ORRIN CHANDLER USHER 9 OCTOBER 1876-18 AUGUST 1956
By Grandson Kerry Lee Elkins 2019
Orrin Chandler Usher was known as Chan most of his life, which began the 9th of October, 1876, when he was born in Milo, Lincoln County, Kansas. He was the son of Robert Montgomery Usher 1841-1910 and Sarah Ann Clark 1838-1910.
His father Robert Montgomery Usher was born September 8th, 1841, in Dorset, Ashtabula County, Ohio to William Chauncy Martin Usher and Elizbeth Thompson. He moved with his family early to Linesville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania and from there to Hartstown, Pennsylvania, where he worked in a sawmill. It was there that he enlisted in 1862 with Company K 150th Pennsylvania Volunteers, otherwise known as the 150th Pennsylvania Bucktails, a name given them because of the bucktails worn on their hats, and of which they were quite proud. Company K was a handpicked body of men and was detailed to guard the United States Capitol building and grounds in Washington, D.C., and at times details from the company served as Lincoln's bodyguard. He was present with the Lincoln's the night the President was shot, and although not serving as a bodyguard, he was able to relate the events that followed to his children and grandchildren. Many of them were irritated at having to babysit for Mrs. Lincoln as she was often away for extended periods of time. Abe Lincoln observed Robert attempting a chore around the white house and gave him his pocket knife to use, a memento retained by him which passed to his son, Orrin, following his death.
Robert Usher was wounded in the side by a spent ball in an engagement with General Early's forces near Washington. He served with this regiment until the close of the war in 1868, when he went to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, to run a sawmill.
Robert married Sarah Ann Clark, of Mercer county, Pennsylvania, in 1871, and in 1874 he moved with his family to Ottawa county, Kansas.
In 1877 they settled on a homestead on Spring creek of Lincoln County, Kansas, about nine miles southeast of Barnard, where they remained until 1901. For the next six years he rented various farm properties. In about 1907 his health forced him to retire from active labor, at which time he had lived with one or another of his children.
His passing left his wife Sarah, four sons and one daughter: William Montgomery "Mont" Usher; John Clark Usher, Orrin Chandler "Chan" Usher, Guy Lane Usher, and Lydia Estelle Usher-Sanders "Mrs. R.F. Sanders." Chan lives near Yelton, Oklahoma; John near Humbolt, Nebraska, the others live in Barnard, Kansas. The wife and four of the children were with him in his last sickness. The funeral was held at the Methodist church last Sunday afternoon, Rev. Gouldin conducting the services. He preached a sermon tended to bring consolation to the bereaved relatives, during which he eulogized the honorable career of the deceased as a man and a soldier. Nearly all the pall-bearers were old soldiers. The church was filled with friends and old neighbors who had gathered to pay their last respects to the dead. [Buried in Milo Cemetery. See also Lincoln Sentinel, same date.]
Condensed version of this obituary appeared in the Lincoln Republican, 14 April 1910 & Lincoln Sentinel, 7 April 1910:
Robert Usher: Mr. Usher, an old settler of this county, died at his home near Barnard last Friday.
[Buried in Milo Cemetery; tombstone gives date of birth as 8 September 1841 and date of death as 2 April 1910. See also Barnard Bee, same date.]
Thanks to Tracee for copying these obituaries.
The five children of Robert Usher and Sarah Ann Clark:
1. William Montgomery "Mont" Usher was born 17 January 1872 in Fairview, Mercer, Pennsylvania. Died 7 November 1956 in Barnard, Lincoln, Kansas. Married Idella Mae Keeler, daughter of Jeduthen Day Keeler 1833-1905 and Sarah Ann Loy-Keeler 1836-1899. They had at least 5 children: Elbra Day Usher (1895-1978), Merle Robert Usher (1897-1972), Guy Duane Usher (1900-1995), Sarah Wilma Usher (1905-1907), Eldon Mont Usher (1907-1961), and Velma May Usher-Salum (1912-1998).
2. John Clark Usher was born 30 August, 1873, in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Died 14 June 1956 in Humboldt, Richardson, Nebraska. Buried in Humboldt Cemetery. Married to Addie Bell Trimble 1889-1979. They had at least 3 children: John Emerson Usher (1906-1978), Otis Elson Usher (1909-1989), and Elta Marie Usher-Neff (1915-2001).
3. Lydia Estelle "Lida"Usher-Sanders was born 28 September 1874 in Fairview, Mercer, Pennsylvania. Died 6 March 1961 in Emporia, Lyon, Kansas. Married Royal Frederick Sanders (1876-1908) and had at least one child: Herman Sheldon Sanders (1898-1978).
