| Notes |
- WILLIAM LUSK---b. 07 Dec 1824, Clinton, Vermillion County, Indianad. 12 Apr 1903, Sugar Creek Township, Parke County, Indiana; son ofSalmon & Mary Polly Beard Lusk, Pioneer Settlers, of Parke County,Indiana; grandson of Samuel & Naomi Bryant Lusk of Poultney, RutlandCounty, Vermont. NOTE: Salmon & William Lusk?s lands are now part ofTurkey Run State Park in Parke County, Indiana. He is buried in theBloomingdale Cemetery, Bloomingdale, Parke County, Indiana. WilliamLusk traveled with Alex Ramsay out West to the California gold mines,and he is mentioned in Alex's journal several times (excerpts below).William's biographies also mention his trip to the California goldmines taking him about three and a half years total and returning with$1800.00, quite a sum for that time era.
SOURCE: http://ingenweb.org/inparke/Biographies/LParkeBiographies.htm
"LUSK, William, farmer and stock dealer, Lusk's Springs, the son ofSalmon and Mary (Beard) Lusk, was born near Clinton, in VermilionCounty, Indiana in 1824. His father was a native of Vermont, whoenlisted as a soldier and located at Ft. Harrison in 1816; shortlyafterward he bought a farm in Vermilion County, got married and movedon it, his wife being the daughter of old John Beard, who built thefirst mill on Sugar Creek. He remained there, working on the farm andrunning what was known as the Durgee's ferry, until April 3, 1826,when he removed to Sugar Creek Township, settling at the narrows, andthere erected a mill, which had 3 runs of burrs and a saw, doing avery large business in grinding, sawing and packing pork, and sent ashigh as 20 flatboats to New Orleans annually. The mill and all thesurrounding buildings were swept away by what is known as the NewYear's freshet, on New Year's morning at 8 o'clock, 1847. Mr. Luskhas one brother, John and two sisters, Lydia and Susan, now alive; hisbrother Salmon, who enlisted in the 85th In Vol. having been killed atThompson Station, TN. Mr. William Lusk received his education at alog schoolhouse which was situated north of the narrows, an old mannamed James Downey being the teacher and during life has engaged inagricultural pursuits entirely, his farm of 1,020 acres requiring mostof his time. In 1849, he went to California, during the gold feverand remained there 3 years, returning with $1,800. He married,October16, 1860, Miss Sarah Davis, daughter of Samuel Davis, one ofthe first settlers at Bloomingdale; by whom he has had 7 children, sixof whom are still alive: Dewitt C; Chancey W; Arthelia; William L;Samuel Salmon and Lindell J. He is a member of Annapolis Lodge AF &AM and in politics is republican. His father died August 28, 1869;his mother yet survives at the age of 78 years. Taken from: 1880History of Parke County, Indiana by J. H. Beadle. Chicago: H. H. Hill& N. Iddings, Publishers." [Transcribed 25 May 2008, SLJuhl,Compiler--sljuhl1234@yahoo.com]
SOURCE: http://ingenweb.org/inparke/Biographies/LParkeBiographies.htm
"LUSK, William. This name will be recognized by our readers as thatof a gentleman who has borne an important part in the development ofthe agricultural resources of Washington Township, Parke County. Heis a son of Solomon and Mary Beard Lusk, and was born in VermillionCounty December 7, 1825. The former parent was born in PoltneyRutland County, Vermont, where he grew to manhood, remaining with hisparents until reaching maturity. He was of Irish and English descent. In 1816 he went to Fort Harrison, Indiana, and soon after entered theUnited States service under General Harrison, where he remained fortwo years, during which time he suffered an attack from the Indians.After he left the US service he purchased a farm in Bruit's Creek,Vermillion County, but in a few years sold this tract and came toParke County, where he bought a farm on Sugar Creek and ran a sawmillfor 21 years. During all these years, he managed to accumulate landuntil he had about 3000 acres which he entered from the Government,besides 900 acres which he bought of the Chief Black Hawk in Iowa.About the year 1818 Mr. Beard, our subject's grandfather, went withhis family to Ft. Harrison where his son-in-law had settled and therelocated. Solomon Lusk was married about 1820 to a daughter of JohnBeard, of Maryland. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church.Politically he was a Whig, and in later years took his stand with theRepublicans. He fought gallantly in the late struggle between theNorth and South and when Lincoln issued the call for recruits he wasactively engaged in reinforcing the army. At this time his sonSalmon, who was afterward killed in a battle fought at ThompsonStation near Nashville was enlisted. The father of our subject wasthe first to purchase Government bonds sold in the county at the timeof the war. To himself and wife 10 children were born, four of whomare yet living: William; John; Lydia and Susan. He died at age 82,his wife surviving him some years. William Lusk took charge of partof his father's business at the age of 25. His educationaladvantages, which were