James Sherrill (1830 - 1913)

Ancestors Descendants

Contents 1 Wagon Train Details 2 Biography 2.1 Growing up in the South 2.2 Death of his Father and Leaving Iowa for Oregon Territory 2.3 Oregon Trail Honeymoon 2.4 Building Their Family on the Farm 2.5 Funerals and Weddings 2.6 James Sherrill, Inventor and Entrepreneur 2.7 James Sherrill, Farmer, and his Land Acquisitions 2.8 Militia Defense for Linn County 2.9 Doing His Civic Duty 2.10 A Tragic Accident 2.11 Move to Washington Territory 2.12 James Finds Comfort in Family 2.13 Death of James Sherrill, age 82 2.14 Obituary for James Sherrill 2.15 Discrepancies in tombstones and records 3 Sources

Wagon Train Details

"Wagon Trains", large groups of covered wagons that travelled together for safety and protection, were a common way for pioneers to travel as they migrated west. These are the known details of the wagon train this person travelled on:

Wagon Trail:	Oregon Trail
Departure Date:	1852
Train Name:
Trail Master:
Point of Origin:	Wapello County, Iowa
Point of Muster:	Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa
Destination:	Linn County, Oregon

For more information on wagon trains you can also check out the Trails and Wagon Trains sub-project

Biography

Growing up in the South

James was born in 1830 in North Carolina, son of Hugh Sherrill and Ann Litten. When James Sherrill was a boy of five, he was living in Cherokee County, in the north eastern portion of Alabama. His family moved there by 1835, where his father established a plantation on the Coosa River. They grew as much as they could of what they needed to be self-sufficient, and also grew cash crops such as indigo and cotton. James' sister Margaret writes in her journal that they floated their crops down the Coosa River to the city, (possibly Montgomery?) where they traded their crops for cash, and for coffee, sugar and other needed items.

According to his sister Margaret, the family left Alabama for Iowa in 1846. They are found in the 1847 Iowa state census in Wapello County.^[1]

Death of his Father and Leaving Iowa for Oregon Territory

Hugh Sherrill died in Polk County, Iowa on 28 Feb 1849, age 56.^[2] He was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery. ^[3]

In 1852, James Sherrill traveled from Wapello County, Iowa to Council Bluffs, Iowa, in company with Richard and Nancy Evans and their family. After crossing Iowa, James and Mary Ann were married in Pottawatomie County, on 13 May 1852, shortly before their wagon train was ferried across the Missouri River and they started down the Oregon Trail.

Oregon Trail Honeymoon

The following copied from notes of April Dellinger Dauenhauer

James & Mary Ann's Donation Land Claim was #1345; 320 acres in Linn Co. OR, as follows; SE quarter of section 18, T14S,R4W and the SW quarter of section 17, T14S, R4W. The Land Grant is dated 19 March 1874, by Ulyssus S. Grant. It is beautiful, flat farmland near the banks of the Willamette River, a few miles north of Harrisburg, at Irish Bend. The date they arrived in Oregon is noted in the Land Grant as follows: "arrived in Oregon 20th September, 1852"

Building Their Family on the Farm

James and Mary Ann Sherrill had five children by 1862: two girls and three boys; (their first-born, a daughter, died at birth). Ann Elizabeth was the second eldest - named after the deceased baby, then Calvin, Hugh, and Franky.

Funerals and Weddings

In March 1862, five year old Calvin died. The next year, in April 1863, Franky died. Their graves lie side by side under the tall pines at Pine View Cemetery near Halsey, in Linn County Oregon. We do not know if there was an epidemic that swept the community, such as the measles, diphtheria, or mumps, or some other cause.

In February of 1871 Ann Elizabeth Sherrill married a neighbor, Constant Barchus, at her parent's farm. Richard Evans, Mary Ann's father, and her brother, Edward, both signed as witnesses. Richard gave the newlyweds a beautiful, heirloom Bible, inscribed with their initials on the cover.

In October of 1872, Richard died at the age of 74. Richard's second wife, Sarah, who died in 1872, preceded Richard in death. Sarah Shepherd, widow and Richard Evans second wife, owned the entirety of the 320 acre donation land claim where she and her deceased husband Thomas Shepherd had been living. The US Congress had amended the DLC legislation in 1853 to assure widows of their rights to the land claims they had with their (deceased) husbands.^[4]

Richard left a will, in which he ordered his estate to be sold and divided equally between his remaining son, Edward Evans, and his daughter, Mary Ann (Evans) Sherrill. He left small but not insignificant bequests to his four grandchildren, the three from his son David (deceased) and one from his daughter Eliza Jane (deceased). Eliza Jane's daughter, Mary Jane Holloway, was grown up and married. Richard named her first in his will, 'I will and bequeath four hundred dollars to my granddaughter, Mary Westfall." (over $15,000. today).

