More DeBusk/Courtney ties in southwest VA
While researching another family line, I came across a North Carolina land grant in Hawkins county, TN.Grant #370, originally to Daniel Grant for 400 acres at the foot of Clinch Mountain.He signed the warrant over to Robert Kile, who signed it over to William Courtney and Elisha DeBusk "for Vallue of them Rec'd" on 13 July, 1786.On Sept 24, 1787, Elisha and William signed the warrant over to John Thompson "for Vallu Receaved."The witness was Jonathan Courtney.
In a letter to my great-great aunt, Jennie DeBusk Todd, William M. Widener stated:
Copy of letter from Family Book DEBUSK GENEALOGY WITH Related Lines, compiled by Doris Miller Schnur, at the Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia.Copy made October 11, 2003.
I am William M. Widener, the millwright that worked on your mother’s mill and stayed with your mama and you was about 12 years old then, wearing short dresses.You come down to the mill every day to tell me dinner was ready;you was pretty then and hope you look well now.So you want to hear something of the DeBusks or “French” “DeBaus”.
In 1785 or shortly after the Revolutionary War, three Dubaus came up from S. Carolina to Va.Their names was Elijah, Elihue, Elisha similar names in sound.Elijah married a Rouse and they had nine children, four boys and five girls.The sons’ names were John, Elijah, Isaac, Paulser.Girls names were Marie, Katie, Eunice, Susie and Rachel.
Lihue married a Courtney.He had three boys.I don’t know any of the girls.Isaac, Elijah, and Andrew.I will say right ther that Courtneys were wheelwrights, so the Lihue boys were all experts, Elijah and Andrew were both wheelwrights.
Elisha - don’t know who he married.Shortly after he married he moved to the state of Ohio which was settling fast then..."letter written March 22, 1908
It seems that William may have had all the Eli--- DeBusks a bit mixed up.I can definitely trace my DeBusk line back through Andrew DeBusk who married Polly Courtney, and his parents were almost certainly Elisha and Esther of the posted-everywhere Russell co, VA Will book 3, p. 207, 04 Mar 1817.So "my" Elisha didn't go to Ohio.
Also, in a box of my great-uncle Samuel DeBusk's papers in the Colorado Archives, there's a letter to Emory and Henry college where he states:
"concerning my own family, I am of French ancestry on my father's side, and Scotch Irish on my Mother's side.[Ann Jones Snodgrass]All of the DeBusks in Va. & a few in surrounding states are descended from three brothers who moved back from the Carolina section of country.The original name DuBois, or DuBose usually obtains, but I have met it written DeBois or even DuBusque..When the French Protestants, or Huguenots, were driven out of France, many went to England, but some to the Carolinas & some to New York.A few slightly changed their French names in an endeavor to adapt them to the English tongue.Many of these Huguenots were workers in wood and manufacturers in other lines.As workmen they were valuable to the localities where they settled. One of my grandfathers was a wheel-wright & taught his sons the trade.They made spinning wheels and such - made all kinds furniture etc. - could do nearly anything in wood or iron."