limited, were received in the district schoolsof this township. At the time when the gold fever was prevalentthroughout the country he was seized with a desire to go toCalifornia, and in 1849, with a company known as the Illinois &Springfield, he started across the plains in March, and after acomparatively uneventful journey of 7 months, arrived in the GoldenState. For some months he was engaged in the mines on the Middle Forkof the American River, where he was moderately successful.Subsequently he embarked as "mine host" in the hotel business, whichproved even more profitable than was his former occupation. After asojourn in the western states of 3 and 1/2 years, during which timehis life was made up of alternate days of sunshine and shadow, ofencouragements and discouragements, our subject boarded the steamer."Winfield Scott," and sailed to Panama, thence taking the "NorthernLight" to NY city. After his return home he attended the WavelandSchool for two terms, remaining at home with his father until hismarriage to Sarah DAVIS. This union has been blessed by the birth of8 children: four of whom died in childhood. Those living are: DeWitt;Chancey; Arthelia and Lindell J. Arthelia is the wife of NathanWoods. Socially Mr. Lusk is a prominent member of the Ancient Free &Accepted Masons. Politically he was formerly a Republican, but is nowa strong Prohibitionist. He has served the Republican party asdelegate to several state conventions. For a number of years he hasled a retired life, and in the last decade has traveled a great dealhis journeys covering over 7000 miles. He has visited almost everystate in the Union, including Canada and Mexico. He has spent anumber of winters in the sunny state of Florida, and is always readyto share the information thus gained with his associates. As acitizen of Washington Township, Mr. Lusk ranks among the most wealthyand cultured. At the present time he owns a large estate comprising600 acres of productive land. - Portrait & Biographical Record ofMontgomery, Parke & Fountain Counties, Indiana (Chapman, 1893 p 396)"[Transcribed 25 May 2008, SLJuhl, Compiler--sljuhl1234@yahoo.com]
Wyoming State Archives Barrett Building, 2301 Central Avenue,Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307) 777-7826, (307) 777-7044 FAX
E-MAIL: WYARCHIVE@STATE.WY.US
http://wyoshpo.state.wy.us/westerntrails/photoalbum/archives/documents/ar/index.htm
http://wyoshpo.state.wy.us/westerntrails/archives.html
http://wyoarchives.state.wy.us/HistoricPhotographicCollection.htm
?DIARY OF ALEX RAMSAY
WRITTEN WHILE TRAVELING TO CALIFORNIA DURING THE ?GOLD RUSH? 1849.
(38 pages)
EXCERPTS:
Left Park(e) County, Indiana, for California March 21st 1849 incompany with John Ramsay, John Moor, Wm. Lusk, Wm. Inge and Wm. Smock,making six persons, with one wagon and six mules. Arrived St. Louis,278 miles, April 8th. (pg.1)
Left St. Louis April 10th and arrived at St. Joseph, 530 miles, April16th, making 808 miles from home. Etc?(pg 1)
May 6th; Sabbath. Moved two miles to a good camping ground and forthe purpose of meeting with the Springfield Company, consisting ofeight wagons and thirty-one men; our company of two wagons with elevenmen, making ten wagons and forty-two men. The wagons were loaded withfrom twenty-five to thirty-five hundred each. Etc?(pg. 1)
May 10th; Joined by a company of seven wagons and twenty-six men fromDayton, Ohio. Our company now consists of seventeen wagons andsixty-eight men. Etc?(pg. 2)
May 27th; Sabbath, did not travel. Had a pleasant day of rest and atfour o?clock in the afternoon had a sermon preached by a Presbyterianpreacher from Ohio. Had an excellent, practical sermon and anattentive audience. Moor no better. Etc?(pg. 5)
June 1st; Started this morning early and traveled a few miles up theriver, passing an encampment of Sioux Indians. They appearedpeaceable and wanted to sell us horses or anything they had forwhiskey, but we did not trade any with them. Etc?(pg. 6)
June 17th; Sabbath. The most important incident of today was thatsome hunters ran four buffalo into our camp. They were the first thatmost of us have had a plain view of, having seen them before at adistance. There was a good deal of excitement amongst us as the hugeanimals approached our camp in full lope. Every man was hurrying toprepare his gun for a shot and rushed out to meet them and as soon asthey came into shooting distance, every man fired away. One of thebuffalo was killed, the others wheeled off and made their escape.Etc?(pg. 9-10)
