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John Brush Lived in the Plum Creek Settlement
"In August 1835, in the twentieth year of his age... [John Brush] was married to Bro. Faucett's daughter, Catharine, at the time but a little over fourteen years old, the young couple remaining with her parents until the following spring.  John Brush in later years.
By this time Bro. Brush had accumulated property consisting of a horse, two cows and some household furniture; and in company with his father-in-law's family he moved up to the new settlement at Far West, in Caldwell county, which the Saints were then beginning to form. Shortly after arriving he went down to Father Morley's settlement and brought up his father and mother, and together the three families entered eighty acres of land on Plum creek, about six miles from Far West.
Again they build houses and again began to plant their crops. Caldwell county was a vacant country, set off the same provision of the legislature for the Saints to enter and occupy, and for several miles on either side of them there were neither friends nor foes. Because of wandering so much the Saints of course were still poor, but they manifested a spirit to share with each other what they did have, and no one felt above any other. For example, during the summer Bro. Brush's two cows gave an abundance of milk, yet his wife never made a pound of butter; for there were so many families that had no cows that all the spare mild was given away. Whoever had dried fruits, wheat-flour or any other luxuries in the way of provisions set them aside for the sick and the feeble, and thus did they seek each other's welfare.
Bro. Brush and his relatives and most of the other had brought with them enough corn meal to last until late in the summer, but at last this was giving out and they started out to obtain a new supply. Going over into Clay county, they succeeded in buying thirty bushels of corn, but the next proposition was to get it ground.
The Saints as yet had no large mills, and so they went to the mills of others before returning to the settlement. But everywhere they went the mills were all full of work, and the owners refused to grind their corn. One man, however, told them that when he had no other customers they could get theirs ground; but that if he gave them a chance to get theirs ground while others were waiting he would lose all his trade. As this seemed their only chance, the brethren concluded to wait; but after staying three days, during which time the mill was not idle day or night, they concluded they would have to try some other place.
For nine days they continued thus to haul their corn around, but at last, feeling that it would never be ground if the waited for outsiders to do it, they started heart-sick, for home. They then heard that about twelve miles from Plum creek a brother owned a little one-horse mill that would grind out about ten bushels of corn each twenty-four hours. To him they went and he at last permitted them to come once every two weeks and grind out one bushel at a time; and this was all he could do in justice to others in as needy a condition. With this the three families were obliged to be content, piecing out with hominy and parched corn until the new corn was old enough to be grated by hand. After this the water mills started and all were enabled to get meal for the winter.
Dear reader... we have shown you some of the physical privations which the early Saints were obliged to suffer for their faith's sake; and yet how great was their cheerfulness and how ready they were to sacrifice one for another!
We have been thus particular according to Bro. Brush's desire that the young may see how far the spirit of selfishness that is abroad in the world today is out of harmony with God's will; and this will be better understood that it was said of even these of whom we are writing, that there were "contentions and jarrings among them," and they did "not [all] impart of their substance as becometh Saints" to the poor and afflicted among them.
May God help us to understand and obey the laws of brotherly love."
"John Brush Biography, by His Friends," Autumn Leaves 4 (1891): 28, 21-24, 64-67, 127-131, 173-177, 217-221, 274-278.
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In June, 1837 John Bozarth settled upon and entered the e ½ of the se 1/4 of section 29, [township 56, range 29, Mirabile Township- along Plum Creek], and moved a house upon it from Far West. Previously, he had lived in Far West near Fugitt's mill. [MMFF Newsletter, index, Fugitt's Mill, 21/22:19]. While living near Far West, Squire Bozarth owned half rights in a saw and gristmill in the Far West area [Clark Johnson, Mormon Redress Petitions, 422].
After moving the Plum Creek, the Bozarth brothers operated a mill along Plum Creek, just inside Clinton County. The History of Clinton County says, "In 1836, the Bozarth brothers, Albert and John, from Kentucky, both members of the Mormon fraternity of Far
West, in Caldwell County, a few miles east, located on shoal Creek, four and
a half miles south of Cameron, a water power grist mill, with one run of
burrs. On the expulsion of the Mormons, the mill ceased to be operated, and
in the course of subsequent years, all traces of this pioneer enterprise
were effaced, and the memory of whose existence is fast fading from the
minds of their descendants or successors." [The History of Clinton County, Missouri (St. Joseph, MO: National Historical
Co. 1881), 246].
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Plum Creek Branch was located in the western part of Rockford Township, Caldwell County, Missouri. Rockford Township was much larger in the 1830s than today. All of present day Kidder, Mirabile, and Rockford townships were then Rockford Township. Settlers found the wooded groves and tree lined streams along Plum Creek, about four miles south west from Far West, quite attractive. As Mormons began settling in Cladwell County, the extended Brush family selected land along Plum Creek. The Settlemet grew into a significant body of church members.
Branch meetings and activities were held at the Plum Creek School. Plum Creek was located at Section 4, Township 55 N, Range 30 W. (--New Atlas of Missouri, 1874, Campbell, Map 17.) This area is southeast of Turney.
Plum Creek Cemetery lies nearby in Section 29, Township 55 N, Range 30 W. Elizabeth Dutton was a Mormon who may be buried in this area. She was born on 24 Dec 1752 in Lunenburg, Worcester, Massachusetts and died on 2 Dec 1838 in Far West, Caldwell, Missouri and family tradition indicates she was buried near Plum Creek, Caldwell, Missouri.
Extracts of Joseph Holbrook's Journal
Resident of Plum Creek Settlement in the Far West Period
Map of Caldwell County, Missouri, Ca. 1838
RLDS (now known as the Community of Christ) began searching for old time Saints in Caldwell County, Missouri, in the 1870s. Joseph S. Lee provides a description of his missionary labors in the area:
Turney Station, Mo., December 18, 1870.
Bro. Mark:
(Saint's Herald, page 58) ... Turney Station; here I made an appointment to preach; but was called away, and Br. A. J. Blodgett filled the appointment.
I went to St. Joseph, where I organized a branch of fourteen members, to be known as the St. Joseph branch. A. Bishop, president, I. L. Bear, clerk.
From St. Joseph back to Turney, from Turney to conference, held in the Starfield branch; from conference back to Turney; from Turney I went in company with Brs. Marchant and Blodgett to the Plumb Creek school-house. This is three miles from Far West. Here we delivered three discourses on the principles of the gospel; and on Monday we troubled the waters of Goose Creek, by baptizing Ruel Frost, and we held meeting at his house for confirmation. From this place, we went to Cameron, and stayed over night with Br. Cazar. From here we went to the residence of Br. Bosarth [Bozarth], one and a half miles west of Cameron, where we again troubled the water by the baptism of Wm. Bozarth and Marcus M. Ballinger. After confirmation Br. Marchant organized a branch of nine members, to be known as the Cameron branch; Br. Cazar, president, Br. A. J. Cato, clerk. To-day, I had the privilege of preaching to an attentive congregation in Turney, where prospects look favorable. May God grant his Spirit to all those who seek to establish the cause of Christ, is the prayer of your brother, J[oseph] S. Lee.
Saints' Herald, 18 (15 January 1871): 58.
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Joseph Holbrook at Plum Creek
Rich Branch on Log Creek
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Testimonies
** GROUP ARRANGEMENTS **
To FarWestHistory.com
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