John William Bewley (1799 - abt. 1847)

Born 26 Apr 1799 in Cherokee Creek, Washington, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Catharine (Ellis) Graves — married 26 Apr 1823 in Washington, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died about Nov 1847 at about age 48 in Clackamas, Clackamas, Oregon, United States

Biography

John was born in in 1799 in Washington County, Tennessee^[1] to John George Bewley and Catharine Hunter.

John married Catherine Ellis on 23 Apr 1823 in Washington County, Tennessee. They had the following children:

1. William Fenlin Bewley (1824- bef 1847)
2. Crockett Anderson Bewley (1825-1847)
3. Esther Lorinda Bewley (1826-1899)
4. James Fenton Bewley (1828-1888)
5. Linuaria Jones Bewley (1830-1859)
6. Maranda Narcissa Bewley (1832-1916)
7. Theophilus Rollins Bewley (1834-1920)
8. Henry Edward Bewley (1836-1848)
9. Marcellus Adolphus Bewley (1840-1841)
10. Eusebia Bewley (1842-1843)
11. John Marsena Bewley (1845-1925)

In the 1830 census, John was living in Jefferson, Tennessee. His household included himself and his wife and their first four children. Also, living in his household were two males and one female age 20-29 who may have been John's younger siblings.^[2] After the death of John's father in 1830, he stayed in Tennessee for several years and his first seven children were born in Tennessee.

In 1836 he removed to Lafayette, Indiana; where his son Henry Edward was born. All of his remaining children were born in Missouri. By the 1840 census, John was living in Deep Water, Van Buren (later renamed Cass), Missouri. His household included himself and his wife Catherine, five males from under 5 to 15-19 years old (likely his sons William, Crockett, James, Theophilus, and Henry) and three females from under 5 to 10-14 years old (likely his daughters Esther Lorinda, Linuaria, and Maranda).^[3] His brothers Isaac W Bewley^[4] and Wells C Bewley^[5] were also living in Van Buren County, Missouri.

John purchased a plat of 40 acres of land on 1 July 1845 in Van Buren (now Cass), Missouri, United States.^[6]

John William Bewley, referred to as Captain Bewley, headed a wagon train that left Missouri in May of 1847 to travel the Oregon Trail to Oregon Territory. His party included his wife and children, his brother Isaac W Bewley and family, as well as friends consisting of the James B. Graves family. Other members of the wagon train included the Campbells, Crisps, Danforths, Greens, Prettymans, Youngs, and the Victor Wallace family.^[7]

Nearing the end of the journey, he stopped at the mission of Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa, in what is now Walla Walla, Washington, to seek medical attention for two of his children: son Crockett and daughter Lorinda, who were both ill. Leaving the two at the mission the rest of the family continued on towards the Willamette Valley with the promised that Dr. Whitman would accompany the two left behind to the valley in the spring. Shortly after that Dr. and Mrs. Whitman were murdered in what became known as the Whitman Massacre. Crockett was killed and Lorinda was taken captive. After learning of the death of his son and the capture of his daughter, he suffered an apparent heart attack and died. He was buried on the trail at the base of the Cascades near what is now Sandy, Oregon.^[8]

John died on 15 December 1847, on the Oregon Trail near what is now Sandy, Oregon. and was buried at the side of the trail.^[9]Family history says that his sons went back later to mark the grave site, but were unable to find the burial location.

Sources

1. ↑ Birth: "Oregon, U.S., Early Oregonians Index, 1800-1860". Early Oregonians Database Index. Oregon State Archives, Salem, Oregon. John William Bewley born on 26 Apr 1799 in Washington, Tennessee, USA.
2. ↑ 1830 Census: "1830 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1830; Census Place: Jefferson, Tennessee; Series: M19; Roll: 180; Page: 280; Family History Library Film: 0024538. John W Bewly in Jefferson, Tennessee.
3. ↑ 1840 Census: "1840 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1840; Census Place: Deep Water, Van Buren (renamed Cass County in 1849), Missouri; Roll: 232; Page: 133; Family History Library Film: 0014858. John W Buley [Bewley] in Deep Water, Van Buren, Missouri.
4. ↑ 1840 Census: "1840 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1840; Census Place: Grand River, Van Buren, Missouri; Roll: 232; Page: 136; Family History Library Film: 0014858. Isaac Buley [Bewley] in Grand River, Van Buren, Missouri.
5. ↑ 1840 Census: "1840 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1840; Census Place: Grand River, Van Buren, Missouri; Roll: 232; Page: 135; Family History Library Film: 0014858. Wells Buley in Grand River, Van Buren, Missouri.
6. ↑ 1845 Legal Record: "U.S., General Land Office Records, 1776-2015"
   Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records; Washington D.C., USA; Federal Land Patents, State Volumes. Name: John W Bewley; Issue Date: 1 Jul 1845; Place: Cass, Missouri, USA; Land Office: Clinton; Meridian: 5th PM; Township: 43-N; Range: 31-W; Section: 23; Accession Number: MO1490__.175; Document Number: 23694; Original URL: http://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MO1490__.175&docClass=STA&sid=nims1zkh.p2k.
7. ↑ Oregon History: Emigrants to Oregon in 1847. http://www.oregonpioneers.com/1847_A_L.htm. Captains of 1847; Capt. John William Bewley. Left Independence, MO on May 7, 1847
8. ↑ Family History: First-hand information as gathered by Jesse Chapman, Sunday, August 31, 2014.
9. ↑ Burial: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/142357284/john-william-bewley: accessed 25 February 2023), memorial page for John William Bewley (5 Apr 1799–15 Dec 1847), Find a Grave Memorial ID 142357284; Burial Details Unknown, Died Along the OR Trail; Maintained by BluMoKitty (contributor 46830270).