I've just joined the list (finally!) in pursuit of my ancestors from Dubois County.
Here's my Dubois Co.-related background:
My great-grandmother was FANNIE AURORA FARRIS, who married ULYSSES GRANT POTTS from
Daviess Co. in 1888.
Fannie was the daughter of THOMAS FAR(R)IS, whom I've been able to find on several
censuses and in the Dubois co. biographies, and MARY DOHERTY (about whom I've been
able to find nothing other than her parents' names, JOSEPH and MARY).
Thomas was the son of JAMES FAR(R)IS, whom I've also found in censuses and in
Wilson's _History of Dubois County_ (which I happily found in the New York State
Library, since I don't think I can get to IN for awhile yet!). His mother was
Elizabeth Thompson, whose birthplace has been variously listed as SC or TN. I tend to
think it's SC. I also think that they were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. (Thomas's
bio referred to his religious affiliation as Cumberland Presbyterian, a sect I've been
doing a lot of reading about since learning of this fact. I wonder if James &
Elizabeth were among the earliest followers.) JAMES has been listed variously as having
come from SC or MD.
In the list's archives, I found a reference to Kelso coming from Spartanburg Co., SC;
I've also found Farris and Thompson families in Chester and York Cos., SC.
Right now, I'm stymied by the paucity (or absence) of church records on the frontier
(and by the apparent destruction of the family Bible).
Right now, I have a couple of questions to throw out to the group:
*?* In Wilson's History I found some references in passing to a Fort Farris, located
a couple of miles sw of Portersville. A map in his book shows the fort at the southern
edge of the Farris property. Has anyone heard any other information about this pioneer
fort? (I guess Fort McDonald was the biggest.)
*?* I've also been trying to determine whether the other Farris names I've
encountered in 19th c. Dubois Co. are James's sons: specifically, John P. Faris, who
bought some land with John Niblick in 1839 (and who might be the same John Faris who sold
land for the Union Church near Haysville); William Farris, who was listed as one of the
heads of household in the 1820 census; and Robert Faris, who married Paulina Ellis in 1845
in Daviess Co. and two of whose sons also had bios on the Dubois bio webpage.
*?* Then there are the Thompsons: I'm trying to figure out if the Thompsons were
related to Elizabeth Thompson Farris.
If I could get to IN, I might be able to dig around the libraries and county clerk's
office to learn this information, as well as more about the possible role the Farrises
played in the Cumberland Presby. Church in the county.
I look forward to becoming a part of this group.
Connie Ostrowski
from Schenectady, NY