A BRASHEAR(S) FAMILY HISTORY, VOL. 6:
"Brashears-Breshears Families-TN, MO, etc."
by Charles Brashear


Volume 6 of A BRASHEAR(S) FAMILY HISTORY, “Brashears-Breshears Families–TN,MO,etc” is now a reality. I’ve received a proof, corrected the short-comings, and the company tells me that I can now order books. So, now I’ll accept orders from interested members of the family. Or strangers for that matter.

The book is hard-bound in blue cloth, 728 pages long (see table of contents below); xx pp of front matter; 693 pp of text, including 80 pp of index (over 12,000 elements, said my computer, which coughed and sputtered a little in generating it); and about a dozen pp of advertisements for previous books in the series). The book contains about 100 pictures (they came out remarkably well, considering that many of them were seriously faded with age, spattered with tears or coffee, and sometimes torn through loving use or carelessness, plus some of them were simple Kodak box camera pictures to begin with (not the best of focus). The book also contains about a dozen maps and scans of other documents.

The cost will be $40 + $3 postage, handling, packaging. You can order the book from me,
               Charles Brashear, Books Etc
               2380 NW Estaview Circle
               Corvallis, OR 97330-1066
               phone: 541/738-2685
               e-mail: brashear@mail.sdsu.edu   
or through your friendly book store (tell them it is a Lightning Source book, ISBN 0-933362-17-X     $40 --  40% commercial discount).


Visit the Charles Brashear website: www.charlesbrashear.com



        This book is about Basil and Middleton Brashears and their (possible) Brashears, Breshears, Beshears, Boshears, and other descendants in Lawrence Co, Tennessee; Benton, Polk, Hickory, and neighboring counties, Missouri; the Boise area of Idaho; the Okanagan Valley in Washington; eastern Oklahoma; and a few other places.
        The family story is that when a group of brothers, cousins, and nephews left Lawrence Co, TN, in the 1830s, each of them changed one letter in his surname.
The sons of John Brashears, Sr (married Mary Berry) kept the old spelling.
The sons of Henry Brashears, Sr (married Eleanor Hardin) changed to Breshears.
A brother who moved to Arkansas, William Arthur Brashears (m. Anna Etheridge) changed his surname to Breashears.
A nephew in Arkansas, Berry Brashears (married Anna ____) changed his name to Boshears.
The three cousins in Benton, Polk, and Hickory County went by Middleton Brashears, Nathan Turner Breshears, and Alexander Brashears.
Some of the descendants of the oldest brother, Basil Brashears, Sr, used Beshears, Boshears, and Brashears as their surname.

Volume 6 - Table of Contents

Preface iii

1. BASIL BRASHEAR(S) and Anne Belt      1
Basil’s Ancestry        1
Basil’s Family  5
Belt Family Connections 9
BASIL IN MARYLAND       12
Imprisonment for Debt   14
BASIL IN NORTH CAROLINA 16
Land Grants     18
The Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions   24
Basil’s Second Bankruptcy       26
BASIL IN SOUTH CAROLINA: His Third Bankruptcy   27

2. MIDDLETON BRASHEARS, The Elder       29
Middleton in North Carolina     30
Middleton in South Carolina     31
Probable Family of Middleton Brashears  32

3. BASIL BRASHEARS Sr, b. c1765 35
Westward Migrations     36
Family of Basil Brashears Sr    38
Basil Brashears Jr and Eliza Ann Simpson        43
William Andrew Beshears and Sarah Elizabeth Crow        45
Charles William Breshears and Rachel Chastain   47

4. JOHN BRASHEARS Sr, and Mary Berry    49
John’s Paper Tracks     50
Taking Care of an Older Couple  50
John and Mary’s Family  52
Estate Records  53
John Henry Brashears and Rebecca _______        55

