Surnames: Cave, Caves, Ashworth, Swisher, Earles, Duncan, Geary, Rush, Staples, Collins, Odin, Williams, Humphreys, Graig, Goulden, Mason, Hunter, Jones, Moberly, Hayden, Hoover, Kennan, Mead, Westerfield, Cooper, Wilt, Graham, Coppage. 1. Abstract for Deed, date of deed September 13th, 1858, recorded September 19, 1858. Book G, page 23. Name of Grantor: Merit H. Cave and Catherine R. Cave, his wife, of St. Clair County, Missouri. Sellilng price: Love and Goodwill to son's James R. Cave and Merit H. Cave and daughter Sany E. Cave of same County. 120 Acres, E1/2 NE1/4 NE1/4 SE1/4 Sec 7T 36 R25. 2. Merritt H. Cave m 1st Catherine Rush 21 Jun 1835, Monroe, MO Merrit H. Cave m 2nd Mary Ann Earles 14 May 1861, St. Clair, MO (Second marriage not proved, but children did result from this second marriage which were found in Brown County Illinois). 3. Second Deed: Merit H. Cave of St. Clair Co. Missouri Deeded 120 acres Certificate #55932 1859; Merrit Henry Cave, of St. Clair County, Missouri was granted a deed by The United States of America #55932 November 1, 1859 Recorded General Land Office. The East Half of the North East quarter, and the North East quarter of the South East quarter of Section Seven in the Township Thirty Six, of Range Twenty five in the District of Lands subject to sale at Warsaw Atipeari ?, containing One Hundred and Twenty acres. 4. Other movements of this Cave Family: 1860 Census of Missouri: (Is this Merit Cave born abt 1819 instead of being born abt 1812? (Note: Mason/brick layer) CAVE, M. H.; Age: 41; Born: Kentucky Location: Cooper Co., Lamine Twn.; Pg. 579/165; Line: 13; Note: Occupation: brick layer. Note: Enumerated with W. E. STAPES (32 b. VA, occupation: miller) Merit Cave and Catherine Rush: Marriage: June 21, 1835, Monroe County, Missouri ------------------------------1850 Census Below-------------------------------------------------- CAVE, Catherine; Age: 33; Born: KY CAVE, Gabriel; Age: 12; Born: MO; CAVE, Martha A.; Age: 7; Born: MO CAVE, Susan F.; Age: 6; Born: MO CAVE, Margaret; Age: 3; Born: MO CAVE, James R.; Age: 1; Born: MO Location: Pettis Co., 68th Dist.; LDS Volume: 443617; Page: 112A/223; Line 24 (Merrit H. Cave, born abt 1819, is not listed above because it was found he went off to the Gold Rush in California with a group from Boone County Missouri) His son Merritt Henry Cave is not listed in the 1850 Census because he was not born until 1852 in Pettis County Missouri)(Who or where is Sany E. Cave?) 1860 Census of Missouri: (Is this Merit Cave born abt 1819 instead of being born abt 1812? (Note: Mason/brick layer) CAVE, M. H.; Age: 41; Born: Kentucky Location: Cooper Co., Lamine Twn.; Pg. 579/165; Line: 13; Note: Occupation: brick layer. Note: Enumerated with W. E. STAPES (32 b. VA, occupation: miller) www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/7991/goldrush.html BOONE COUNTY CALIFORNIANS >From the Columbia Missouri Statesman Columbia,MissourI March 8, 1850 We are endeavoring to prepare a full list in alphabetical order of the emigrants who will go to California from Boone County this spring. As yet the list is incomplete, and we would esteem it a favor were our friends to aid us in supplying the deficiencies. Such as are not reported in the list now published will please call either at our office, or at Crow & Jackman’s Rocheport, or at Sidney Maupin’s, Buena Vista, and leave their own names and those of their messes and neighbors. .....MERIT CAVE...is included in the list of those who went to California from Boone County Missouri during the Gold Rush. Came back to Pettis County Missouri by 1852. 