4. Orrin Chandler "Chan" Usher was born 9 October 1876 in Minneapolis, Ottawa, Kansas. Died 18 August 1956 in Neodesha, Wilson, Kansas. Married to Martha Naomi "Oma" Woody-Usher (1884-1952). They had at least 8 children: Woody Glenn Usher, known as Glenn, (1901-1973); Ira Darrell Usher, known as Darrell, 1904-1974; Viola Naomi Usher-Frazier, known as Vi (1907-1985); Robert Gidley Usher, known as Bob (1909-1965); Samuel Arthur Usher, known as Art (1912-1981); Homer Fernleigh Usher (1917-1920); Geneva Robina Usher-Goode-Baker (1920-2011), and Ocie Lee Ellen Usher-Elkins-Gentry (1925-2005).
5. Guy Lane Usher was born 4 June 1880 in Lincoln, Lincoln, Kansas. Died 7 November 1952, in Lincoln, Kansas. Married to Lillie Belle Woody-Usher (1879-1971) and they had at least 6 children: Ruth Marine Usher-Meili (1904-2000); Ellis Rix Usher (1906-1981), Fern A Usher-Kliewer (1908-1993); Gaye Beatrice Usher-Maring (1910-1999); Edna Mae Usher-Ohlinger (1911-1987); and Ivan Homer Usher (1920-1979).
To complicate matters, at least for genealogists, Orrin Usher married Martha Woody, and his brother Guy Lane Usher married the sister of Martha Woody, Lillie Belle Woody.
ORRIN CHANDLER USHER
1876-1956
Orrin Chandler Usher, or Chan as he was called, was a shy, lanky, gentleman, seldom in a hurry. He was a stickler for details and daily wrote down in his little diaries what the temperature was that day and what the weather was like. He was a savant as far as mathematics, and would entertain us grandchildren by being able to do complex math without using pencil or paper. Add 57834 to 47191, etc. This ability to store and compute mathematics in his head would raise concerns with customers when he would tell them how much they owed and he hadn't written anything down yet.
His wife Martha Naomi Woody was known as Oma and so the pair were Chan & Oma. Martha's mother died when Martha was 3, so she was raised by a childless couple Samuel Archibald Duree and his wife Rhoda Louderbaugh/Lauderbaugh/Lauderbough.
Orrin was running the grain elevator in Gate, Oklahoma, when it burned down. A friend Adeeb "Ad" Cholmia gave him work at his store but the Dust Bowl soon made it evident that they would be moving on. The Duree's were also in that area. Orrin struck out to various locations in Oklahoma such as Yukon to manage their elevators to get by, each time asking if there was work one of his sons could perform. Perhaps if you offered this service, my son could do that for you. In about 1933 he found work in Sedan, Kansas, and returned to Gate to retrieve his family and belongings. He had a Ford Model T. truck and the plan was to have he and Martha ride in the little cab and daughters Geneva and Ocie would ride on the top of the load in back. This plan was quickly scuttled as the poor truck wobbled back and forth far too violently to safely ride on top of the load, so a 4 were crammed into the little truck cab. Geneva and Ocie Lee, my mother, had a large flat rock. When the overloaded truck inched up the hills, the girls would hop out and keep shoving their rock behind the two back wheels to prevent the truck from rolling backwards back down the hill. It finally broke down prior to arriving in Sedan, Kansas, and son Darrell came to the rescue with a new tire and whisked his mother out to arrive in her new home early. Everything that would not fit on the truck was left in the house.
The family soon found a large farmhouse to rent belonging to John Casement. It sat on a hill outside of town overlooking a valley with water, trees, and three large barns. The front porch faced away from the road and the long open porch was always a nice cool place for we kids to play. Grandmother Oma was a wonderful cook and we would often drive from Neodesha to visit on weekends. Other aunts and uncles and cousins were everywhere and Oma's specialty was chicken and noodles. One chicken, a little flour, and water fed the dozen or more of us.
In Gate, Oklahoma, they attended the Friends Church, and their lives were all devoted to their lord and savior. Oma had problems later in her life with angina attacks and finally passed away the 30th of November in 1952. Shortly after that grandpa Usher, Orrin, moved to a little duplex in Neodesha, Wilson County, Kansas, to be close to his daughters Ocie Lee and Geneva, passing away the 18th of August, 1956 there. He and his wife Martha are buried in the Greenwood Cemetery in Sedan, Chautauqua county, Kansas.
