FANSHER tombstones unearthed

FANSHER, GREGG, CORBITT, GREGORY, COLLINS, HOLMES, LONG, MITCHELL

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 5/20/2011 at 14:28:27

"The Fairfield Ledger"
Friday, November 17, 1972
Pages 1 & 2

Tombstones Are Unearthed--
Genealogical Records Find

How many more tombstones for early settlers of Jefferson County have fallen and now lie buried to such a depth that not a vestige of stone appears above the sod? Chances are, they're on the "Most Wanted" list of some ancestor-hunter.

Unearthing history is the hobby-business of genealogists and such finds as the two tombstones shown in the picture (which didn't reproduce well enough to post here) are the reward and lasting contributions to up-dating records.

A vital interest in this community is coming to the fore, and anyone interested in a genealogical workshop is invited to attend one at First National Bank Building Saturday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m.

Following is information which all fell into place with the discovery of two headstones. They are for Joseph P. FANSHER and his wife, Mary Ann, nee GREGG, and were resurrected about a year ago in the old Gregg Family Cemetery on the Bernhart Station farm midway between Fairfield and Batavia, now occupied by the Clarance Hagans family.

Motivation for exploration in this burial ground was provided by Willis Gregg CORBITT of Portland, Ore. An 1892 native of Fairfield he is a retired civil engineer, forester and surveyor, veteran of World War I, and active member of the Portland Genealogical Forum.

CORBITT is an avid Family Tree-Searcher, and is a great-grandson of Andrew and Elizabeth (GREGORY) GREGG, who came from Ohio about 1846 and acquired land in Locust Grove Township. The oldest death date found in the Gregg Cemetery is Sept. 22, 1846, when John M. COLLINS, a little grandson of the GREGGs, died at the age of 8 months and 7 days.

The GREGG family is shown in the 1850 Census of Locust Grove Township, Dwelling No. 45. In it were Andrew and his wife, both born in Pennsylvania, and children born in Ohio: Henry, 23; Mary A., 17; Eleanor, 14, Samuel and Priscilla (twins), 9.

The history of this GREGG family in Jefferson County is replete with tragedy. With the finding of these tombstones not far from the stone for her parents, we now know that the daughter, Mary Ann, who was born Oct. 4, 1833, at Morristown, Belmont County, Ohio; married Sept. 14, 1854 in Jefferson County to Joseph P. FANSHER and died May 16, 1857. Her young husband died Feb. 28, 1860. One speculates on what caused the early demise of this young couple. Joseph P. FANSHWER (sic - FANSHER) was probably the "adopted son" named in the will of David FANSHER who died Dec. 1, 1857 aged 69, and was buried in the old Walnut Hill Cemetery, also in Locust Grove Township.

Both the GREGG sons, Henry and Samuel W., died in 1863 while serving in the Union army. Henry is buried in the National Cemetery at Vicksburg, and Samuel died at Fayetteville, Ark.

Priscilla GREGG married Andrew Allen HOLMES, a Civil War veteran. They are buried in Batavia Cemetery.

The daughter, Eleanor GREGG, born Oct. 15, 1836, in Guernsey County, Ohio, had married Wm. H. CORBITT on Nov. 22, 1855. They were parents of three children. Wm. H. CORBITT died in Ohio in 1862. Then Eleanor brought her children back to Iowa to live with her parents. Later she married David LONG, and they lived in Fairfield.

On Aug. 20, 1868, Andrew GREGG visited Fairfield, and on starting home took with him his three grandchildren, Lizzie C., Charles H., and Alfred E. CORBITT, ages 11, 9, and 7 years. At that time the Burlington railroad tracks, about two miles west of Fairfield, curved south and crossed the wagon road (now Highway 34) at a point called Mitchell's Crossing, just east of where the KMCD tower now stands. (Later this crossing came to be called "Dead Man's Crossing.")

As the Ledger of Aug. 27, 1868 told the story, a train was running late and traveling at a high rate of speed, and "while Mr. GREGG's team was on the track the cars came rushing on." The youngest grandchild, Alfred E. CORBITT, was killed instantly and Lizzie died soon after. They were buried in a double grave in the old Fairfield City Cemetery. Grandfather Andrew GREGG survived, but lived with constant suffering until his death on March 29, 1872.

Charles H. CORBITT, the grandson who survived the tragic train-wagon crash, married Cora Adaline MITCHELL, daughter of Henry Blake MITCHELL, another prominent early settler in the neighborhood. Charles H. and Cora Adaline were the parents of Willis Gregg CORBITT. Charles Hickling CORBITT served as Jefferson County Auditor 1901-1904.

This GREGG family is not to be confused with the GREGGs of Round Prairie Township, although there may have been a distant connection.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I am not related to the person(s) mentioned.