Obadiah Newcomb Bush
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| Obadiah Newcomb Bush | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 28, 1797 Monroe County, New York, USA |
| Died | February 9?, 1851 California |
| Occupation | Business, Relative |
| Spouse | Harriet Smith |
| Parents | Timothy Bush Junior and Lydia Newcomb |
| Children | James Smith Bush 6 other unknown children |
Obadiah Newcomb Bush (January 28, 1797 - 1851) was an American merchant and an ancestor of the Bush political family.
He was the son of blacksmith Timothy Bush, Jr. and Lydia Newcomb, and was born in Penfield, Monroe Co., New York on January 28, 1797. He left home during the War of 1812 and married Harriet Smith, the daughter of Dr. Sanford Smith and Priscilla Whipple Smith, in Rochester on November 8, 1821. He and his wife had seven children.
Through his son Reverend James Smith Bush, he is the great-great-grandfather of former President George H.W. Bush and the great-great-great-grandfather of President George W. Bush.
[edit] Biography
In Rochester, Obadiah was employed as a schoolmaster and was also a well known abolitionist. He served as vice president of the Anti-Slavery Society and was on a committee to nominate candidates for justice of the peace.
His brother Henry, a manufacturer of stoves, was also well known for his involvement in abolitionist activities. He was a participant in the Underground Railroad, and even petitioned the New York state Legislature to secede from the Union in a protest against slavery. The Rochester Daily Advertiser accused him of encouraging "anarchy."
Eventually Obadiah, Henry and possibly another brother or two went off to find their fortunes in the California Gold Rush of 1849. After two years of toiling in California he began passage home, by ship, to retrieve his family in New York. He died, however, aboard ship and was given a sea burial.
According to the book The Faith of George W. Bush:
- "... left his home during the War of 1812, became a schoolmaster, then caught gold fever and left for California during the Gold Rush of 1849. Two years later, he tried to return home to reclaim his family and take them west. He died in the attempt, though, and was buried at sea. leaving his wife and seven children alone in Rochester, New York."
[edit] Sources
- The Faith of George W. Bush
- Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.com, President's family has deep roots here, by Lara Becker Liu, February 21, 2005.
- American Presidential Families, Hugh Brogan and Charles Mosley, MacMillan Publishing Company, New York, 1993.
