Part 1 of 4 ------------------------ Happy New Year's Day Boschong Subscribers, We did research a long time ago on the family of John Bushong and Magdalena Bauserman which included grandson Abraham Bushong married to Adelaide Virginia Taylor, the daughter of Chloe Hackley and Herbert M. Taylor. Chloe Hackley and Herbert M. Taylor married 26 March 1833 in Fauquier County, VA. Check the BOSCHONG Archives for September 2005, January 2006, October 2006, April 2007, May 2007, June 2007, March 2008, June 2008, August 2009, September 2009, September 2010, and December 2010 for more information on this family lineage. Abraham Bushong was the son of William Bushong and Rachel Clem of Powell's Fort Bushongs. This family has an interesting family history since Adalaide Virginia Taylor's sister Mary Jane Taylor was married to Absolom Clem who was killed by bushwachers in 1862 in the Fort. Absolom Clem was the brother of Rachel Clem who married William Bushong, son of John Bushong and Magdalena Bauserman. Another part of the family history is that Arthur Godfrey bought Bushong land in 1946 near Clark's Gap, Loudoun County, Virginia. Abraham Bushong and wife Adelaide in Powells Fort in 1876 sold 60 acres of their land reserving a right away to their residence to Alfred Ritenour, son of George and Anna Ritenour. We believe this 60 acres was possibly part of 100 acres owned by the heirs of his brother Jacob Bushong that his father William had bought from Elizabeth McInturff Bushong , widow of his brother Jacob and her son Andrew Jackson Bushong, his nephew after Andrew reached age of consent in 1868. William Bushong died 31 March 1875. His widow Rachel Clem Bushong sold in 1881, more of their Powells' Fort land, 65 acres that came from her husband to Alfred Ritenour which means if they didn't sell the land, the heirs of Alfred Ritenour are living on Bushong land. The original tract was 212 acres plus other acreage and was divided among John Bushong's heirs. Some of the remaining acres was owned by Elizabeth Bushong and husband Isaac Coverstone. We have copies of most of the Deeds which we have put on our BOSCHONG List in January 2006 but think there are a few still missing. Much later in the family history, the Abraham Bushong family moved from Shenandoah County, to Clark's Gap in Warren County, to Loudoun County where Abraham Bushong bought a beautiful farm of 295 acres referred to as Greenlease Farm. After the death of Abraham and wife Adelaide Bushong, their children inherited the farm. They just referred to it as "The Farm." In October 1915 the son John and wife Pearl (Rake) Bushong sold their interest to his three siblings and moved to Washington DC area. Virgil, Minnie and Charles lived on the farm until 1918 when on 18 May 1918, Virgil conveyed his interest in the property to his two unmarried siblings, Minnie Belle Bushong and Charles E. Bushong for one dollar. On the 27 December 1919, Minnie Belle and Charles sold the 295 acres farm to Frank P Hurst. This farm was bought around 1946 by Arthur Godfrey and his wife, of radio and television fame and was one of two farms that Arthur Godfrey owned in Loudoun County, Virginia. Virgil S. Bushong after conveying his interest in the home farm at Clark's Gap to Charles and Minnie, then married 1 June 1918, Elizabeth Warren, a school teacher and bought a large farm at Mt. Gilead. Later Virgil S. Bushong bought additional property surrounding his Mountain View Farm. 10 April 1929 he bought 70 acres known as the Harrison Farm and 9 May 1931 the Jackson Place containing 192 acres . By the time Virgil Silman Bushong known as V. S. Bushong had finished buying property, he owned almost 1000 acres of land. He was a horse and cattle man. --------------------------- The Bushongs had a lot of idiosyncrasies and didn't always like the names they were born with. William M. Bushong alias Virgil Silman Bushong was no exception and made it known at a very early age that he did not like his name and would not answer to it. For a long time until he entered school, they called him "Buddy." When he entered school the school teacher insisted that he have a formal name so Buddy decided he liked the school teacher's name and proclaimed he would be known as Virgil Silman Bushong. Later, as an adult, he would use just his initials V. S. Bushong. --------------------------- Shenandoah County Virginia Deed Book SS Page 467 10 May 1841 THIS INDENTURE made the 10 day of May in the year 1841 between David McInturff Junr. Commissioner as hereinafter mentioned of the County of Shenandoah