William Dusenbery

1.) Elizabeth died August 20, 1797 in Lebanon Twp, Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

2.) Catherine died September 16, 1852 on the Dusenbery farm, near Sego, Madison Twp, Perry County, OH and is buried with her husband in the Dusenbery Family Cemetery on the old Dusenbery farm near Sego.

Photos of tombstones located at the Dusenbery Family Cemetery on the old Dusenbery farm near Sego. These were graciously donated by Dean Harkness at dcharkne@voyager.net . The monument stone is located at the Dusenbery Family Cemetery.

MILITARY RECORDS

Revolutionary War

Sgt Qtr Master under Col. Joseph Beavers

View copy of Pension Record

Served from New Jersey

DAR Patriot

William Dusenbury 4-6-1757 NJ died 3-23-1846 in Ohio Married Elizabeth Compton, 2nd wife Catharine Van Buskirk. Sargeant Quarter Master PS New Jersey PNSR - page 903 DAR Centennial Edition.

1840 Census of Revolutionary Pensioners

William Dusenbury Age 84 Madison Twp, Perry County, OH; Residing in own home

1793 New Jersey Militia

Lebanon Twp, Hunterdon County, New Jersey

First Militia - Capt. William Abbott, Lt. John Smith

Listed among others:

Henry Dusenbury (Busenbury) 256
William Dusenberry (Busenbury) 266

Source: New Jersey in 1793 An abstract and index to the 1793 Militia Census of the State of New Jersey
By James S. Norton Preface by Kenneth Richards
Pg. 210

Mural in New Lexington, Perry County, Ohio - Historical mural in the New Lexington Post Office to honor several individuals, including William Dusenbery as Revolutionary Soldier.

MISCELLANEOUS

Photos graciously donated by Dean Harkness at dcharkne@voyager.net . The road is the old road leading up to the house and cemetery at Sego. Once thought to be the original house where William's tavern/inn stood on the property, it is now believed to have been built on the same site as the tavern in the mid 19th century (1800s)

MISCELLANEOUS

Excerpt from General Phil Sheridan as I Knew Him by Henry Greiner, 1908:

Page 14, 15, 16:

"............There is no excitement in Somerset, generally speaking, except during a political campaign, a war, or a rumor of war, at which times the people are thoroughly disturbed; but when the election returns are all in, or the war over, every one resumes the even tenor of his way. One does not see the worried faces and frenzied rush that are encountered on every hand in the streets of the large metropolis.

No place can be more patriotic than this quiet little village. One of my earliest recollections of little Phil Sheridan is of a Fourth of July celebration we attended when he and I were about six or seven years old. It might have been here that Phil received his first military impulse and patriotic thrill.

A Fourth of July celebration was a great event at that time in our village; every one patricipated in the exercises; not that we were more patriotic then than now, but, there being fewer patriotic holidays, our patriotism was more condensed. Early in the morning on these days long trains of farmers' wagons would commence arriving, the head teams carrying the fife, drum and flags. Long tables would be erected in the most convenient groves for a grand dinner; all the uniformed military companies of the county would be present, while a six-pounder brass cannon the Reading hill would awaken us in the morning and continue its salute until noon, when the grand dinner was prepared. The boys prided themselves greatly on this brass cannon, and eagerly each year did they throw themselves before the care of juggernaut (for the the cannon caused many serious accidents) for the happy prominence of being of the "Firing Squad")

The most attractive feature in a Fourth of July celebration was a decrepit Revoluntionary soldier by the name of Dusenbury, who lived about six miles east of us in a hamlet called Greasetown, from the greasy appearance of an old carding machine and its greasy proprietor. The name of that hamlet is changed now to Sego. This old soldier, growing yearly less able to attend the celebrations, attracted much attention, as he was the last one in our part of the county who had belonged to that immortal band of heroes of '76.

The first time Phil and I saw him he was brought up in a farmer's wagon, seated on a split-bottom chair (there were no buggies then and but few carriages). He was clad in a new suit of homespun linen that, we were told, his old wife had spun, wove and made for him. As the wagon drove into the grove it caused something of a sensation, for you could see many who recognized him gathering about the wagon to offer their services in assisting the feeble old man to alight. When safely out, he was carefully led to the platform occupied by our prominent citizens and speakers. The old, tottering with age and infirmity, was given the place of honor -- the observed of all observers.

