Second Generation


8. Silas Peters13,28,29,30,31 was born on 26 January 1817 in Anderson County, Tennessee. He appeared in the census in 1840 in Lafayette County, Missouri. p.150 Silas Peters 00001-1001, Silas himself was age 20-29. He appeared in the census in 1850 in Sullivan County, Missouri. Sullivan County, Missouri, 31 Oct 1850; p.336a, dwelling number 416, family number 416; Peters Silas 34 m w farmer $600 TN; Ann 30 f w TN; Nancy 10 f w MO attended school; William 9 m w MO attended school; John 8 m w MO attended school; Elizabeth 6 f w MO attended school; Mary Ann 4 f w MO; Silas 2 m w MO; James 3/12 m w MO Silas appeared in the census in 1860 in Sullivan County, Missouri. Sullivan County, Missouri, 21 Jun 1860, Bowmansville PO, p.637, dwelling number 112, dwelling number 112, Peters Silas 44 m w farming $4000/$1635 TN, Anna 39 f w TN cannot R/W, John W. 15 m w farmhand MO attended school, Elizabeth 17 f w domestic MO, Mary 15 f w domestic MO attended school, Silas 13 m w MO attended school, James 11 m w MO attended school, Joseph 7 m w MO attended school, Daniel 5 m w MO, Richard 4 m w MO, George 2 m w MO He died on 7 June 1881 at the age of 64 in Humphreys, Sullivan County, Missouri. Cause of death was maybe rabies or an appenditis. He was buried about 8 June 1881 in Sullivan County, Missouri. Birth, marriage, and death data is from the personal family records of Ivah Bessie Peters.

A number of careful researchers believe that Silas Peters who married Anna Powell was the son of James Henry Peters and Nancy Peters of Virginia. James and Nancy were cousins who married. For example, it is listed that way in "Historical Account of the Peters Family" compiled by June Louise (Shaull) Lutz in 1886. I believe that the following settles the issue in favor of Silas being the son of Tobias Peters and Elizabeth Scarborough of Anderson County, TN. (RGB)

"Silas Peters and Anna Peters to John Key dated June 1, 1839
This indenture made and entered into this 1st June 1839 between Silas Peters
& Anna Peters his wife of State of Missouri and County of Lafayett of the
one part they being legatees of Tobias Peters deceased and John Key of the
state of Tennessee and County of Anderson of the other part witnesseth that
the said Silas Peters & Anna his wife for and in consideration of the sum of
Twenty One Dollars to him in hand paid the receipt whereof is hereby
acknowledged hath bargained and sold and by these presents bargain, sell and
convey unto the said John Key his heirs and assigns all their right, Title,
Claim, interest and demand in and to a certain tract or parcel of undivided
land it being the real estate of Tobias Peters deceased, situated in the
county of Tennessee beginning on Youngs line on the Black Oak Ridge and


running with what was formerly John Bounds line but now William Tunnells to
the back line of Youngs survey thence with said survey to John Tunnels line
thence with Johns line to his corner on the North side of the Black Oak


Ridge thence with said Tunnells 2 tracts of land containing 200 acres be the
same mor or less. We do warrant and forever defend from all and every person
or persons having any claims or damand against said land and we the said
Silas Peters & Anna Peters his wife as b ind ourselves our heirs assigns and
administrators againsl all and every person or person having any claim or
demand against said land.
Signed Sealed & deliver in presents of
(blank)
Rec'd this deed March 3 1858
10 O'clock A. M. Silas Peters (Seal)\
Anna (Her mark) Peters (Seal)
State of Missouri, County of Lafayett
Be it remembered that at a term of the county court began and held at the
courthouse in the town of Lexington in the county and state aforesaid on the
12th day of August 1839 on the 3rd day of said tem appeared Silas Peters &
Anna Peters whose names appear on the forgoing deed of conveyance to John
Key in open court they being personally know to one of the member of said
court to be the persons whose names are subscribed to said instrument as a
party thereto and acknowled the same to be their act and deed for the
purposes there in mentioned the said Anna Peters being first made acquainted
with the contents of said deed by the court and upon examination separate
and apart from her said husband acknowledged that she executed said deed &
relinquished her right of dower to the real estate there mentioned
voluntarily freely and without compulsion or under influence of her said
husband.
In Testimony whereof I Henderson Young, Clerk of said court herein set my
hand and affix the seal of said court this 14th day of August 1839.
H. Young, Clerk by Wm. Spratt, D. C.