5. Merritt Henry Cave, born 1852; Notes: 1860 Census, for Missouri Examined: Josephine Cave, age 13 Merit Cave, age 8, born in Missouri Residing in St. Clair County, Missouri in 1860 Speedwell Twp. Page 974 -104 line 17 Enumerated with Charles F. Ashworth, age 22, born in Virginia (Notes: Merit and his sister Josephine residing with Charles F. Ashworth) Charles F. Ashworth married Martha Ann Cave, thus Josephine and Merritt are most likely siblings of Martha Ann Cave.) Merrott Cave m 1st Fannie Geary 23 Jun 1872, Pettis, MO (First marriage not proved) Merit Cave m 2nd Mary M. Duncan 18 Mar 1874, Hickory, MO (Second marriage not proved) Merritt Henry Cave m 3rd Jennie E. Swisher October 16, 1877 Brown Co Illinois 1880 Census, for Missouri Examined: Merritt Cave, age 25, born in Missouri, White, as listed in 1880 Census Residing with wife Jenny, born in Virginia, Child, Charles A. Cave, age 2, born in Illinois, Residing in Butler County, Missouri in 1880 Black River Vol. 4 - ED 4, page 5, line 20 1880 Census Butler County, Missouri CAVE, Gabriel; Age: 41; Born: Missouri; Color: white; Relationship: head; 1850 CAVE , Jane D. ; Age: 35 ; Born: Missouri ; Color: white ; Relationship: wife CAVE , Sarah C. ; Age: 15 ; Born: Missouri ; Color: white ; Relationship: daughter CAVE , John R. ; Age: 13 ; Born: Missouri ; Color: white ; Relationship: son CAVE , Joseph A. ; Age: 10 ; Born: Missouri ; Color: white ; Relationship: son CAVE , Charles M. ; Age: 5 ; Born: Missouri ; Color: white ; Relationship: son Location: Butler Co. ; Volume: 41; E.D.: 11; Page: 19; Line: 16; 6. Other Cave information: Reference and Research Information: Information taken from the "Missouri Marriages Before 1840" by Susan Omesher. Aadin Cave married Ann collins August 9, 1832 Boon County Benjamin Cave married Jane turn June 30, 1825 Howa County Benjamin Cave married to Margaret Odin October 2, 1838 Boon County Ezekiel A. Cave married to Catharine Williams June 21, 1838 George Cave married to Elizabeth Humphreys December 25, 1819 Howa County Henry Cave married to Fanny Graig September 8, 1824 Cali County Hudson Cave married to Sophia Goulden June 12, 1837 James Cave to Anna Mason June 28, 1820 Howa County John Cave to Mary Williams October 24, 1824 Boon County John Cave married to Nancy Hunter September 6, 1836 Jack County Merit H. Cave married to Catherin Rush June 21, 1835 Monroe County Thomas Cave married to Polly Jones October 8, 1835 Char County William Cave married to May Cave September 29, 1825 Boon County William J. Cave married to Phebe Moberly August 7, 1835 Monroe County The above information found on page 40 and 41 of the Missouri Marriages before 1840. Continued: Page 94 as found... Louisa Cave married to Turner Haden September 4, 1826 Boon County Page 110 as found... Sarah Cave married to Jacob Hoover June 18, 1831 Boon County Page 120 as found.... Mary Cave married to Samuel John September 16, 1838 Boon County Page 126 as found.... Ann Cave married to Thomas Kennan March 10, 1821 Boon County Page 154 as found.... Lucinda Cave married to William Mead on June 28, 1838 in Clay County Page 213 more on Sarah Cave, but missed the information as I copied it. Page 238 as found.... Susan Cave married to William Westerfield on August 6, 1832 in Boon County. Page 246 as found.... Elizabeth Cave married to John Wilt on December 19, 1818 in Howa Co. Excerpts below from Boone County Misouri Historical Record: >From Madison County Kentucky... Wm. Callahan, William Graham, Rueben and Henry Cave & Lt. Co. Ben Cooper. (Cousins) >From Missouri Cousins by Maxin Coppage Vol III Further research found that no "Cave" men died in Missouri from 1808 to 1854 were found recorded. Cave family members found in Shelby County and Hancock Counties in Missouri. Ralf E. Caves #489-20-0464 Missouri. Born December 9, 1898 in Missouri and died January 1966 in Missouri. Ezell Caves # 424-56-0473 AL. Born January 31, 1942 in Missouri and died July 1982 in Missouri. James Caves Vol. 21, Sheet 6, E.D. 13, Line 82 (White) Born May 1829 - Age 71 Born in Tennessee Christian, in Linden Twp Members of the Family in the Household: Cela A. Caves, Wife Born January 1833 - Age 67 Born in Tennessee Amanda Caves, Daughter, Born October 1873 - Age 26 Born in Missouri James E. Caves, Grandson, Born May 1875 -Age 24 Born in Missouri James C. Caves Vol 34, Sheet 14, E.D. 45, Line 26 (White) Born July 1853 in Missouri Grane County, in Cass Twp Members of the Family in the Household: Ephimia B. Caves, Wife, Born November 1859 -Age 40 Born in Missouri Etta C. Caves,(A.'D. Daughter?) November 1886 - Age 13 Born in Missouri Thomas Cave married Polly Jones October 08, 1835 in Char County, MO 23 Nov 1856, St. Clair Co., MO: Charles Merser Ashworth m Martha Ann Cave 1860 St. Clair Co., MO: Charles F. Ashworth 22 [1838] b VA Speedwell Twp. Josephine Cave 13 [1847] p 974-104 Merit Cave 8 [1852] 1880 Butler Co., MO: Merritt Cave Jenny Charles A. age 2 [1878] b IL Charles A. Cave b ca 1878, IL, son of Merrit & Jennie (Swisher) Cave Thomas W. Rogers, great grandson of Merit and Jennie Cave. 7. Ashworth Family: Charles Ashworth - actual name is : Charles Fenton Mercer Ashworth. 