While this was going on, Phil Sheridan, who was standing by my side, asked me who that old man was and why every one was so glad to see him. I was prepared to answer the question, for I had just heard the story from my elder brother. I told Phil that his name was Dusenbury, he lived at Greasetown, had been a soldier under Washington, and that 'Dan" told me he was in five battles. He had belonged to the Horsemen.

I never saw Phil's brown eyes open so wide or gaze with such interest as they did on this old revolutionary relic. I am sure it made a deep impression on his boyish imagination, for he followed him to and from the dinner table, and, when the exercises were over, we were still near him. The patriotic impression he seemed to receive, as he looked with awe and interest at the comrade of Washington, no doubt clung to him through life and was probably the first glow of military emotion he experienced.

When, some years later, the news was brought to our village that the old soldier was dead, and that another firing squad was forming to go down to fire a salute over his grave, Phil was the first among the boys to propose that we walk down, which we did, but fortune favored some of us in gaining a ride home on the cannon........."

MISCELLANEOUS LAND AND TAX RECORDS

Here is a BLM Land Grant dated in the 1830's naming William Dusenbery. Did William Dusenbery, 1757 receive additional land in 1830 or could this perhaps be a nephew or other relative? William named two of his sons William, both of whom died in infancy.

William Dusenbery Land 1830s

1828 Tax List - Perry County http://www.perrycofamilies.org/1828tax/madisonlh2.htm off site link to Tim Fisher's great collection of Perry County Ohio resources

CHILDREN OF WILLIAM DUSENBERY AND ELIZABETH COMPTON

1. Henry Dusenbery - born November 1, 1780 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey; married Rachel Ashbrook on July 31, 1818 (or 1816) in Muskingum County, Ohio

1830 US CENSUS, Madison Twp, Perry County, OH
page 400
DUSENBURY, HENRY Born 1790-1800

Males 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Females 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2. Sarah Dusenbery - born July 21, 1782 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. We believe she died about 1798 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

3. Mary Dusenbery - born June 3, 1783 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey; married Joseph D. Fickel on August 1, 1805 in Fairfield County, Ohio; died April 2, 1860 near Sego, Perry County, Ohio; buried in Bethel Cemetery, Madison Twp, Perry County, Ohio.

4. John David Dusenbery - born August 4, 1784 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey; married 1) Christine Reed on August 5, 1810 in Fairfield County, Ohio and 2) Phebe Burley about 1825 in Perry County, Ohio.

5. Rebecca Dusenbery - born February 9, 1786 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey; married Benjamin Fickel on August 30, 1805 in Fairfield County, Ohio.

1850 US CENSUS, Perry County, OH
Enumerated October 1850
Household 288, 288

Benjamin FICKLE 74 Farmer $1500 MD
Rebecca 64 NJ
Washington 34 OH
Silas 27 OH
Rebecca J 21 OH

6. William Dusenbery - born November 3, 1787 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Died in infancy or childhood.

7. Benjamin Dusenbery - born April 11, 1789 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey; married Charlotte Dennis on April 5, 1821 in Perry County, Ohio

8. William Dusenbery - born April 3, 1794 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Died in infancy or childhood.

9. George Dusenbery - born June 11, 1795 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Died in infancy or childhood.

CHILDREN OF WILLIAM DUSENBERY AND CATHERINE VAN BUSKIRK

1. Elizabeth Dusenbery - born February 9, 1799 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey; married Robert Henderson on January 1, 1816 in Fairfield County, Ohio.

2. Sara Dusenbery - born July 3, 1800 in Fairfield County, Ohio; married John Hummel on August 30, 1820 in Perry County, Ohio.

3. Catherine Dusenbery - born April 17, 1804 in Fairfield County, Ohio; married William Wise on March 20, 1828 in Perry County, Ohio.

  • 1850 US CENSUS, Bowling Green Twp, Licking County, OH
    Enum 21 Sept 1850
    page 129a
    Household 1796/1895
    WISE, Wm 39 M farmer $4900 PA
    Catherine 41 F $ 900 NJ
    DUESENBERRY, Catherine 85 F NJ

4. Abigail Dusenbery - born October 23, 1806 in Fairfield County, Ohio; married Jacob Hummel on May 10, 1827 in Perry County, Ohio.