5. ISAAC BRASHEARS/BESHEARS, Sr 57
Martha Martela Brashears and William John Pryor 58
Isaac Brashears Jr and Sidney Owl       62
George Washington Breshears     63
John Sidney Breshears and Ellen Smith   66
Marion Franklin Breshears and Lucille Christian 67
Jacob Isaac Breshears and Bessie M. Minton      71

6. JACOB BRASHEARS/BOSHEARS Sr  78
Thomas Jefferson Brashers and Nancy Law/ Sarah Brashears        80
Henry Boshears and Tabitha Stewart      82
Zachary Taylor Boshears 83
Henry Clay Boshears and Margaret Maynard        84
James A. Boshears and Lucy Sysco        88
JACOB BOSHEARS Jr and Martha Ann McGuire        90

7. BERRY M. BRASHEARS and Frances Pryor 96
The Pryor and Tripp Connections 96
Berry’s Family  98
Berry’s Blacksmith Records      101
Berry’s Civil War Records       102

8. WILLIAM JAMES BRASHEARS and Elizabeth ________/ Nellie ________,     103
William Henry “Willis” Brashears and Birl Fry   104
Berry Franklin Brashears and Eliza F. Simpson   105

9. HENRY NEWTON BRASHEARS and Mary Ann Brownlow/ Sarah Ann Allie        106
Ozrow W. Brashears and Ada Nancy Hanson 111
Joseph B. Brashears and Ada Paralee Kirk        116
William Patrick Brashears and Lester Blackwell/ Mona Browne     119
Berry Francis Brashears and Oma G. Johnson      122

10. DICEY ANN BRASHEARS and James M. Brookins   124
11. MARTILLA “TEALLIE” BRASHEARS and John W. Penny      128

12. REUBEN T. BRASHEARS and Elizabeth “Bettie” Harbour  130
John William Henry Brashears and Viola White    133
Thomas Jefferson Brashears and Lula Beck        137
Frances “Fanny” Brashear and Oyd McKinney       137
Berry Webb Brashears and Ida Mae Shaw   140
Eulalie “Lou” Brashears and Dave Hicks/ Ed Barnhart/ Charles Thomas “Tom” Jobe  143
Sarah Elizabeth “Sally” Brashears and William David Parkhill    149
Nancy Dovie Brashears and Warner Sandy/ Seb Bird        155
Sherman Monroe Brashears and Lura Mae Cresswell 160

13. HENRY BRASHEARS/BRESHEARS, SR, and Eleanor Hardin   162
Tennessee Land Grant #21592     164
Some Lawrence Co, TN, Records   165
Henry and Eleanor’s Family      166
Etheridge Family Connections    168
Estate of Henry Breshears, Sr   169

14. WILLIAM BREASHEARS and Anna Etheridge       172
William and Anna’s Family       173

15. MATTHEW BREASHEARS  and Elizabeth Parker    175
Louisa Ellen Breashears and Abram Frank Lamb    179
John Riley Breashears and Nancy Ann Reed/ Mary Jane Bolton      181
Lemuel Casziel Breashears and Mary Ellen Hogan  183
Carroll Cunlee Breashears and Sarah E. Hogan    189
Leander Breashears and Emma Mae Nix     190
Elva Cloe Breashears and Leon Lazenby   192
James Madison “Jim” Breashears and Georgia Chapman      195
George Alford Breashears and Gertrude Southard  195

16. SARAH ANN BREASHEARS and John Humphreys     198

17. JOHN BRESHEARS and Naoma Ann Hogg   200
Some Missouri Records   204
John’s Military and Estate Records      205
Family of John Breshears and Naoma Ann Hogg     207
Albert (Elbert) Breshears and Allie Madewell    211

18. MARY ALBANY BRESHEARS  and Abraham James Baker/ Noah Jackson Bray   214

19. HENRY HARDIN BRESHEARS  and Catherine Baker 216

20. REUBEN DOBBIN BRESHEARS and Mary H. Batten  218
John M. Breshears and Rhoda Ann Keith   222
James Batten Breshears and Harriet Bass 231