The following was written by Nada Pendergraft, sent to me by Joan McKinney.

Silas was quite a hunter and trapper. He had a very large smoke house and often killed as many as 5O hogs during the winter, and hung the meat in this smokehouse. He would also have barrels of kraut, pickles, and sorghum. They dried apples, and the pumpkins were cut in rings and were hung on broomsticks and poles to dry. His house was quite a social center for the whole community, and they often had as many as 50 or 60 visitors on Sunday.

Silas went to California during the big gold rush in 1852 and brought back a considerable sum of cold with which he bought 600 acres of land and built the big new frame house upon it. He was a great walker, thinking nothing of a 25 mile trip in one day. He was traveling horseback to California and ran out of water on the desert. His horse was so starved for water that it fought Silas, and he had to leave it and go on afoot. When he was nearly dead from thirst he came to a camp of friendly Indians, and they gave him water, only a teaspoonful at a time until he was able to drink more.

(Note: Silas was enumerated both in Missouri and in California in 1850. I believe he must have traveled first to California in 1849 or 1850, rather than in 1852 as reported by Nada Pendergraft. RGB)

The following was also sent to me by Joan McKinney.

In a clipping from "The Kansas City Star" about 1935 was a whole page telling of a trip to the gold fields, of about 25 young men from around Independence, Mo. The leader was Bennett C. Clark, who had been Clerk of the County Court for 1840-1849. On April 11, 1849, Clark and 25 other young men met at Maston's bridge on the western edge of Werner and waited for a couple of friends. The first days drive took the Caravan to Indian Creek. They were breaking their mules gradually to the hardships of the trail, and ten miles of Missouri mud was enough for one day. That was May 3, 10 days later they picked up a Judge Story of Saline Co., Mo., and two voyagers and eight persons from Ohio. They had a hard time getting up the slippery banks of the Waukarusha Creek near Lawrence, Kansas, and ferried across the Kaw River near Le Compton, Kansas. Clark was Captain of the wagon train, his Diary was treasured by his late grandson Dr. B. Clark Hyde of Lexington, Mo. They kept up their spirits on the trip by "Gearing" at each other when the going was tough. June 12, they were in Wyoming, their mules were thin and the grass was short and it was raining. They reached South Pass June 24, 1849. They passed Fort Hall, Idaho, and found mosquitoes unbelievably large and blood thirsty. They found no gold at Goose Creek where the Mormons had found gold, but enjoyed very fine trout. On July 18,1849, Newton C. Peters ("Brother of our Silas") and Clark with Wm. T. Cole pressed on ahead of the rest to reach Sutton' s Fort and arrange for provisions. They were encouraged by the grass that looked like clover, blue grass and Timothy. But Sutters or Suttons Fort was leagues away and the wolves howled late at night. July 26 the wolves came too close to the wagon. July 27, they came with a company from Virginia, and listened to the negroes sing. The heat was terrible in the afternoons and they traveled by moonlight half of the night. There was 65 miles of dust, sand, and alkali, and bones of oxen, men and mules. They made the trip in three days. There was no grass and they found puddles of water that they mixed with flour to feed the mules. Truckee River looked like Paradise. The Diary ends August first with them in western Nevada. Clark was ill here, and friends took him to San Francisco. He returned to Missouri by ways of Panama, New Orleans, and St. Louis. Clark went back to Clerk of Court, and died an old man of many years. He had a long white beard, and was highly honored at Boonville when aged 71.