By Grandson Kerry Lee Elkins 2019
Orrin Chandler Usher was known as Chan most of his life, which began the 9th of October, 1876, when he was born in Milo, Lincoln County, Kansas. He was the son of Robert Montgomery Usher 1841-1910 and Sarah Ann Clark 1838-1910.
His father Robert Montgomery Usher was born September 8th, 1841, in Dorset, Ashtabula County, Ohio to William Chauncy Martin Usher and Elizbeth Thompson. He moved with his family early to Linesville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania and from there to Hartstown, Pennsylvania, where he worked in a sawmill. It was there that he enlisted in 1862 with Company K 150th Pennsylvania Volunteers, otherwise known as the 150th Pennsylvania Bucktails, a name given them because of the bucktails worn on their hats, and of which they were quite proud. Company K was a handpicked body of men and was detailed to guard the United States Capitol building and grounds in Washington, D.C., and at times details from the company served as Lincoln's bodyguard. He was present with the Lincoln's the night the President was shot, and although not serving as a bodyguard, he was able to relate the events that followed to his children and grandchildren. Many of them were irritated at having to babysit for Mrs. Lincoln as she was often away for extended periods of time. Abe Lincoln observed Robert attempting a chore around the white house and gave him his pocket knife to use, a memento retained by him which passed to his son, Orrin, following his death.
Robert Usher was wounded in the side by a spent ball in an engagement with General Early's forces near Washington. He served with this regiment until the close of the war in 1868, when he went to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, to run a sawmill.
Robert married Sarah Ann Clark, of Mercer county, Pennsylvania, in 1871, and in 1874 he moved with his family to Ottawa county, Kansas.
In 1877 they settled on a homestead on Spring creek of Lincoln County, Kansas, about nine miles southeast of Barnard, where they remained until 1901. For the next six years he rented various farm properties. In about 1907 his health forced him to retire from active labor, at which time he had lived with one or another of his children.
His passing left his wife Sarah, four sons and one daughter: William Montgomery "Mont" Usher; John Clark Usher, Orrin Chandler "Chan" Usher, Guy Lane Usher, and Lydia Estelle Usher-Sanders "Mrs. R.F. Sanders." Chan lives near Yelton, Oklahoma; John near Humbolt, Nebraska, the others live in Barnard, Kansas. The wife and four of the children were with him in his last sickness. The funeral was held at the Methodist church last Sunday afternoon, Rev. Gouldin conducting the services. He preached a sermon tended to bring consolation to the bereaved relatives, during which he eulogized the honorable career of the deceased as a man and a soldier. Nearly all the pall-bearers were old soldiers. The church was filled with friends and old neighbors who had gathered to pay their last respects to the dead. [Buried in Milo Cemetery. See also Lincoln Sentinel, same date.]
Condensed version of this obituary appeared in the Lincoln Republican, 14 April 1910 & Lincoln Sentinel, 7 April 1910:
Robert Usher: Mr. Usher, an old settler of this county, died at his home near Barnard last Friday.
[Buried in Milo Cemetery; tombstone gives date of birth as 8 September 1841 and date of death as 2 April 1910. See also Barnard Bee, same date.]
Thanks to Tracee for copying these obituaries.
The five children of Robert Usher and Sarah Ann Clark:
1. William Montgomery "Mont" Usher was born 17 January 1872 in Fairview, Mercer, Pennsylvania. Died 7 November 1956 in Barnard, Lincoln, Kansas. Married Idella Mae Keeler, daughter of Jeduthen Day Keeler 1833-1905 and Sarah Ann Loy-Keeler 1836-1899. They had at least 5 children: Elbra Day Usher (1895-1978), Merle Robert Usher (1897-1972), Guy Duane Usher (1900-1995), Sarah Wilma Usher (1905-1907), Eldon Mont Usher (1907-1961), and Velma May Usher-Salum (1912-1998).
2. John Clark Usher was born 30 August, 1873, in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Died 14 June 1956 in Humboldt, Richardson, Nebraska. Buried in Humboldt Cemetery. Married to Addie Bell Trimble 1889-1979. They had at least 3 children: John Emerson Usher (1906-1978), Otis Elson Usher (1909-1989), and Elta Marie Usher-Neff (1915-2001).
3. Lydia Estelle "Lida"Usher-Sanders was born 28 September 1874 in Fairview, Mercer, Pennsylvania. Died 6 March 1961 in Emporia, Lyon, Kansas. Married Royal Frederick Sanders (1876-1908) and had at least one child: Herman Sheldon Sanders (1898-1978).