21. WILLIAM ARTHUR BRESHEARS and Abigail Jane Batten    232
John Morrison Link Breshears and Safrona Tuckness/ Laura Engle  234
Susan Ellen Breshears and Joseph Anderson       240
Sarah M. Breshears and John Tuckness    242
Reuben Joseph Breshears and Margaret Buckles    243
William Jackson “Jack” Breshears and Minnie Lois Brooks 245

22. JESSE CARROLL BRESHEARS and Rhoda Catherine Jump    250
James Knox Polk Breshears, II and Rebecca J. Anderson   251
John Henry Breshears and E.T. Gent      252
Mary Lucinda Breshears and Charles Leslie Gladden/ George W. Holt       256
Matoka Erickson Breshears and Ida Rush  258

23. JOHN WESTLEY BRESHEARS and Lucy Baker       260
William Henry “Buster” Breshears and Ocee Opal Wells:   264

24. MARGARET NAOMI BRESHEARS and Joseph Henry Jump      266

25. JOSEPH W. BRESHEARS and Isabell Brashears/ Prudence Tipton  269

26. JAMES KNOX POLK BRESHEARS, I and his three wives 274
Hattie Mae Breshears and Clarence “C.L.” Gray   276

27.THOMAS HART BENTON BRESHEARS and Nancy Ann Potter    283

28. ANDREW JACKSON BRESHEARS and Martha Hammack 285

29. JESSE BRASHEARS and Elizabeth Bell/ Mary Ellen Franklin     288
Robert Hiram “Bob Hiram” Breshears and Anna Breshears   290
James Monroe Breshears and Mary Elizabeth Southard      291
Hiram “Hi” Breshears and Mary Dickerson 296
Amanda “Mandy” Breshears and Steven B. Breshears        298
Nancy Ellen Breshears  and George Washington Hill       302

30. HENRY BRESHEARS JR, Atsa “Atsey” Etheridge, and Their Older Children        306
Tennessee Land Grant #25610     307
Henry’s Estate in Missouri      308
Family of Henry Breshears Jr and Atsa “Atsey” Etheridge 309

31. JAMES ALEXANDER BRESHEARS, Sr, and Sarah Ann Jordan 312

32. LEVI ROBERT “LEE” BRESHEARS and Mary Anna Garner    316
James Taylor Breshears and Fanny Antwiler       317
Atsey D. Breshears and William Joseph Rodgers   319

33. MADISON GOLMAN BRESHEARS and Elizabeth M. Brown     322
Mary Jane Breshears and George Nimrod Ihrig     324
William Thomas “Wild Bill” Breshears and Rachel Ihrig/ Anna Ihrig       327
Cora Etta Breshears and Marion Southard 331
Steve Franklin Breshears and Florence Elizabeth Hunter  333
John Wesley Breshears and his Four Wives        336
Alice Bertha Breshears and Charlie Rogers       337
Marvin Breshears and Martha Wells/ Elizabeth Millinger  339
Francis Marion Breshears and Sallie Wells       341
Levi “Prairie Levi” Breshears and Sarah E. Thornton     344
Ollie Goldman Breshears and Susan Cosby Cook    345
George William “Bill” Breshears and Harriet Eudona “Dona” Breshears     348
Henry Belsis Breshears and Sarah Elizabeth Breshears/ Ida Elsie Button  350
Levi Ransom Breshears and Hettie Noble Button   358
Dona Lea Breshears and “Ted” Brooks     366
Jacob “Jake” Breshears and Ruby Virginia Dietz  370
John Francis “Little Frank” Breshears and Sarah H. Hodges       372

34. SUSANNA “SUKEY” BRESHEARS and Shandy Jordan/ Jesse Miller   374

35. WILLIAM MARION BRESHEARS and Mary Jane Pippin       376

36. SARAH MALISSA BRESHEARS and William Nute Jordan     379

37. HENRY THOMAS BRESHEARS and Sabrina J. Murray        381
John Henry Breshears and Virginia Delilah Salisbury     385
William Jasper “Jas” Breshears and Martha Ann “Mattie” Holley   386
Orval Glen “Bus” Breshears and Lola Mae Breshears       389
James Thomas Breshears and Malinda Catherine Southard   393
Emma Leanna Breshears and George Washington Wright      394

