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Bush Family History

Discover Your Family's Story

Deerfield Township
Ross County, OH

The Families We Came From

Note: If you're related to any child of Harry and Alta Bush; (Marzelle, Dorothy, June, Harry Jr., Doris or Frank), you're connected to the Bush, Flaherty, Box, Dilbeck and Depew Families.

If you're related to Wilma Jean (Truhitte) Bush, you're also related to the Truhitte, Oakes, and Guffey Families.

The Bush Family

The Bush family were some of the first non-indigenous people who lived in Ohio of the Northwest Territory. The Bush Family were pro-Union during the Civil War, and Jim Bush served in the U.S. Cavalry on the frontier during the brutal Indian Wars. They lived in Ross County, OH before moving to Muncie, IN. Of thirteen children, two sons ended up in CO, and one son traveled by himself to southwest MO. Allen Reeves (A.R.) Bush was one of the original pioneer homesteaders in Barry County, MO.

The Flaherty Family

The Flaherty family originated in Ireland in the 10th century. The clan was based predominantly in Galway, which is the westernmost province of Ireland. Adam Flaherty came from Dublin to the United States in the late 1700s and fought against the British in the War of 1812.
The Flaherty family settled in the area of VA that later broke away due to their strong pro-Union abolitionist sentiments and became WV. After the Civil War, they moved westward to MO, and were some of the early pioneer homesteaders in Barry County, MO.

The Dilbeck Family

The Dilbeck Family originated in the town of Dilbeek in the Netherlands (later Belgium). After suffering fifty years of religious war and persecution, they came to America and landed in PA in the late 1600s. Over time, they moved south to GA, where later William Dilbeck fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. His grave marker is in the woods in a remote area of Dawson County, GA. The Dilbecks later moved west through TN until they finally settled in Barry County in southern MO. Frank and Josie (Box) Dilbeck are pictured here with their children around 1905.

The Box Family

The Box family came from North Carolina, and settled in Tennessee and Indiana before moving further west to Barry County, MO. Pictured here is John and Mary (Depew) Box with their children. One of the little girls is Josie who would one day marry Frank Dilbeck.

The Depew Family

The Depew family were from VA before moving to MO around 1850. Tragically, Matilda Depew died when her children were young. Some time later, their dad also died prematurely. In 1968 Mary Depew had married John Box, and by 1900, they had moved to Barry County, MO. Mary Elizabeth (Depew) Box is pictured here with her two closest brothers William and Eli.

The Truhitte Family

The Truhitte Family are originally from Northumberland, England. When they came to America, they settled first in NC. Over several generations, the family moved west to Morgan County, TN. then west again to northern MO and finally to Barry County in southern MO. During the Civil War, William Willis Truhitte served in the Union cavalry. William (Bill) and Mary Ella Oakes Truhitte are pictured here with their two sons Pete and Glen and their daughter Wilma Jean.

The Guffey Family

The Guffey Family came from VA and moved to Morgan County. TN. During the War of 1812, Henry Guffey fought against the British and Creek tribes. The Guffey's moved from TN to northern MO, then to AR and finally to Barry County in southern MO.

The Oakes Family

The Oakes family lived in VA for a number of generations before moving west to AR. Rama Mac Oakes pictured here with his five daughters moved from northern AR to Barry County, MO. after the Civil War ended.