4. Orrin Chandler "Chan" Usher was born 9 October 1876 in Minneapolis, Ottawa, Kansas. Died 18 August 1956 in Neodesha, Wilson, Kansas. Married to Martha Naomi "Oma" Woody-Usher (1884-1952). They had at least 8 children: Woody Glenn Usher, known as Glenn, (1901-1973); Ira Darrell Usher, known as Darrell, 1904-1974; Viola Naomi Usher-Frazier, known as Vi (1907-1985); Robert Gidley Usher, known as Bob (1909-1965); Samuel Arthur Usher, known as Art (1912-1981); Homer Fernleigh Usher (1917-1920); Geneva Robina Usher-Goode-Baker (1920-2011), and Ocie Lee Ellen Usher-Elkins-Gentry (1925-2005).
5. Guy Lane Usher was born 4 June 1880 in Lincoln, Lincoln, Kansas. Died 7 November 1952, in Lincoln, Kansas. Married to Lillie Belle Woody-Usher (1879-1971) and they had at least 6 children: Ruth Marine Usher-Meili (1904-2000); Ellis Rix Usher (1906-1981), Fern A Usher-Kliewer (1908-1993); Gaye Beatrice Usher-Maring (1910-1999); Edna Mae Usher-Ohlinger (1911-1987); and Ivan Homer Usher (1920-1979).
To complicate matters, at least for genealogists, Orrin Usher married Martha Woody, and his brother Guy Lane Usher married the sister of Martha Woody, Lillie Belle Woody.
ORRIN CHANDLER USHER
1876-1956
Orrin Chandler Usher, or Chan as he was called, was a shy, lanky, gentleman, seldom in a hurry. He was a stickler for details and daily wrote down in his little diaries what the temperature was that day and what the weather was like. He was a savant as far as mathematics, and would entertain us grandchildren by being able to do complex math without using pencil or paper. Add 57834 to 47191, etc. This ability to store and compute mathematics in his head would raise concerns with customers when he would tell them how much they owed and he hadn't written anything down yet.
His wife Martha Naomi Woody was known as Oma and so the pair were Chan & Oma. Martha's mother died when Martha was 3, so she was raised by a childless couple Samuel Archibald Duree and his wife Rhoda Louderbaugh/Lauderbaugh/Lauderbough.
Orrin was running the grain elevator in Gate, Oklahoma, when it burned down. A friend Adeeb "Ad" Cholmia gave him work at his store but the Dust Bowl soon made it evident that they would be moving on. The Duree's were also in that area. Orrin struck out to various locations in Oklahoma such as Yukon to manage their elevators to get by, each time asking if there was work one of his sons could perform. Perhaps if you offered this service, my son could do that for you. In about 1933 he found work in Sedan, Kansas, and returned to Gate to retrieve his family and belongings. He had a Ford Model T. truck and the plan was to have he and Martha ride in the little cab and daughters Geneva and Ocie would ride on the top of the load in back. This plan was quickly scuttled as the poor truck wobbled back and forth far too violently to safely ride on top of the load, so a 4 were crammed into the little truck cab. Geneva and Ocie Lee, my mother, had a large flat rock. When the overloaded truck inched up the hills, the girls would hop out and keep shoving their rock behind the two back wheels to prevent the truck from rolling backwards back down the hill. It finally broke down prior to arriving in Sedan, Kansas, and son Darrell came to the rescue with a new tire and whisked his mother out to arrive in her new home early. Everything that would not fit on the truck was left in the house.
The family soon found a large farmhouse to rent belonging to John Casement. It sat on a hill outside of town overlooking a valley with water, trees, and three large barns. The front porch faced away from the road and the long open porch was always a nice cool place for we kids to play. Grandmother Oma was a wonderful cook and we would often drive from Neodesha to visit on weekends. Other aunts and uncles and cousins were everywhere and Oma's specialty was chicken and noodles. One chicken, a little flour, and water fed the dozen or more of us.
In Gate, Oklahoma, they attended the Friends Church, and their lives were all devoted to their lord and savior. Oma had problems later in her life with angina attacks and finally passed away the 30th of November in 1952. Shortly after that grandpa Usher, Orrin, moved to a little duplex in Neodesha, Wilson County, Kansas, to be close to his daughters Ocie Lee and Geneva, passing away the 18th of August, 1956 there. He and his wife Martha are buried in the Greenwood Cemetery in Sedan, Chautauqua county, Kansas.
ORRIN CHANDLER USHER 9 OCTOBER 1876-18 AUGUST 1956
By Grandson Kerry Lee Elkins 2019
Orrin Chandler Usher was known as Chan most of his life, which began the 9th of October, 1876, when he was born in Milo, Lincoln County, Kansas. He was the son of Robert Montgomery Usher 1841-1910 and Sarah Ann Clark 1838-1910.
