Robert Early Bush

The 1850 census shows Robert at age 2. His father was a carpenter with real estate valued at $900 and his mother was noted as not being able to read or write. Urbane Bush was marked as owning four slaves that year.

Urbane Bush died in September of 1859. According the Mortality Schedule from the 1860 census he was accidentally shot and lingered on for 11 days before passing. The census form does not clarify if he accidentally shot himself or if it was another person.

The census of 1860 lists Ann as the head of the family and as a farmer with land worth $2,000 and a personal estate valued at $1,985. Robert and his three sisters are listed with her. Robert has attended school that year. Also living in the home L. A. Hazzard a 22 year old female who works in the house. Ann Bush also appears on the 1860 slave schedule holding four slaves.

The 1870 census lists Robert at age 22 as the head of the family and as a farmer with land worth $1,500 and a personal estate of $250. His mother and three sisters; 19, 14 and 11 are all listed.

Robert's mother passed away in 1872 and he married Eudora Virginia Alexander soon after on March 13th, 1873 in Northumberland County. They were married by William H. Kirk at the residence of Eudora's mother. Urbane Alexander was born in 1874, William Sidney was born in 1876 and John Elbert was born in 1878.

Also in 1873 while acting as the administrator of his mother's estate Robert applied to the Southern Claims Commission for reimbursement of $238.75 for goods taken from their household by Union Soldiers during the Civil War. Robert claimed that one horse valued at $200, a shotgun worth $20 and 75 pounds of bacon valued at 25 cents per pound had been seized by US Cavalry troops under the command of General Kirpatrick in June or July 1863. The claim was refused.

On July 27th, 1877 Robert purchased a parcel of land containing 2 acres and "three roods" (3/4 of an acre) for $13.75 from W.F. Dunaway and Roberta his wife. The bounds were described as "beginning at the corner of the said Bushs fence on the main road leading from Lebanon Church to Davenports Store (which is also a corner for the said Dunaway & wife) and running thence along the old line between the said parties to this deed to a stob, thence to an old oak stump, thence to a side line white oak N 82 1/4 degrees to a side line pine on the road aforesaid and thence along the road to the beginning."

On October 8th, 1877 David Landreth of the Monaskon Wood Company released his lease on "Centerville" said to contain 305 acres to Robert Bush. Landreth continued to operate in Lancaster County as the Landreth Seed Company for many years. I have not found the deed that began the lease.

The 1880 census shows Robert and Eudora with the three boys, also living with them Robert's sister Fannie, now 21, and William Alexander, 8 months, listed as a nephew. Robert is noted as being afflicted with typhoid fever at the time of the census. A daughter, Effus, was born in 1881 and Robert E. was born in 1884.

Robert and Eudora's second son, William Sidney died in 1896 of meningitis. He was buried behind the farmhouse. In the 1900 census the four remaining children still live at home. Robert's occupation is as a farmer and carpenter. Urbane and John work on the farm with him.

By the 1910 census all of the children have moved out. Robert and Eudora have been married for 36 years with 4 out of 5 children surviving. At 63 Robert is still working on the farm. They have living with them a 16 year old mulatto boy named Willie Mitchell, his relationship is given as servant and he works on the farm.

In 1920 Robert is shown as living with his nephew Willie Barnes, son of his sister Elizabeth Bush, in the Whitechapel magisterial district of Lancaster County. He is listed as a boarder, 72, single and unemployed. Eudora appears living with their son John Elbert but is listed as married. Eudora and John are shown as renters but they appear to still be living at the Bush home-place. It seems like Robert and Eudora had some difficulty in their marriage in later years.

Robert died from influenza on May 25th, 1923 in the Whitechapel area, probably still living with Willie Barnes. His death certificate states that he was divorced. His son Urbane was given as the informant. His usual occupation was listed as farmer and mechanic. He was buried at the Bush Home-place (Centerville Farm) on May 26th. Jarell Dodson in Farnham was the undertaker.

Robert's will was written just a week before his death. He directed that he be buried at the right hand side of his son Sidney and that the lot be covered with at least six inches of concrete. He also asked that a headstone costing about $600 be placed at the grave site in honor of him and Sidney. Robert left 52 acres of land known "Conley's" in the north end of the county to his son Urban with the provision that it not be sold or have the timber cut for 15 years. Robert also left all of his personal property to Urban. He left to each of his other children $10.

The burial lot at the Bush Home-place is as Robert instructed. The large head stone bears Robert's name and date of death as well as his son William Sidney who died in 1896. Eudora and the other children are all buried at Lebanon Baptist Church just a couple miles from the Bush homeplace. When his son, Urban died his will directed the "placing the burial lots at Centerville Farm wherein my father and bother are buried, in good condition." His will was written in 1941 and probated in 1948.