38. JOHN MARTIN VAN BUREN BRESHEARS and Susannah Ihrig  397
George N. Breshears and Rebecca Jane Butler     400
William Marion Breshears and Sarah Francis Southard     402
Elizabeth Ellen “Lizzie” Breshears and Henry M. Colbert 406
Burr Emerson Breshears and Mary Rebecca “Becky” Rash    406

39. ANDREW JACKSON BRESHEARS and Mary Jane Parsley      407
Goulsberry “Gulie” Breshears and Etta Frances Breshears 410
Eli Breshears and Lucinda Jane Murray   412
Samuel Breshears and Ettie Baugh        414

40. MARCUS MONROE BRESHEARS and Leanna Murray   416

41. ATSEY ADALINE BRESHEARS and Joel Ihrig      418

42. WILLIAM CARROLL (GREEN) BRESHEARSand Mary Orleana Rice      419
Isaac David “Ike” Breshears and Elva Jane Breshears     421
William Carroll Breshears Jr and Victoria E. Cox        423

43. JAMES BRASHEARS and THREE BROTHERS of Missouri:     426
James’s Family  427

44. MIDDLETON BRASHEARS (the Younger),and Jane _____    430
John Breshears and Emily J. Skidmore    434

45. NATHAN TURNER BRESHEARS and Elizabeth Catherine Keele       436
John K. Robert Breshears and his Three Wives    439
Robert D. Breshears and his Two Wives   441
John Carroll Breshears and Clora Ann McKee      443
James Keele Breshears and Mary Ann McDonald     447
Nathan Joseph Breshears and Martha Elizabeth Montgomery 450
James Harley Breshears and Jessie Maude Stafford        452
Zadock Calvin “Zade” Breshears and Susan Livonia Stratton       453
Calvin Breshears and Missouri Jane Davidson/ Malissa Catherine Silkey   457
Nathaniel John Breshears and Martha Lou Silkey/ Sarah Jane Hoover       462
James Price Breshears and Mary Ellen Gaunt      465

46. ALEXANDER BRASHEARSand MARGARET BRESHEARS   467
Louisa Breshears and Moses Southard     471
John Alexander Brashears and Nancy Jane Tipton  473
Edward Franklin Breshears and Annie M. Dickey   478
Robert E. Lee Brashears and Mary Frances “Fannie” Holley        479
William Wesley “Will” Breshears and Eliza Ellen Butler  481
Lowis William Breshears and Inice Marie Breshears       484
Hugh Walter Brashears and Bernetta A. Maxwell   487
James H. Breshears and Sarah Lizabeth Henderson 490
William Thomas Breshears and His Three Wives    492
Everett Dean Breshears and Huetta Laverne Newell        494

47. BERRY BRASHEARS (BOSHEARS) and Anna _______, of Arkansas    496
Berry's Paper Trail     499
The Clan in Arkansas    502
Berry Boshears’ Family  505
ANDREW “DRURY” “DREW” BOSHEARS and REBECCA BRASHEARS    508
ELLEN BRASHEARS and Samuel McHughes     510
ELIZABETH H. BRASHEARS and John Harmon Wyatt    511
ROBERT HENRY "UNCLE BOB" BOSHEARS and Rebecca E. _____/  Mary Ellis     513
 Kirkpatrick and Brashears Connections  515
Nancy Henrietta E. Beshears and John Lewis Kirkpatrick  517
NANCY H. BRASHEARS and Simpson Burks/ Richard Isom Brazil       518
“LITTLE BERRY” BRASHEARS and Mary Jane Smith    522
HENRY CLAY BRASHEARS, and his Seventeen Children        524

