The Grisham Family in the Ozarks
Above the Fruited Plain
by Terry Redlin
My first Grisham ancestor in the Ozarks was Joseph W. Grisham, born 15 April, 1829 in the State of Mississippi. Joe was one of at least five children born to Permelia J. Grisham and her husband, who name is unknown, The other child ren were William, born 1825; Ellen born about 1830; Lemuel, born about 1832 and Virginia, born about 1837.
At some point, the family left Mississippi and moved to northwest Kentucky, and it was here that Joe married Nancy J. Stone. Their marriage date is unknown, but I located a transcribed record that shows Joseph Grisham marrying a Mary Stone in Union County, Kentucky on 19 March, 1854. The time would be about right to be Joe and Nancy, so this could be a misprint of her name. Nancy was believed to be the daughter of Henry and Mary Stone, and was born 30 October, 1833 in Kentucky.
Joseph W. Grisham and Nancy J. Stone Grisham
In 1874, Joe and Nancy sold their farm located near the town of Dixon, in Webster County, Kentucky and moved their family west to Missouri. At that time the family consisited of at least six children, Mary Jane, William R. (Bill), Lucinda Ann (Cindy), James Monroe (Jim), John T., and Joseph Jacob (Jody). In November 1874, Joe and Nancy purchased 172 acres from John and Mary Ann Proffitt, and Henderson and Mary Proffitt. The farm was located on Spring Creek near several large springs, on what is now the end of Howell County Route K.
The springs were owned by Dr. J.C.B. Dixon, of West Plains. In 1875, he built a spa and hotel around the springs and began promoting the healthful benefits of taking the water cure. Bathing and drinking spring water was a popular health kick at this time period, when most people in the cities were forced to drink from very unsanitary public water supplies. Wealthy travelers flocked to the resort and a community developed around it. By 1877, the population of the town, called Cureall because the waters from the springs could cure all ailments, was approximately 200.
Joe and Nancy were apparently unhappy living so close ( only 1/4 mile away) to the thriving little community because they sold their farm for a loss in November 1878 to Joseph Bays for $250.00. It was probably at the Cureall farm that the family experienced the sad loss of the oldest child Mary Jane. The Cureall cemetery lies in the middle of the family farm, but I was unable to locate a marked grave for Mary. I suppose it is possible that Mary was ill when the family came here and that they were seeking treatment for her like the throngs of others who came there, but we will probably never know. Daughter Cindy remained in this area, marrying Gabriel C.O. Endicott on January 6, 1878 in the nearby town of Pottersville. Gabe was the brother of Sarah Louise Endicott, who had married the oldest Grisham son, Bill, in 1875. Gabe and Cindy operated a general mercantile store in Pottersville for several years before moving to Sringfield and opening a furniture store on Commercial Street. They spent the rest of their lives in Springfield and were both buried in the Greenlawn cemetery.
On 15 May, 1879, Joe purchased 80 acres in western Ozark County, Missouri from Martin and Elizabeth Smith. This property was located near the village of Romance, the property is now at the intersection of Missouri Highway 5 and Ozark County Route Z. It was here that a seventh child, Nancy was born 1879. They only lived there a short time before apparently selling the property. Son Bill and wife Sarah had already moved from Howell County to southeast Ozark County near the little town of Elijah. In September 1882 Joe purchased 50 acres, from William and Sarah Wilson, in the same area.
The family lived on this land for several years and became active in the community. On 29 January, 1884, son Jim married Permelia Angeline Dean, and the young couple set up housekeeping nearby. In February 1890, the minutes of the Bridges Creek (Baptist Hill) Missionary Baptist Church reflect that on the 2nd Sunday there was "preaching by the pastor the meeting continued on till Tuesday night the 11th day. Received during the meeting 2 by letter, Sister Jane A. Roberts and Sister Nancy Grisham; by experience and baptism, 12 , Mary Woodrum, Catherine McKindley, C.E. Johnson, Mary A.M. Wiles, Mary Parson, James Ricketts, William H. Baker, Henry West, Robert Fowler, Marian Fowler, D.J. Johnson and J.B. McKindley...". Joe joined the church by letter in October 1895. It was in the little cemetery at Bridges Creek Church that the family buried the youngest member of the family, twelve year old Nancy Ann, in 1891. Her grave is marked by a smooth flat stone and is at the west end of the cemetery, where the church stood at the time. The building now stands at the east end of the property.
Sometime in the late 1890's, Joe and Nancy loaded their belongings and moved again, this time to Southern Texas County, Missouri near the community of Harlow. Joe traded his Bridges Creek farm with the House family, who farmed a small acreage on the Jacks Fork River. It was here, while taking water to son Jody, who was working in the fields, that Joe died of a heart attack on 22 April, 1901. He was buried the next day at the Harlow Church cemetery just a short distance from the farm. Nancy died later that same year on October 25th and was buried next to Joe. The grave is marked with a large white obelisk and is in the northeast corner of the cemetery.
Jody had married Mary Caroline Sims, while the family lived on Bridges Creek and they returned to that area with their children.
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From the America the Beautiful series
by artist Terry Redlin.
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