His father Robert Montgomery Usher was born September 8th, 1841, in Dorset, Ashtabula County, Ohio to William Chauncy Martin Usher and Elizbeth Thompson. He moved with his family early to Linesville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania and from there to Hartstown, Pennsylvania, where he worked in a sawmill. It was there that he enlisted in 1862 with Company K 150th Pennsylvania Volunteers, otherwise known as the 150th Pennsylvania Bucktails, a name given them because of the bucktails worn on their hats, and of which they were quite proud. Company K was a handpicked body of men and was detailed to guard the United States Capitol building and grounds in Washington, D.C., and at times details from the company served as Lincoln's bodyguard. He was present with the Lincoln's the night the President was shot, and although not serving as a bodyguard, he was able to relate the events that followed to his children and grandchildren. Many of them were irritated at having to babysit for Mrs. Lincoln as she was often away for extended periods of time. Abe Lincoln observed Robert attempting a chore around the white house and gave him his pocket knife to use, a memento retained by him which passed to his son, Orrin, following his death.
Robert Usher was wounded in the side by a spent ball in an engagement with General Early's forces near Washington. He served with this regiment until the close of the war in 1868, when he went to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, to run a sawmill.
Robert married Sarah Ann Clark, of Mercer county, Pennsylvania, in 1871, and in 1874 he moved with his family to Ottawa county, Kansas.
In 1877 they settled on a homestead on Spring creek of Lincoln County, Kansas, about nine miles southeast of Barnard, where they remained until 1901. For the next six years he rented various farm properties. In about 1907 his health forced him to retire from active labor, at which time he had lived with one or another of his children.
His passing left his wife Sarah, four sons and one daughter: William Montgomery "Mont" Usher; John Clark Usher, Orrin Chandler "Chan" Usher, Guy Lane Usher, and Lydia Estelle Usher-Sanders "Mrs. R.F. Sanders." Chan lives near Yelton, Oklahoma; John near Humbolt, Nebraska, the others live in Barnard, Kansas. The wife and four of the children were with him in his last sickness. The funeral was held at the Methodist church last Sunday afternoon, Rev. Gouldin conducting the services. He preached a sermon tended to bring consolation to the bereaved relatives, during which he eulogized the honorable career of the deceased as a man and a soldier. Nearly all the pall-bearers were old soldiers. The church was filled with friends and old neighbors who had gathered to pay their last respects to the dead. [Buried in Milo Cemetery. See also Lincoln Sentinel, same date.]
Condensed version of this obituary appeared in the Lincoln Republican, 14 April 1910 & Lincoln Sentinel, 7 April 1910:
Robert Usher: Mr. Usher, an old settler of this county, died at his home near Barnard last Friday.
[Buried in Milo Cemetery; tombstone gives date of birth as 8 September 1841 and date of death as 2 April 1910. See also Barnard Bee, same date.]
Thanks to Tracee for copying these obituaries.
The five children of Robert Usher and Sarah Ann Clark:
1. William Montgomery "Mont" Usher was born 17 January 1872 in Fairview, Mercer, Pennsylvania. Died 7 November 1956 in Barnard, Lincoln, Kansas. Married Idella Mae Keeler, daughter of Jeduthen Day Keeler 1833-1905 and Sarah Ann Loy-Keeler 1836-1899. They had at least 5 children: Elbra Day Usher (1895-1978), Merle Robert Usher (1897-1972), Guy Duane Usher (1900-1995), Sarah Wilma Usher (1905-1907), Eldon Mont Usher (1907-1961), and Velma May Usher-Salum (1912-1998).
2. John Clark Usher was born 30 August, 1873, in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Died 14 June 1956 in Humboldt, Richardson, Nebraska. Buried in Humboldt Cemetery. Married to Addie Bell Trimble 1889-1979. They had at least 3 children: John Emerson Usher (1906-1978), Otis Elson Usher (1909-1989), and Elta Marie Usher-Neff (1915-2001).
3. Lydia Estelle "Lida"Usher-Sanders was born 28 September 1874 in Fairview, Mercer, Pennsylvania. Died 6 March 1961 in Emporia, Lyon, Kansas. Married Royal Frederick Sanders (1876-1908) and had at least one child: Herman Sheldon Sanders (1898-1978).