*According to James' son Hugh Sherrill, the family moved from the land claim where they had lived since 1852, to the town of Harrisburg, in about 1872. (hence- "formerly of Harrisburg"). I can't find James and Mary Ann anywhere in 1880 census.

Mary Ann and James had a total of eight children: Ann Sherrill, who died at birth; Ann Sherrill, who married Constant Barchus; Calvin Sherrill and Franky Sherrill who both died as toddlers, Hugh Sherrill, who married America Hyde and worked for the Harrisburg Post Office, George Sherrill, who married and had children; Alice Sherrill, who died in the wagon accident age 12; and Ella Sherrill, the baby of the family, who married first John Pugh, and later, widowed, married James Howey.

By 1878 there were four children left with James and Mary Ann at home: Hugh, George, Alice, and Ella. Hugh Sherrill would be the next to leave, as he married and established his own farm in Linn County, in October of 1878.

James Sherrill, Inventor and Entrepreneur

Jame Sherrill received a patent from the US government for his invention of a cultivator and seeder combo, dated 7 Jan 1873, as reported in the Oregonian newspaper, 19 Feb 1873.

James Sherrill, Farmer, and his Land Acquisitions

James' first farm was 320 acres, granted to James Sherrill and Mary Ann Sherrill, by the government through a Donation Land Claim Patent claimed in 1853 and patented in 1874. The land was located in Linn County, Oregon, near the Willamette River north of Harrisburg.

James' second farm was for 153.47 acres in Wasco County, as a Homestead grant, from the Bureau of land Management on 23 of May 1898.

James' third farm was 160 acres in Garfield County, Oregon, by cash sale to James Sherrill, from the Bureau of Land Management on 31 July 1903.

Militia Defense for Linn County

James Sherrill's name appears on the list of Volunteer Militia for Linn County in 1874.

Doing His Civic Duty

As administrator for a friend's estate: The Albany Register newspaper on Saturday, 22 May, 1869, announced an Administrator's Notice, for the estate of D. M. Bond, deceased, for "all persons having claims against the said deceased, to present the same with necessary vouchers, within the six months from this notice to the undersigned at his residence, six miles south of Peoria, Linn County, Oregon. signed James Sherrill, Adm. as of Feb 11, 1869

As Public Servant in Public Office: The Oregonian newspaper on 8 December 1878, announced the results of the Harrisburg city election, Linn County, which included James Sherrill elected as one of the aldermen.

As Participant in Political Process: James Sherrill was named on of the Silver Republicans Delegates for East Dalles, Wasco County, Washington

As a Juror in the Trial of one of his Peers: In Stevenson, Washington:

A Tragic Accident

From the Willamette Farmer, Friday, 22 Aug 1879 "A most serious accident occurred near Peoria, Linn county, last Sunday, the particulars of which are as follows; While Mr. James Sherrill, living near Halsey, formerly of Harrisburg*,and his family, were going to church near Peoria, on crossing a bridge over a slough, one of the planks being short, the off horse stepped upon it, when it sprung up, scaring the horses, and causing the team to jump off on the opposite side, throwing the occupants of the wagon, numbering at least persons (sic), down the steep embankment, killing the daughter of Mr. Sherrill, aged 13 years, instantly, and seriously, if not fatally injuring two other children, and severely hurting Mr. and Mrs. Sherrill, entirely destroying the wagon and bruising the team."

Alice Sherrill, thirteen years old at the time, was the daughter who died in the accident. We do not know where the parents and children lived while recovering from their injuries. I can't find them in the 1880 Census.

On Oct. 23, 1879, the new Northwest, (Portland, OR) reported that James Sherrill of Harrisburg had commenced a suit against Linn county for the of $9,000. for damages sustained by himself and family a few months previously, when a county bridge broke down while they were crossing it in a hack. (We believe that he later won his suit against the county.)

Move to Washington Territory

Between 1880 and 1885 The family moved from Linn County, Oregon, to Clark County, Washington where they established another farm. Between 1887 and 1896 they moved to The Dalles, where Mary Ann died 13 October 1896.