Silas Peters and Anna Powell were married on 21 February 1839 in Odessa, Lafayette, Missouri. Anna Powell12,29,30, daughter of Richard Powell and Rachel James/Jeems, was born on 15 May 1821 in near Lexington, Lafayette County, Missouri. She appeared in the census in 1840 in Lafayette County, Missouri. Age 15-19, enumerated with her husband Silas Peters. She appeared in the census in 1850 in Sullivan County, Missouri. Ann 30 f w TN Anna appeared in the census in 1860 in Sullivan County, Missouri. Anna 39 f w TN cannot R/W She died on 27 January 1862 at the age of 40 in Sullivan County, Missouri. She was buried in Sullivan County, Missouri. !BIRTH-MARRIAGE-DEATH: Family Records
CENSUS: 1850 census Sullivan Co., MO FHL #58086 pt 30; age 30
1860 census Bowmansville, Sullivan Co., MO FHL #3612 pt 12; age


:
1880 census Bowman, Sullivan Co., MO, FHC #1,254,738; age 43
LAND: Land Records Lafayette Co., MO FHL # 959420
BURIAL: Sullivan, Missouri; Revised Cemetery Inscription of Sullivan Co.,
Missouri; Campground Cemetery

Silas Peters-6440 and Anna Powell-6441 had the following children:

+49

i.

Nancy Jane Peters-6442.

+50

ii.

William Clark Peters-6443.

+51

iii.

John Wesley Peters-6432.

+52

iv.

Elizabeth Rachel Peters-6444.

+53

v.

Mary Ann Peters-6445.

+54

vi.

Silas Powell Peters-6446.

+55

vii.

James Henry Peters-6447.

+56

viii.

Joseph Jackson Peters-6448.

+57

ix.

David Tobias Peters-6449.

+58

x.

Richard Jason Peters-6450.

+59

xi.

George Washington Peters-6451.

60

xii.

Martha Alice Peters12,29 was born on 26 October 1860 in Humphreys, Sullivan County, Missouri. She died on 14 March 1862 at the age of 1. She was buried after 14 March 1862 in Campground Cemetery, Osgood, Sullivan County, Missouri. !BIRTH-DEATH: Family Records
PROBATE: Probate record of Silas Peters dated 14 June 1881, Sullivan Co.,

Silas Peters and Catherine Jane Weston were married on 4 September 1862 in Sullivan County, Missouri. Catherine Jane Weston29,30,32, daughter of Harvey Weston and Mary Ann (Polly) Brown, was born on 25 March 1839 in Greeneville, Greene County, Tennessee. She died on 15 November 1899 at the age of 60 in Sullivan County, Missouri. She was buried after 15 November 1899 in Sullivan County, Missouri. !BIRTH-MARRIAGE-DEATH: Family Records
MARRIAGE: Sullivan Co., Missouri Marriage Records
CENSUS: 1870 census Milan, Bowman, Sullivan Co., MO; FHC# T-8 206; age 21
1880 census Bowman, Sullivan Co., MO; FHC# T-9 738; age 43
BURIAL: Sullivan Co., Missouri; Cemetery Inscriptions of Sullivan Co., MO

Silas Peters-6440 and Catherine Jane Weston-6453 had the following children:

61

i.

Ester Louisa Peters29,30 was born on 16 August 1863 in Republic, Greene County, Missouri. She died on 26 December 1865 at the age of 2 in Republic, Greene County, Missouri. She was buried after 26 December 1865 in Campground Cemetery, Osgood, Sullivan County, Missouri. !Family Records

62

ii.

Eliza Emarine Peters29,30 was born on 16 August 1863 in Sullivan County, Missouri. She died on 14 February 1864 at the age of 0 in Sullivan County, Missouri. She was buried after 14 February 1864 in Campground Cemetery, Osgood, Sullivan County, Missouri. !BIRTH-DEATH: Family Records

63

iii.

Jothan Franklin Peters29,30 was born on 20 January 1864 in Republic, Greene County, Missouri. He died on 20 January 1864 at the age of 0 in Republic, Greene County, Missouri. He was buried after 20 January 1864 in Campground Cemetery, Osgood, Sullivan County, Missouri. !BIRTH-MARRIAGE-DEATH: Family Records

64

iv.

Chora Peters29,30 was born on 24 December 1866 in Republic, Greene County, Missouri. She died before 1870 at the age of 4 in Sullivan County, Missouri. !BIRTH: Family Records
DEATH: probably died before 1870; she is not listed in 1870 census or in

+65

v.

Armina Brown Peters-6472.

+66

vi.

Rebecca Luewella (Becky) Peters-6473.

+67

vii.

Jasper Newton (Newt) Peters-6474.

+68

viii.

Columbus Page Peters-6476.

+69

ix.

Moses Eldorado Peters-6475.

+70

x.

Zorada Abigale Peters-6478.