July 4th; This is the Great Day of American Independence and on whichour nation will meet in crowds to do honor to the day and to offerthanks to God for the gift. It is from necessity a day of rest withus and as a natural consequence, our minds carry us back to our fardistant homes and friends and relatives, whilst we cannot suppress asecret wish that we could spend this day with them. ?But alas, howfleet is a glance of the mind compared with the spread of its flight.The tempest itself lags behind and the swift winged arrows of light,for alas recollection at hand soon hurries us back to despair.? Weare much worried by the trials and fatigues of the long journey andthe immense numbers of immigrants who are upon the road makes itdoubly tiresome from the fact that they are constantly in each other?sway, and more particularly at the crossings of rivers and difficultplaces on the road; here at this time are two or three hundred wagonswith their accompanying teams and men and the ground is covered with acoat of light dust of two inches in depth, which the wind isconstantly carrying to and fro whilst the sun is pouring down hishottest rays upon us, and the wonder is that some of us only and notall of us are sick. The river at this place runs a south course andis a tributary of the Colorado which empties into the Gulf ofCalifornia. This river, as well as all others in the vicinity of theRocky Mountains, rises and falls alternately once in twenty fourhours, the rise commencing at twelve o?clock of the day and continuingtill twelve at night, when it commences falling. This ebb and flow isowing to the melting of the snow in the mountains and only takes placefor awhile about this season of the year. This evening at fouro?clock I with eleven other immigrants were called upon by the crowden mass to serve on a jury in a case of murder which had beencommitted about a week since, back at Devil?s Gate, and the criminalwas apprehended a short distance beyond this and brought back here fortrial, but the trial failed in consequence of the inability of GeneralSimonson of the U.S. Army and his officers, to whom the immigrantslooked for a fair investigation of the case, but soon after the trialcommenced they quarreled among themselves and came to blows, when thecourt broke up in a row, and the prisoner recrossed the river and wenton his way rejoicing. There is a general expression of disapprovalamongst the people at the result, and in this case we believe we see afair sample of the protection that we may expect of lives and propertyduring our residence in California. Thus ended the Fourth of July,1849 on Green River. (pgs 14-15) Etc
August 15th; Last night about midnight, the alarm of attack byIndians was given, the guard firing his gun calling for help. In ashort time all who could raise a gun were ready and marched forward inthe direction from which the alarm was given, and on reaching thesentinel, it was discovered that he had mistaken a mule for an Indianand had fired at it, but fortunately had missed his mark. He said hehad hailed it three times asking the watchword which it did not give,and then he fired and seeing that he had missed he called for help.There was a good deal of laughing done at his expense. This morningit was found that all were safe and well. We started early andfollowed the gorge all day, etc? (pg.26)
NOTE: Wm Lusk is mentioned several times in the journal along withAlex Ramsay's cousin John Ramsay. If you ever wanted to know what itwas like in the Westward Expansion to the Gold Fields of Californiafor settlers, this journal/diary is a wonderful piece of actualhistory. A movie screen writer would love it. It is full ofdescriptions and information and adventure. Even if you are notrelated in any way, this would make a wonderful history lesson foradults and children in bringing to life ?how it actually was? fortraveling settlers to the West in the mid-1800?s.
[Transcribed 29 Nov 2008, SLJuhl RNBSC, Compiler & Family Genealogist;sljuhl1234@yahoo.com]
SOURCE: Bloomingdale Cemetery, Parke County, Indiana
http://members.tripod.com/~Karoann/Bloomingdale-I-L.html
"LUSK Sarah 07-28-1839 03-03-1894
LUSK Lindell J. 09-29-1874 10-04-1898
LUSK Mary 12-02-1876 01-29-1878
LUSK Willie L. 11-09-1871 08-19-1880
LUSK William 12-07-1824 04-12-1903
LUSK infant hours 09-14-1873 William
LUSK Lindrell J. 23y-11m 10-05-1898"
[Transcribed 25 May 2008, SLJuhl, Compiler--sljuhl1234@yahoo.com]
"1880 United States Federal Census
Name: William Lusk
Home in 1880: Sugar Creek, Parke, Indiana
Age: 54
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1826
Birthplace: Indiana
Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head)
Spouse's Name: Sarah
Father's birthplace: Vermont
Mother's birthplace: Pennsylvania
Occupation: Farmer
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Household Members: Name Age
William Lusk 54 white, male, Indiana
Sarah Lusk 40 white, female, wife, keeping house, Indiana
Dewit C. Lusk 18 white, male, son, farm laborer, Indiana
Chauncy W. Lusk 17 white, male, son, farm laborer, Indiana
Arthelia Lusk 16 dau., white, female, at home, Indiana
William L. Lusk 8 white, male, son, Indiana
Samuel S. Lusk 6 white, male, son, Indiana
Lindell J. Lusk 4 white, male, son, Indiana
Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Sugar Creek, Parke,Indiana; Roll: T9_303; Family History Film: 1254303; Page: 408.2000;Enumeration District: 169; Image: 0301; Page 14; Enum. 169.Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: TheGenerations Network, Inc., 2005."
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1824 - 1903 (78 years)