CENSUS RECORDS

1820 US CENSUS, Madison Twp, Perry County, OH
page 1
DUSINBERY, William

0 0 0 0 0 1
0 1 -- 1 0 1

1830 US CENSUS, Madison Twp, Perry County, OH
page 401
DUSENBURY, William

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

1840 US CENSUS, Madison Twp, Perry County, OH
page 74
DUSENBERRY, Wm

0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0

1850 US CENSUS, Bowling Green Twp, Licking County, OH
Enum 21 Sept 1850
page 129a
Household 1796/1895
WISE, Wm 39 M farmer $4900 PA

Catherine 41 F $ 900 NJ
DUESENBERRY, Catherine 85 F NJ

HISTORICAL RECORDS

From The History of Fairfield-Perry Counties, Ohio:

SETTLEMENT.---Of the first settlers in Perry county were three men who came from Sussex County, New Jersey, about 1800; one of these men was Wm. Dusenbery, who settled at the junction of Jonathan's Creek and Turkey Run, and is traditionally known as the first settler in Madison township. Mr. Dusenbery was a Revolutionary soldier,and was nineteen years of age when that war broke out, and remembered seeing General George Washington. He lived up to the time of his death where, as above mentioned he had located, and was the first man buried in the honors of war in the township. He was buried on his own farm. It is probable that his two youngest children, Catharine and Abigail, were born in this township, and if so, it is quite likely that Catharine was the first child born in the township. At any rate she was among the first. Abigail is the only surviving member of the family; she now lives in Grant County, Indiana. His son Jonathan, at one time, went hunting for turkey and by some means was lost, but kept firing his gun as an alarm, which directed the steps of his father, who found him by a run, with a turkey he had killed, whereupon the stream was christened Turkey Run, a name that remains to this day.

WILL

Will of William Dusenberry, deceased
In the name of God Amen, I William Dusenberry, in frail and weak state of body, but of sound and disposing mind, will and memory, do hereby make known my last will and testament as follows:
1st To my son John Dusenberry, I give fifty acres of land, to my son Benjamin Dusenberry, I give fifty acres of land, To my son in law John Hummel I give fifty acres of land, to my daughter Elizabeth Henderson I give fifty acres of land. To my son in law **Benjamin Fickle I give fifty acres of land. To my daughter Catharine Wise I give fifty acres of land, To my son in law Jacob Hummel, I give fifty acres of land and To my son in law **Joseph Fickle, I give fifty acres of land and for each of the above named bequests I have caused deeds to be executed, Herein said land is signed and sealed the same and I hereby authorize and require my executors hereinafter named to deliver the said deeds immediately after my decease.
2nd- To my grandson Wiliam Dusenberry son of Benjamin Dusenberry, I give and bequeath the south east quarter of the south west quarter of section fourteen, in township fifteen of range fifteen in the district of lands subject to sale at Zanesville, Ohio, for which I hold the original patent.
3rd- I will that all the personal property I may possess at my decease money credits or effects be equally divided among my heirs to wit: John Dusenberry, Henry Dusenberry, Benjamin Dusenberry, John Hummel, Elizabeth Henderson, **Benjamin Fickle, Catherine Wise, Jacob Hummel and **Joseph Fickle except only what will pay my just debts and defray my funeral expenses.
4th- I do hereby nominate and appoint my son John Dusenberry and my trusty friend William Moore my executor of this my last will and testament and in testimony that this and only this is my last will and testament.
I have hereunto set my hand and seal on the thirteenth day of June in the year A. D. 1840.
William Dusenberry (Seal)
Signed and sealed in the presence of John Hammer, Barrett Hammer
In addition to the foregoing I will that my wife Catherine Dusenberry shall be allowed to reside in and enjoy the mansion house and gardens where I now reside with all the household goods I may possess at the time of my decease during all of her natural life.
William Dusenberry (Seal)
Signed and sealed in the presence of John Hammer, Barrett Hammer

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Page created December 28, 2003 by Mary Thompson Saban. Last updated 09/26/2004

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