Caldwell County MO Archives History .....THE McCUBBIN FAMILY AS PIONEERS NEAR BRECKENRIDGE ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mo/mofiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Karen Walker khw4@yahoo.com August 30, 2008, 4:12 pm THE McCUBBIN FAMILY AS PIONEERS NEAR BRECKENRIDGE Narrator: M.R. McCubbin of Breckenridge, Missouri Crossing the Plains to California Making Brick at Breckenridge Susannah, the Weaver The following will give some of the historical facts concerning the earlier part of Barnett Monroe McCubbin and his wife Susannah who lived as pioneers in Caldwell County. Barnett M. McCubbin was born in Hancock County Illinois January 8 1836 his father Pleasant McCubbin was the son of James McCubbin of North Carolina and later of Kentucky. James was a soldier in the war of the Revolution and served under Washington at Valley Forge. His wife was Polly Cook of Virginia and tradition has it that she was the one chosen for the partner in the grand promenade at the close of the revolutionary war when Washington with many of the patriots was celebrating the close of the Revolution and the surrender of the English. Pleasant was a veteran of the Black Hawk war and moved with his family to Missouri near what is Warsaw now and the head of the Lake of the Ozarks, in September of 1836. Barnett was only about eight months old at this time. It was here that he grew up to about seventeen years and in the spring of 1853 crossed the plains to California with the ox trains of Howsers and Hood. They started the first part of April and reached Hang Town California on the thirteenth day of October, being on the road over six months. He served with the train as driver part of the time and as the hunter for supplies of wild game much of the time. He was captured by the Indians on one occasion and was rescued by the rear guard of the train who had remained longer than usual to allow the stock to feed on the grass as much as possible. He remained in California about three and a half years and returned home by way of the isthmus of Panama by steamer and crossed the isthmus on the make shift railroad that was there at that time, stopping at Havana Cuba, from there to New Orleans, St. Louis and to Jefferson City and by stage to his old home at Warsaw, Missouri. He came to Caldwell County soon after and began his trade, that of brick making which he learned while in California. The first brick building in Breckenridge on the corner where Ollie McWilliams first run a store was built then, he putting up the brick work from brick made and hauled from a place two miles south and about a quarter mile west of the Finley corner. Many of the early brick buildings were build by him as contractor. In religion he was a Baptist, and politically he was always for all progressive matters that would be for the betterment of the common people. While much ridicule was offered to these things they have in many instances been enacted into law and many other things more radical are being put into being today. He died in Breckenridge Missouri April 12 1929. Susannah G. his wife was born in Miller County, Missouri November 30 1836 near Versailes, and later while yet a young woman moved to a homestead about five miles southwest of what is now Breckenridge. They got their mail either at Kingston or Utica Post Office as there was none other nearer. Most of the country was new and there was hardly a fence to be seen only where the new homes were being carved out. Stock roamed at will over the vast expanse of prairie, where the wild blue stem-grass grew in great abundance. At that time there was wild deer, bear and much wild game of all sorts, so that the new settler was well supplied with meat, and also there was wild fruit and grapes in profusion. While it was hard work to clear the ground of brush and timber so there could be plowing done, these other natural resources helped wonderfully. In these times there was much home work about the house that had to be done and included in this was the art of carding and spinning cotton and wool and the preparing of flax to be woven into cloth for the clothing. Susannah was very expert at this work and was in great demand about the country to do weaving for the neighbors, for it was not so many that could do this kind of work with any degree of quality. In later years this was not needed as the time came when the calicoes and other cloths were beginning to be manufactured. She was a very industrious woman and mother, rearing eight children, beside taking care of many other relatives and acquaintances. She was a very earnest Christian and was a Baptist. In the early days there were no church buildings and such services were held at the homes for regular meetings and in warm weather there were camp meetings held in groves where they would build a temporary arbor for shelter. The seats were such as they could readily construct from boards and logs. These places were not only centers for religious purposes but social life as well. It is hard to realize that only a generation or two ago this region was so sparsely settled that homes were several miles apart. There were no roads or fences but only paths and driveways that went most any direction way to where they desired to go. Interviewed January 1934. 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