and State of Virginia of the one part and William Bushong and Jacob Bushong of the County and State aforesaid of the other part. WHEREAS by a decree pronounced on the 9 day of March 1841 by the Court of the said county in a suit in chancery between Isaac Coverstone and Elizabeth his wife complainants and William Bushong and others defendants, and also another decree of the date of these presents, it was, among other things therein mentioned, decreed and ordered that David McInturff Junr. be appointed commissioner for the purpose of selling the tract of land whereof John Bushong died seized, said to contain two hundred and twelve acres, more or less, and having duly advertised the time and place of sale, did, on the 19 day of March 1841, offer the said land upon the premises for sale to the highest bidder in the several payments in the decrees mentioned at which sale the said William Bushong and Jacob Bushong became the purchasers thereof at the sum of nine hundred and fifty five dollars and having received the cash payment now make this deed in pursuance of the aforesaid decree pronounced on the 10 day of May 1841. THIS INDENTURE witnesseth, that the said David McInturff Junr. for and in consideration of the premises and also for and in consideration of the said sum of Nine hundred and fifty five dollars in hand paid and secured to be paid by the said William Bushong and Jacob Bushong the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged the said David McInturff Junr. commissioner as aforesaid hath granted, bargained, sold and confirmed by these presents, doth grant, bargain, sell and confirm unto the said William Bushong and Jacob Bushong their heirs and assigns the aforesaid tract or parcel of land lying and being in Powells fort and is said to contain two hundred and twelve acres more or less exception the interest of dower therein assigned to Catharine Bushong widow of said John Bushong decd. for and during her natural life. Together with all and singular the appurtenances thereto belonging and the reversions and remainders, rents, issues and profits thereof, TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, all and singular the premises with the appurtenances hereby conveyed unto the said William Bushong and Jacob Bushong their heirs and assigns forever to the only proper use and behoof of the said William Bushong and Jacob Bushong their heirs and assigns forever as fully and completely as they can or may do by virtue of the said decree, this conveyance and the law in such cases made and provided by these presents. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF the said David McInturff Jr. commissioner as aforesaid hath hereunto set his hand and seal the day and year first above written. David McInturff Jr., Com., Seal Shenandoah County, SS We, David Crawford and Philip Stickley Justices of the Peace in the county aforesaid in the state of Virginia do hereby certify that David McInturff Jun. Com. and party to a certain deed bearing date the 10th day of May 1841 and hereunto annexed personally appeared before us in our county aforesaid and acknowledged the same to be his act and deed and desired us to certify the said acknowledgment to the Clerk of the County Court of Shenandoah in order that the said deed may be recorded. Given under our hands and seals this 10th day of May 1841. David Crawford, Seal Philip Stickley, Seal Shenandoah County, SS This within conveyance was returned to the Clerk's office of said County on the 10th day of August 1841 and admitted to record. Teste P. Williams, CSC ---------- The 212 acres of land in Powell's Fort was to be divided up among his 7 heirs (6 children & his second wife Catherine) but the sons Jacob and William Bushong bought out the interests of their siblings, Mary (Michael Fogle} and Andrew J. Bushong and John's widow Catharine got her Dower of 51 1/2 acres. We know what happened to William Bsuhong's land as it was sold to Alfred Ritenour later, but for a long time we could not find what happened to the land that Jacob Bushong owned in Powell's Fort until a trip to Virginia in October 2006 to the courthouse at Woodstock for another look through the books. We found a Deed of Dower Rights which answers some of our questions, but not all. For further clarification refer back to the Archives for January 2006 to refresh your memories of the Estate settlements of John and Jacob Bushong and Will of Ephraim Woods, second husband of Elizabeth McInturff Bushong. --------------- TO BE CONTINUED: Researched and Submitted by Gloria Bushong