Sketch of David Darst, St. Charles County, Missouri

>From "A History of the Pioneer Families of Missouri, with numerous
sketches, anecdotes, adventures, etc., relating to Early Days in 
Missouri" by William S. Bryan and Robert Rose, Published by Bryan,
Brand & Co., St. Louis Missouri, 1876.
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David Darst was born in Shenandoah County, VA., December 17, 1757, and
died in St. Charles County, MO., December 2, 1826.  He married Rosetta
Holman, who was born in Maryland, January 13, 1763, and died in Calla-
way County, MO., November 13, 1848.  She was buried in a shroud of 
homespun wool, which she made with her own hands when she was about
middle aged.  Mr. Darst removed from Virginia to Woodford County, KY.,
in 1784, and in 1798 he left Kentucky with his wife and seven children
and settled in what is now St. Charles County, MO., on what has since
been known as Darst's Bottom.  Some of the leading men of Kentucky 
gave him a very complimentary letter to the Spanish authorities in St.
Louis, which enabled him to obtain several grants of land for himself
and his children.  The names of his children were: Mary, Elizabeth,
Absalom, Isaac, Sarah, Jacob, Samuel, Nancy and David H.  Mary married
Thomas Smith, of Callaway County, and died; he then married her sister
Elizabeth.  Isaac married Phoebe, daughter of Jonathan Bryan.  Sarah
and Samuel died before they were grown.  Jacob lived in Texas, and was
killed by the side of Col. Crockett at the battle of the Alamo.  Nancy
married Col. Patrick Ewing, of Callaway County.  David H. married Mary
Thompson, and lived and died in Darst's Bottom.  They had thirteen
children: Violet, Rosetta H., Margaret R., Elizabeth I., Nancy E.,
Harriet, Mary T., David A., Lorena, Henry, Martha, William and Julia.
Mr. Darst was a very systematic man, and for many years kept a book in
which he recorded every birth and death, and all important incidents
that occurred in the community.  This book would have been very inter-
esting, but it was destroyed by a fire several years ago.	

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