was born in sight of the farm upon which he lives today in Mackey’s Valley in Pike County. His birth date was December, 25, 1863, just thirty years after the birth of his father.

John T. Mackey gave all the years of his life to agricultural pursuits in Pike county. He was one of the leading farmers of the valley which bore his name and he remained with it until 1892 when he moved to Louisiana, Missouri. He died there in 1910. He was a charter member of the Corinth Presbyterian church and was one of its officers and advisers.
Thomas J. Mackey, the father of John T. and the grandfather of Parson C., came into Pike county from Kentucky at an early date. He was married to Sallie Griffith and John T. was one of their large family of children.

John C. Mackey married Elizabeth C. Brown, a daughter of Parson Brown and a granddaughter of William Brown, who came to Pike county, Missouri, from Bourbon county, Kentucky about 1831. William Brown was born in Virginia and at the age of sixteen years he went to Kentucky and took part in the battle with the Indians at “Blue Licks”. His children were William, Parson, Joseph, James and Elizabeth, the wife of Jodge Oweley, of Clarksville. The grandfather of these children was William Brown, who brought his family across the Blue ridge mountains into Kentucky, after his services as a Revolutionary soldier, and he settled on Licking river, near Boone’s Lick.

Parson Brown married Orpha Jones and among his family of four children are Elizabeth C., the mother of Parson C. Mackey. Mrs. Mackey died in 1879 and her children were Orpha, now Mrs. Strange of Louisiana, Missouri; Ella, the wife of J. L. Butts, of Pike county; Ada, married to W. J. Wamsley, of Denver, Colorado; Parson and J. Tucker, of Clarksville, Missouri.

Parson C. Mackey grew up in Mackey Valley and was educated in McCune College, in Louisana. He engaged in farming, eventually owning the Heath J. Meriweather farm. He ran a milk business for several years.

On December 24, 1884, Mr. Mackey married Miss Louie E. Wells, a daughter of James R. Wells, one of the old settlers of Pike county, whose estate lay south of Clarksville, and who married Miss Fannie Patton, a cousin of Frank W. and Col. J. H. Patton, two leading farmers of the Annada area of Pike county. Rev. James R. Patton was a well known Presbyterian minister of Pike county in earlier years. Mrs. Mackey was one of eight children of her parents and is herself the mother of children, Ethel, May, John T. and Elizabeth.

Mr. Mackey is a Democrat and a member and an elder of the Corinth Presbyterian Church.

abstracted from “The History of Northeast Missouri” Vol. III, pub. 1913, by The Lewis Publishing Co., p. 1524—1525

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