By 1885, James and Mary Ann Sherrill, with their 12 year old daughter Ellie, and 21 year old son George, had moved from Linn County, Oregon to Clark County, Washington. They were living almost next door to their daughter Annie Barchus, and her husband, Constant, and their four children age 7 - 12, as seen on the Washington Territory Census for 1885, Clark County. ^[5]

In 1887, the Sherrill family and the Barchus family were still living near each other in Clark County, Washington, but an influx of new settlers put them farther apart on the 1887 Washington Territory census.^[6]

At some point after 1887, and before she died in 1896, James and Mary Ann moved to The Dalles, and lived in town. Mary Ann passed away 13 Oct 1896, age 63, after a painful illness of some months. She is buried in the 8 mile pioneer cemetery near The Dalles in Wasco County.^[7]

James Finds Comfort in Family

James Sherrill later lived with his son Hugh in Linn County, where he is found on the 1900 census.

In the 1910 U. S. Census, James is in Island Precinct, Union County, Oregon, living with Mary E Childres, widow age 51. Mary Childers name at birth was Marion Hyde, and her sister America married Hugh Sherrill, James' son. So Mary and James were in-laws.

Mary Childers later became ill, and died. James lost his eyesight, and went to live in Amboy, Clark County, Washington, with his daughter Ann Elizabeth Sherrill Barchus.

Two years before he died, James Sherrill went to live with his daughter Ann Elizabeth Sherrill Barchus, and Constant Barchus, her husband, and their family. Delmon Barchus told Helga Dellinger about the 'blind grandfather' who lived with them, who was James Sherrill. Delmon and his brothers made a rope guide by the path to the garden, and James would use it to go to the garden, where he would pull weeds.

Death of James Sherrill, age 82

James died at his daughter's farm in Amboy, Clark County, Washington, on 1 Nov 1913, at age 82. It was the custom to toll the church bell once for each year of the deceased person's age. James would have had the bell toll 82 times. According to family who were present when Constant Barchus passed away at age 75 in 1921, the toll of the bell was heard all over the valley, and it was till ringing when the funeral procession drove up to the church cemetery at Mountain View Cemetery. It would have been the same only more so for James.

James passed away 30 Oct 1913, and his body was laid to rest in Mountain View Cemetery, in Amboy, Clark, Washington.^[8]

Obituary for James Sherrill

From the Skamania County Pioneer, Stevenson, Washington, November 6, 1913: "Another Pioneer Gone" "James Sherrill was born in Lincoln county, N. C. Nov 23, 1830, and died near Amboy, Washington, at the residence of his oldest daughter, Mrs. Ann Barchus, on Oct 30, 1913, where he had made his home for the past two years.When a small boy his parents moved to Alabama where he grew to manhood. In the year 1852 he joined the migration to Oregon. On this trip to the west he was married to Mary E. (sic) Evans. arriving in Oregon they located in Linn County near Harrisburg, on a Donation Claim where he spent the greater part of his life. His wife preceded him to the great beyond 17 years ago. To this union was born eight children; four deceased, the following living: Mrs. Ann Barchus of Amboy, Wash., Mrs. Ella Pugh and George Sherrill of Stevenson, Wash., and H.R. Sherrill of Harrisburg, Oregon, who were all present at the funeral. Mr. Sherrill was afflicted with almost total loss of his eyesight during the last few years of his life. He spent considerable time in Stevenson, visiting his chidlren, and was well known and highly respected by a large number of our people, who will much regret to hear of his death. Mrs. Pugh and George Sherrill left here Thursday evening to attend the funeral at Amboy, and returned Sunday evening."

Discrepancies in tombstones and records

James Sherrill's tomb stone in View Cemetery says 1832 - 1913. I don't have an explanation for the discrepancy, where his Donation Lanc Claim papers and his census records and his death certificate all indicate he was born in 1830. The Tombstones of Constant and Ann E.; of Clara May Dellinger (and it is spelled May on the stone, although in some other records it is spelled Mae) all have dates that agree with the rest of our data, including the tomb stone of Wm. J. Campbell and Julia Ann Barchus Campbell.

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestry.com. Iowa Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index
2. ↑ Ancestry.com. Iowa, U.S., Cemetery Records, 1662-1999
3. ↑ Ancestry.com. Iowa, U.S., Cemetery Records, 1662-1999
4. ↑ Oregon Encyclopedia: Oregon Donation Land Law
5. ↑ Citing "Sherrill, James, age 54, born in N.C.; Sherrill, Mary, age 51, born in Indiana, Sherrill, George, age 21, born in Oregon, Sherrill, Ella, age 12, female, white, born in Oregon", Chelatchie, Clark, Washington, United States. Sherrill Family: #'s 37, 38, 39 on page 32 of 110, and #1 on page 32 of 110. Note that Constant Barchus is #21 on the same page, and Annie Barchus, James and Mary Ann Sherrill's daughter, is #22. Constant Barchus had first claimed land in Linn County, Oregon, but later moved to Chelatchie in Clark County, which was basically frontier.
6. ↑ 1887, Clark County Census, Chelatchie, Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Territorial Census Rolls, 1857-1892
7. ↑ memorial page for Mary Ann Evans Sherrill (25 May 1833–13 Oct 1896], Find a Grave Memorial ID 16881009, citing Eight Mile Cemetery, Petersburg, Wasco County, Oregon
8. ↑ memorial page for James Sherrill (23 Nov 1830–30 Oct 1913)], Find a Grave Memorial ID 8291047

See also:

• Ancestry.com. Iowa Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1838-70 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. 1847 Wapello County in Iowa.