4. Orrin Chandler "Chan" Usher was born 9 October 1876 in Minneapolis, Ottawa, Kansas. Died 18 August 1956 in Neodesha, Wilson, Kansas. Married to Martha Naomi "Oma" Woody-Usher (1884-1952). They had at least 8 children: Woody Glenn Usher, known as Glenn, (1901-1973); Ira Darrell Usher, known as Darrell, 1904-1974; Viola Naomi Usher-Frazier, known as Vi (1907-1985); Robert Gidley Usher, known as Bob (1909-1965); Samuel Arthur Usher, known as Art (1912-1981); Homer Fernleigh Usher (1917-1920); Geneva Robina Usher-Goode-Baker (1920-2011), and Ocie Lee Ellen Usher-Elkins-Gentry (1925-2005).
5. Guy Lane Usher was born 4 June 1880 in Lincoln, Lincoln, Kansas. Died 7 November 1952, in Lincoln, Kansas. Married to Lillie Belle Woody-Usher (1879-1971) and they had at least 6 children: Ruth Marine Usher-Meili (1904-2000); Ellis Rix Usher (1906-1981), Fern A Usher-Kliewer (1908-1993); Gaye Beatrice Usher-Maring (1910-1999); Edna Mae Usher-Ohlinger (1911-1987); and Ivan Homer Usher (1920-1979).
To complicate matters, at least for genealogists, Orrin Usher married Martha Woody, and his brother Guy Lane Usher married the sister of Martha Woody, Lillie Belle Woody.
ORRIN CHANDLER USHER
1876-1956
Orrin Chandler Usher, or Chan as he was called, was a shy, lanky, gentleman, seldom in a hurry. He was a stickler for details and daily wrote down in his little diaries what the temperature was that day and what the weather was like. He was a savant as far as mathematics, and would entertain us grandchildren by being able to do complex math without using pencil or paper. Add 57834 to 47191, etc. This ability to store and compute mathematics in his head would raise concerns with customers when he would tell them how much they owed and he hadn't written anything down yet.
His wife Martha Naomi Woody was known as Oma and so the pair were Chan & Oma. Martha's mother died when Martha was 3, so she was raised by a childless couple Samuel Archibald Duree and his wife Rhoda Louderbaugh/Lauderbaugh/Lauderbough.
Orrin was running the grain elevator in Gate, Oklahoma, when it burned down. A friend Adeeb "Ad" Cholmia gave him work at his store but the Dust Bowl soon made it evident that they would be moving on. The Duree's were also in that area. Orrin struck out to various locations in Oklahoma such as Yukon to manage their elevators to get by, each time asking if there was work one of his sons could perform. Perhaps if you offered this service, my son could do that for you. In about 1933 he found work in Sedan, Kansas, and returned to Gate to retrieve his family and belongings. He had a Ford Model T. truck and the plan was to have he and Martha ride in the little cab and daughters Geneva and Ocie would ride on the top of the load in back. This plan was quickly scuttled as the poor truck wobbled back and forth far too violently to safely ride on top of the load, so a 4 were crammed into the little truck cab. Geneva and Ocie Lee, my mother, had a large flat rock. When the overloaded truck inched up the hills, the girls would hop out and keep shoving their rock behind the two back wheels to prevent the truck from rolling backwards back down the hill. It finally broke down prior to arriving in Sedan, Kansas, and son Darrell came to the rescue with a new tire and whisked his mother out to arrive in her new home early. Everything that would not fit on the truck was left in the house.
The family soon found a large farmhouse to rent belonging to John Casement. It sat on a hill outside of town overlooking a valley with water, trees, and three large barns. The front porch faced away from the road and the long open porch was always a nice cool place for we kids to play. Grandmother Oma was a wonderful cook and we would often drive from Neodesha to visit on weekends. Other aunts and uncles and cousins were everywhere and Oma's specialty was chicken and noodles. One chicken, a little flour, and water fed the dozen or more of us.
In Gate, Oklahoma, they attended the Friends Church, and their lives were all devoted to their lord and savior. Oma had problems later in her life with angina attacks and finally passed away the 30th of November in 1952. Shortly after that grandpa Usher, Orrin, moved to a little duplex in Neodesha, Wilson County, Kansas, to be close to his daughters Ocie Lee and Geneva, passing away the 18th of August, 1956 there. He and his wife Martha are buried in the Greenwood Cemetery in Sedan, Chautauqua county, Kansas.
By Grandson Kerry Lee Elkins 2019
Orrin Chandler Usher was known as Chan most of his life, which began the 9th of October, 1876, when he was born in Milo, Lincoln County, Kansas. He was the son of Robert Montgomery Usher 1841-1910 and Sarah Ann Clark 1838-1910.