10/11/1850 Census - St. Clair Co., Mo., 79th District #356-356 Ashworth, Lewis R. ,44, born Va., School Teacher, Rev 100 (md. within the year) Minerva ,22, " Tenn. Cotesworth P. ,17, " Va., farmer Fenton M. ,14, " Va. ***************** Amelia C. ,12, " Va. Susan K. ,10, " Mo. Eloisa J. ,08, " " Martha M.C. ,06, " " Singleton C. ,04, " " Basey, Nancy ,40, " Mexico 08/15/1860 Census - St. Clair Co., Mo., Speedwell Twp., P.O. Howard Mill #738-704 Ashworth, Charles F. ,22, born Va., laborer, PEV 50 ********************* Martha Ann ,18, " Mo. CRW Sarah C. ,10/12, born Mo. Cave, Josephine ,13, born Mo., in school Cave, Merit ,08, " " " " Missouri, St. Clair Co., Vital Records, Marriages, Volumes A-E Volume A, Page 14 This is to certify that I did Solemnise the writes of Matrimony between Charles Mercer Ashworth and Martha Ann Cave on the 23rd day of November A.D. 1856 in St. Clair County State of Missouri this the 5th day of February A.D. 1857. John M. Elkins J P Filed for record February the 5th 1857 James M. Beck Recorder Lewis Richard Ashworth was a plantation and slave owner and later a teacher and preacher. It is said that he was shot by the Kansas Red Legs because he would not tell where his sons were, while living in Osceola, Mo. At the time of his death, ca. 1865, his family was close together, but after the Civil War and between 1866-1870, the children in this family seemed to scatter and lived with other families. Also, it seems possible that the first nine or more children (13 in all) had three given names. While living in Virginia this family was using one particular given name and continued to use it up to 1865 or 1870. After this it seems the entire family started using a different given name. This is showing up in documents, census records and just recently (1988) descendants of Lewis Richard Ashworth. The story about Lewis and the Kansas Red Legs, has not been proven as of yet, but it is still being worked on. This family has been extremely hard to research, as they do not want to stay in one place. What may be of interest to you, Lewis and family left Va. between 1838 & 1840 going to Rives Co., Mo.(which became Henry Co., Mo. 10/15/1841) and later his location fell within the boundaries of St. Clair Co., Mo. Lewis and family were in Monegan Township, Rives Co., in 1840. He is also noted, without moving, as being one of the early settlers in Cedar Co., Mo. which was formed from Dade Co & St. Clair Co., in 1845. Charles married Martha Ann Cave and they had at least one child-Sarah C. Josephine and Merit and Martha Ann Cave - seems to me to be brothers/sisters. The above Records are from the actual Census Records on Microfilm 8. More Cave Information: Hamtown/Hoffman Cem Located on what was the Hoffman farm. This information given on the Cave family you requested is taken from cem records and lists on the date of burial. Butler County, Missouri Caves: Edey A Cave Sept. 13, 1899 Gabriel R Cave Oct. 6, 1891 Ethal Cave March 8, 1892 Rhoda Cave Nov. 21, 1894 Charlie M Cave March 5, 1897 Joseph A Cave Nov. 26, 1899 Infant (son of John) June 18, 1907 Bell Cave July 8, 1907 Willie Cave June 1916 Ella, ____ of J. R. Cave March 12, 1920 The above information relates to the Cave Family of St. Clair County Missouri, which, as you can clearly see, they moved around the area. But the two property deeds found so far are of St. Clair County Missouri, being purchased in 1858 and 1859. If you happen across any information that relates to these individuals, it would be greatly appreciated. Thomas W. Rogers P. O. Box 85 Deer Creek, Illinois 61733 travelback4u@aol.com