David T. Busby
David T. Busby, b November 16, 1807 in Kentucky, d January 13, 1854 near Blue Ridge, Falls County, Texas - was a son of Matthew and Saluda (Tinsley) Busby of Virginia, and a grandson of John and Margaret Busby of Hampshire County, West Virginia. On November 22,1832 in Warren County, Kentucky, David Busby married Martha Sweeny, b ca 1814, d ca 1849 in Bowling Green, Kentucky, leaving four minor children: Marinda Martha, John, Milton and Margaret Jane.In the Fall of 1850, David Busby arrived in Texas with his four children, a number of slaves, a brother Milton, a sister Nancy, a sister Pauline, wife of Spotswood D. Tucker, and a brother Edward.
David's four children were:
Marinda Martha Busby, b 1833 in Kentucky, d March 5, 1875 in Falls County, Texas and buried in Stranger Cemetery in Falls County - married first to Dr. W. H. Long and married second to Benjamin Wiley Allen. Marinda helped to care for her sister, Margaret Jane, before and after she went to Cotton Gin, Freestone County, Texas to live with their uncle, Milton Busby, who was named guardian of David's minor children after David's death.
John Busby, b 1841 in Kentucky, was sent to his uncle, Milton Busby, in Freestone County, where in 1861 John enlisted in the Confederate States army during the Civil War and was killed.
Milton Busby, b 1843 in Kentucky, also lived with his uncle, Milton Busby, and he enlisted in the Confederate States Army during the Civil War and like his brother was killed.
Margaret Jane Busby (called "Maggie"), b September 25, 1847 in Bowling Green, Kentucky, lived with her sister, Marinda Martha, after their father died. She then moved to Cotton Gin, Freestone County, Texas with her two brothers and resided with their uncle, Milton Busby, and attended Fairfield Female Academy. Her uncle Milton's wife died about 1860 and Margaret Jane returned to Falls County where she once again lived with her sister, Marinda, and in 1867 married William Thomas Price.
On August 6, 1851, David Busby signed a pre-nuptial agreement with Mrs. Sarah L. (Gray) Seeley, widow of Dr. David Seeley, reserving his separate property in the sum of $3,000.00 to be invested in land for the use and benefit of his four children. He purchased 1107 acres of land in Sarah Pillow Survey on January 13, 1853 for one dollar per acre.
David and Sarah (Gray) Seeley Busby had one child, William Busby, who died soon after his father's death.
David Busby probably operated a freight and supply business in Falls County, as the inventory of his estate revealed that nearly every family in East Falls County owed him money. During the brief time he lived in Falls County, David was appointed by the Commissioners Court to head the committee to survey and built a road across the Little Brazos River at Rocky Crossing for the Stage Route to Alto Springs. On May 30, 1853, Busby was appointed U.S. Postmaster at Alto Springs.
When the estate of David T. Busby was finally divided, Marinda (Busby) Long Allen and Margaret Jane Price were the only heirs. They divided the land and Margaret moved onto her land when she married William T. Price and built their log cabin. The sills from the original log cabin are still visible under one room of the present today. The has been occupied continuously by Price-Busby descendants for over 130 years.
According to John Busby's Will (David's Grandfather), dated November 19, 1810, it named his wife, Margaret, and six sons - William, John Jr., Matthew, Samuel, Benjamin and Hamilton, and a daughter Elizabeth.
The known children of Matthew and Saluda (Tinsley) Busby were: Milton Busby, b 1804 in Virginia, married in Kentucky. His wife died about 1860 at Cotton Gin, Freestone County, Texas. Milton served as guardian for his brother, David's children and was Administrator of David's estate. Pauline Busby, b 1812 in Kentucky, married Spotswood D. Tucker in Kentucky, and came to Falls County, Texas, where they purchased land in the John West Survey. Spotswood was a lawyer and a farmer. His eldest son, Newsom Tucker, was killed in the Civil War while in the Confederate States Army. The Tucker family later moved to Limestone County, where their surviving children lived and married. Spotswood Tucker was appointed to inventory David Busby's estate before Milton Busby was named Administrator. Nancy T. Busby, b 1815 in Kentucky, married in January 1839 in Kentucky to William J. Drake, and was the first of the family to move to Texas. In 1849 the Drake family was at Springfield, Limestone County, Texas - moving in 1852 to Freestone County. Their eldest daughter, Sarah Drake, b 1840 in Kentucky, was married in Texas to Reverend Thomas Sweeney - a Christian Minister. The other children of William and Nancy Drake were: Matthew M Drake, who served in the Confederate States Army during the Civil War; Thomas M. Drake, Anna E. (Drake) Colgin, and Marinda Martha Drake, b 1850 in Texas, d July 1866 in Freestone County. Edward Busby, b ca 1817 in Kentucky, was living with his brother, Milton Busby in Freestone County in 1860, and with his sister, Pauline (Busby) Tucker in Limestone County, 1870. He was a shoemaker and never married.
Some biographies from "Families of Falls County", compiled and edited by the Falls County Historical Commission.
Permission granted to Theresa Carhart by the Falls County Historical Commission, for use on this page.