His father Robert Montgomery Usher was born September 8th, 1841, in Dorset, Ashtabula County, Ohio to William Chauncy Martin Usher and Elizbeth Thompson. He moved with his family early to Linesville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania and from there to Hartstown, Pennsylvania, where he worked in a sawmill. It was there that he enlisted in 1862 with Company K 150th Pennsylvania Volunteers, otherwise known as the 150th Pennsylvania Bucktails, a name given them because of the bucktails worn on their hats, and of which they were quite proud. Company K was a handpicked body of men and was detailed to guard the United States Capitol building and grounds in Washington, D.C., and at times details from the company served as Lincoln's bodyguard. He was present with the Lincoln's the night the President was shot, and although not serving as a bodyguard, he was able to relate the events that followed to his children and grandchildren. Many of them were irritated at having to babysit for Mrs. Lincoln as she was often away for extended periods of time. Abe Lincoln observed Robert attempting a chore around the white house and gave him his pocket knife to use, a memento retained by him which passed to his son, Orrin, following his death.
Robert Usher was wounded in the side by a spent ball in an engagement with General Early's forces near Washington. He served with this regiment until the close of the war in 1868, when he went to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, to run a sawmill.
Robert married Sarah Ann Clark, of Mercer county, Pennsylvania, in 1871, and in 1874 he moved with his family to Ottawa county, Kansas.
In 1877 they settled on a homestead on Spring creek of Lincoln County, Kansas, about nine miles southeast of Barnard, where they remained until 1901. For the next six years he rented various farm properties. In about 1907 his health forced him to retire from active labor, at which time he had lived with one or another of his children.
His passing left his wife Sarah, four sons and one daughter: William Montgomery "Mont" Usher; John Clark Usher, Orrin Chandler "Chan" Usher, Guy Lane Usher, and Lydia Estelle Usher-Sanders "Mrs. R.F. Sanders." Chan lives near Yelton, Oklahoma; John near Humbolt, Nebraska, the others live in Barnard, Kansas. The wife and four of the children were with him in his last sickness. The funeral was held at the Methodist church last Sunday afternoon, Rev. Gouldin conducting the services. He preached a sermon tended to bring consolation to the bereaved relatives, during which he eulogized the honorable career of the deceased as a man and a soldier. Nearly all the pall-bearers were old soldiers. The church was filled with friends and old neighbors who had gathered to pay their last respects to the dead. [Buried in Milo Cemetery. See also Lincoln Sentinel, same date.]
Condensed version of this obituary appeared in the Lincoln Republican, 14 April 1910 & Lincoln Sentinel, 7 April 1910:
Robert Usher: Mr. Usher, an old settler of this county, died at his home near Barnard last Friday.
[Buried in Milo Cemetery; tombstone gives date of birth as 8 September 1841 and date of death as 2 April 1910. See also Barnard Bee, same date.]
Thanks to Tracee for copying these obituaries.
The five children of Robert Usher and Sarah Ann Clark:
1. William Montgomery "Mont" Usher was born 17 January 1872 in Fairview, Mercer, Pennsylvania. Died 7 November 1956 in Barnard, Lincoln, Kansas. Married Idella Mae Keeler, daughter of Jeduthen Day Keeler 1833-1905 and Sarah Ann Loy-Keeler 1836-1899. They had at least 5 children: Elbra Day Usher (1895-1978), Merle Robert Usher (1897-1972), Guy Duane Usher (1900-1995), Sarah Wilma Usher (1905-1907), Eldon Mont Usher (1907-1961), and Velma May Usher-Salum (1912-1998).
2. John Clark Usher was born 30 August, 1873, in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Died 14 June 1956 in Humboldt, Richardson, Nebraska. Buried in Humboldt Cemetery. Married to Addie Bell Trimble 1889-1979. They had at least 3 children: John Emerson Usher (1906-1978), Otis Elson Usher (1909-1989), and Elta Marie Usher-Neff (1915-2001).
3. Lydia Estelle "Lida"Usher-Sanders was born 28 September 1874 in Fairview, Mercer, Pennsylvania. Died 6 March 1961 in Emporia, Lyon, Kansas. Married Royal Frederick Sanders (1876-1908) and had at least one child: Herman Sheldon Sanders (1898-1978).