HENRY BRASHEARS and Martha Godwin       541
DeKalb Brashears and Nancy Arminda Meredith     543
William Henry Breshears and Cynthia Jane Robbins        546
Martha Breshears and Hugh Gaston Anderson       547
Moses Taylor Breshears Sr and Rose Lee Noles    550
Robert Monroe Brashears and Almedia Bates       552
Avie Artimus Breshears and John F. Covey        554
Sadie Breshears and Virgil Edward Housley       555
Lola Ethel Breshears and Jim Covey      556
Mary Elizabeth Brashears and Frederick A. Meredith      558
Alice Lou Brashears and Will Cass       560

48. JOHN BRASHEAR (Berry’s Brother?) and Betsy Randall/ Elizabeth Chambers      561
Philip Randal Brashears and Mary Elizabeth Brown        562
William Franklin Brashear and Evelyn Fredonia Deere     563
Orlando Brashears and Fannie Bladgett   566

49. Nancy Elizabeth Brashear and Andrew Wilson  567

50. BRASHEARS FAMILIES OF ANGELINA CO, TEXAS    570
JAMES M. “JIM” BRASHEARS and Mary Elizabeth Maribe Jones        570
James Brashears in Arkansas     571
The Move to Texas       572
James and Maribe's Sons 574
JOHN M. “JACKSON” BRASHEARS and Nancy Clementine Treadwell      583
John Clisby Brashears and Rosa Louella McClendon        585
Richard Filmore Brashears and Esther Havard     588
Robert Calloway “Cal” Brashears and Maggie Elizabeth Lott       590
James Jackson Brashear and Nora Elizabeth Parrott       592
Carlton Dole Brashears and Malissie C. Sims     595
Artilla Mable Brashear and Ellie Jeptha Douglass        596
JESSE MARION WALTER BRASHEAR and Frances Elizabeth Forest       597
Robert Calvin Brashear, II, and Jennie McMullen/ Pearl Wade     600
Robert Calvin Brashear, III, and Mississippi Hubbard    601
William Anthony Brashear and Georgia Scarborough        603
LUCINDA MARIE BRASHEARS and James S. Neyland    604
Some Texas Strays:      610

INDEX   613
APPENDIX (some advertisements for my books)     694
Plan for a 9-volume “A BRASHEAR(S) FAMILY HISTORY”      694
Vol 1: THE FIRST 200 YEARS OF BRASHEAR(S) IN AMERICA    697
Vol 2: ROBERT C. BRASHEAR OF NORTH CAROLINA and Some Descendants in TN, KY, MO, TX, etc,        698
Vol 3: Robert Samuel Brashears, “The Rolling Stone,” and Some Descendants in TN and KY. 700
Vol 4. Brashear(s) Families of the Ohio Valley  701
Vol 5. Two Brashears Families of the Lower Mississippi Valley, their Choctaw and other Descendants.     702
Vol. 6 Brashears/Breshears (Beshears, Boshears) Families of TN, MO, ID, WA, OK, etc,    704
MY HISTORICAL FICTION:  704
Killing Cynthia Ann, a novel,   704
Comeuppance at Kicking Horse Casino, and Other Stories, 705
Brain, Brawn, and Will: The Turmoils and Adventures of Jeff Ross        705
Contemporary Insanities: Short Fictions,        706
FIVE BOOKS ON WRITING   707
ELEMENTS OF CREATIVITY  707
ELEMENTS OF DIALOG, DIALECT, and CONVERSATIONAL STYLE   708
ELEMENTS OF THE NOVEL: An Update on Forster     709
A WRITER’S TOOLKIT      709
ELEMENTS OF FORM AND STYLE IN EXPOSITORY ESSAYS 710

               Charles Brashear, Books Etc
               2380 NW Estaview Circle
               Corvallis, OR 97330-1066
               phone: 541/738-2685
               e-mail: brashear@mail.sdsu.edu   


Visit the Charles Brashear website: www.charlesbrashear.com