• Ancestry.com. Iowa, U.S., Cemetery Records, 1662-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: Works Project Administration. Graves Registration Project. Washington, D.C.: n.p., n.d..

• Marriage date from records of Pottawattamie County, and DLC papers on microfiche at Oregon State Archives, Salem. Dates of births/deaths of children from 1870 census of Linn County, Oregon, and from personal examination of headstones in Pine Grove Cemetery in Linn County, Oregon.

• License No. 50, 1852, Jas. Sherrill & Evans: Source information: State of Iowa, Pottawatamie County Marrige Records; Vital: Marriage License issued May 13, 1852 to James Sherril aged 22 years, (obliterated) aged 18 years. On his oath each stated by the Oath of her Brother Edward Evans, that all was legal & right. (signed) T. Burdick. Co. Judge. Photocopy of microfiche in possession of author.

• Early Oregonian database at Oregon State Archives in Salem, Citing James Sherrill, arrived in Oregon Territory 1852, born 28 Nov 1832 in North Carolina, Occupation: Farmer; died 30 Oct 1913, married Mary Ann Evans, 13 May 1852 in Iowa. Donation Land Claim #RB 1345

• Year: 1860; Census Place: Linn, Oregon; Roll: M653_1055; Page: 307; Family History Library Film: 805055: Dwelling #180, Family #168; citing Mary Sherrill, age 27, born in Indiana; with James Sherrill, age 30, born in North Carolina; Ann Sherrill age 6, born in Oregon; Calvin Sherrill, age 4, born in Oregon; Richard Sherrill, age 2, born in Oregon; Mary Holloway, age 9, born in Iowa; this is Mary Jane Holloway, daughter of Eliza Jane (Evans) Holloway, deceased, who was Mary Ann (Evans) Sherrill's sister.

• Year: 1870; Census Place: Peoria, Linn, Oregon; Roll: M593_1286; Page: 640B; Dwelling #102, Family #102;

• 1885, Clark County Census, Clark County Territorial Auditor, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://digitalarchives.wa.gov, [accessed 26 Sep 2022], Microfilm census material held by Washington State Library.

• 1887, Clark County Census, Chelatchie, Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Territorial Census Rolls, 1857-1892. Citing "Sherrill, James, age 56, born in 'Carolina', Sherrill, Mary, age 53, born in Indiana, Sherrill, Ellie, age 14, born in Oregon".

• Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Citing James Sherrill, Farmer, living in Wasco County, Oregon in 1898.

• "United States Census, 1900", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSDF-1GW : 11 March 2022), James Sherrill in entry for Hugh T. Sherrill, 1900. James is a widower in 1900, living with his son Hugh and family.

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLBM-QWL : accessed 28 September 2022), James Sherrill in household of Mary E Childers, Island, Union, Oregon, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 278, sheet 3A, family 40, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1290; FHL microfilm 1,375,303. James, still a widower, is living with an in-law: Mary (Hyde) Childers is a widow, whose sister America (Hyde) Sherrill is married to James' son Hugh

• "Washington Deaths and Burials, 1810-1960", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HVQN-GN6Z : 30 June 2021), James Sherrill, 1913. James died 1 Nov 1913, at the home of his eldest daughter, Annie (Sherrill) Barchus, In Amboy, Clark, Washington.

• Find a Grave, database and images accessed 27 September 2022, memorial page for James Sherrill (23 Nov 1830–30 Oct 1913), Find a Grave Memorial ID 8291047, citing Mountain View Cemetery, La Center, Clark County, Washington, USA; Maintained by Virtual Pioneer (contributor 46602251) .

• Find a Grave, database and images accessed 25 September 2022), memorial page for Mary Ann Evans Sherrill (25 May 1833–13 Oct 1896, Find a Grave Memorial ID 16881009, citing Eight Mile Cemetery, Petersburg, Wasco County, Oregon, USA; Maintained by dorothy hoffman (contributor 46860648) .

• Interview with Charles Delmon Barchus in 1991, by Helga Dellinger. Delmon was a grandson of Constant Barchus.