4. Orrin Chandler "Chan" Usher was born 9 October 1876 in Minneapolis, Ottawa, Kansas. Died 18 August 1956 in Neodesha, Wilson, Kansas. Married to Martha Naomi "Oma" Woody-Usher (1884-1952). They had at least 8 children: Woody Glenn Usher, known as Glenn, (1901-1973); Ira Darrell Usher, known as Darrell, 1904-1974; Viola Naomi Usher-Frazier, known as Vi (1907-1985); Robert Gidley Usher, known as Bob (1909-1965); Samuel Arthur Usher, known as Art (1912-1981); Homer Fernleigh Usher (1917-1920); Geneva Robina Usher-Goode-Baker (1920-2011), and Ocie Lee Ellen Usher-Elkins-Gentry (1925-2005).
5. Guy Lane Usher was born 4 June 1880 in Lincoln, Lincoln, Kansas. Died 7 November 1952, in Lincoln, Kansas. Married to Lillie Belle Woody-Usher (1879-1971) and they had at least 6 children: Ruth Marine Usher-Meili (1904-2000); Ellis Rix Usher (1906-1981), Fern A Usher-Kliewer (1908-1993); Gaye Beatrice Usher-Maring (1910-1999); Edna Mae Usher-Ohlinger (1911-1987); and Ivan Homer Usher (1920-1979).
To complicate matters, at least for genealogists, Orrin Usher married Martha Woody, and his brother Guy Lane Usher married the sister of Martha Woody, Lillie Belle Woody.
ORRIN CHANDLER USHER
1876-1956
Orrin Chandler Usher, or Chan as he was called, was a shy, lanky, gentleman, seldom in a hurry. He was a stickler for details and daily wrote down in his little diaries what the temperature was that day and what the weather was like. He was a savant as far as mathematics, and would entertain us grandchildren by being able to do complex math without using pencil or paper. Add 57834 to 47191, etc. This ability to store and compute mathematics in his head would raise concerns with customers when he would tell them how much they owed and he hadn't written anything down yet.
His wife Martha Naomi Woody was known as Oma and so the pair were Chan & Oma. Martha's mother died when Martha was 3, so she was raised by a childless couple Samuel Archibald Duree and his wife Rhoda Louderbaugh/Lauderbaugh/Lauderbough.
Orrin was running the grain elevator in Gate, Oklahoma, when it burned down. A friend Adeeb "Ad" Cholmia gave him work at his store but the Dust Bowl soon made it evident that they would be moving on. The Duree's were also in that area. Orrin struck out to various locations in Oklahoma such as Yukon to manage their elevators to get by, each time asking if there was work one of his sons could perform. Perhaps if you offered this service, my son could do that for you. In about 1933 he found work in Sedan, Kansas, and returned to Gate to retrieve his family and belongings. He had a Ford Model T. truck and the plan was to have he and Martha ride in the little cab and daughters Geneva and Ocie would ride on the top of the load in back. This plan was quickly scuttled as the poor truck wobbled back and forth far too violently to safely ride on top of the load, so a 4 were crammed into the little truck cab. Geneva and Ocie Lee, my mother, had a large flat rock. When the overloaded truck inched up the hills, the girls would hop out and keep shoving their rock behind the two back wheels to prevent the truck from rolling backwards back down the hill. It finally broke down prior to arriving in Sedan, Kansas, and son Darrell came to the rescue with a new tire and whisked his mother out to arrive in her new home early. Everything that would not fit on the truck was left in the house.
The family soon found a large farmhouse to rent belonging to John Casement. It sat on a hill outside of town overlooking a valley with water, trees, and three large barns. The front porch faced away from the road and the long open porch was always a nice cool place for we kids to play. Grandmother Oma was a wonderful cook and we would often drive from Neodesha to visit on weekends. Other aunts and uncles and cousins were everywhere and Oma's specialty was chicken and noodles. One chicken, a little flour, and water fed the dozen or more of us.
In Gate, Oklahoma, they attended the Friends Church, and their lives were all devoted to their lord and savior. Oma had problems later in her life with angina attacks and finally passed away the 30th of November in 1952. Shortly after that grandpa Usher, Orrin, moved to a little duplex in Neodesha, Wilson County, Kansas, to be close to his daughters Ocie Lee and Geneva, passing away the 18th of August, 1956 there. He and his wife Martha are buried in the Greenwood Cemetery in Sedan, Chautauqua county, Kansas.
Family Members
Siblings
Children
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Woody Glenn "Glen" Usher
1901–1973
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Ira Darrell "Darrell" Usher
1904–1974
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Viola Naomi "Vi" Usher Frazier
1907–1985
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Robert Gidley "Bob" Usher
1909–1965
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Samuel Arthur "Art" Usher
1912–1981
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Homer Fernleigh "Fernleigh" Usher
1917–1920
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Geneva Robina Usher Baker
1920–2011
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Ocie Lee Ellen Usher Elkins Gentry
1925–2005
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