Notes
Note H584
Index
[Robert Ruhl and Mary Farrier 20081222.GED]
Sources:
Title: Conser Family Tree on www.rootsweb.com posted by Jim Bish
Repository:
Call Number:
Media: Book
Notes
Note H585
Index
[Robert Ruhl and Mary Farrier 20081222.GED]
[2485774[1].GED]
Some sources have death as march 18, 1927.
Notes
Note H586
Index
[Robert Ruhl and Mary Farrier 20081222.GED]
Sources:
Title: Conser Family Tree on www.rootsweb.com posted by Jim Bish
Repository:
Call Number:
Media: Book
[2485774[1].GED]
Ulysses Grant and Grace (Rankin) Conser
by
James Dean Bish
Ulysses Grant Conser was born November 23, 1865 at his parents farm southeast of Gilso n in Haw Creek Township, Knox County, Illinois. Ulysses Grant, named in honor of winning Civi l War General Ulysses Grant, was the eleventh child born to John and Mary Magdalena (Cronoble ) Conser. Only nine children were living at the time of Grant's (he usually went by his midd le name of Grant) birth. Three brothers, William, Jacob, and George, were at least thirtee n years older than Grant as was his sister, Sarah. Grant grew up as one of the younger sibli ngs in a large family. Two years after his birth a younger brother, Elias Sherman Conser wa s born into the Conser household. Elias and Grant would have a very close relationship, not o nly as children, but also throughout life. Just a three years after Grant' birth, his eldes t sister, Sarah died unexpectedly. Two years later, in 1870 a younger brother, Arthur Marti n Conser, was born and about the same time, Grants' two oldest brothers, William and Jacob, r emoved to Nebraska in search of a homesteads for themselves. His brothers claimed homestead s in York County, Nebraska and before long Grant's parents strongly considered moving near th em. Meanwhile, in 1873, the last child born into the John Conser household arrived, a siste r to Grant named Edith Elma.
In 1875, Grant's parents, John and Magdalena Conser, decided to leave their Knox County , Illinois home of thirty years and follow their two eldest sons to York County, Nebraska . Grant's father purchased 160 acres near the homesteads of both son's and the family move d overland in 1875. The journey was especially difficult for Grant's two-year old sister, Ed ith. She fell ill and never recovered, passing away on October 13, 1875. She was buried i n a burial plot located near their farm. Grant was then ten years old and must have felt sadn ess as did the rest of the family with little Edith's passing. Life at that age was probabl y a great adventure for Grant and his new home offered him a chance to know his oldest brothe rs as William and Jacob were out of the house before Grant was very old. Grant did not liv e in York County, Nebraska for long as during the following spring, his parents and family mo ved farther west to a farm in Furnas County, Nebraska. Grant's father secured a homestead o f his own at that place.
During the Spring of 1876, America was preparing for its Bicentennial celebration, Georg e Armstrong Custer positioned himself for a showdown with the Sioux and Cheyenne, and the Joh n Conser family began living in Furnas County, Nebraska about six miles North of Oxford. Thi s was practically frontier territory as most of Grant's neighbors had arrived within five yea rs of the Conser family arrival to the area. Grant's closest neighbors while growing to adult hood on that Furnas County farm included the Watson, Scott, Griffith, and Rankin families. Gr ant attended Pleasant Hill District 33 School, located only a few miles from his home. He co mpleted all of his education at that school. In 1888 Grant, now age 23, homesteaded land abo ut 90 miles west of Oxford in fast growing Chase County.
In 1890, Grant married a neighbor girl, Grace Lillie Rankin. Grace was born during Jul y 1864 in Madison, Wisconsin to Alexander and Lydia Rankin. She was one in a family of eigh t girls and two boys. While in Wisconsin, Grace attended school in nearby Lodi, Wisconsin . In 1877, Grace's parents sought opportunity in the form of a homestead in Nebraska and rem oved to Alma while deciding a location for a homestead. The following year, 1878, Grace's br other, A.C. Rankin, moved to New Era Precinct (township) to homestead 160 acres near where th e Conser family lived. Grace's parents decided to homestead 160 acres adjoining A.C. Ranki n and the family moved there in 1879. Grace attended nearby Pleasant Hill School with Gran t Conser and it was on her parent's farm that she grew to maturity.
During 1890, Grant's brother, Elias, and Grace's sister, Belle, married each other. Elia s and Belle (Rankin) Conser also went out to Chase County to homestead and both families home steaded next to each other nine miles Northeast of Imperial in section 13 of Chase County's P earl Township. By 1895, both Conser families proved upon their homesteads as each then owne d 320 acres after acquiring school land from the state. Grant and Grace donated part of thei r 320 acres for the site of a school of Chase County School District Number 76.
While living in Chase County, Nebraska Grant and Grace adopted a girl named Emma. Gran t was becoming somewhat successful as a farmer and builder, a skill he undoubtedly learned f rom his father, while living north of Imperial. He began to market his produce as far east a s Illinois and often traveled through the middle west trading farm produce. It seems that hi s ambitions and interest began to turn toward building construction at this time.
Opportunity called in 1903 and Grant and Grace answered. By 1900, Grace's parents had mo ved to College View, Nebraska. This was a community in Lancaster County near where the Unive rsity of Nebraska was located. It was decided that the Grant and Elias Conser families woul d move to College View so that Grace and Belle could be closer to their parents. This woul d also give Grant and Elias the opportunity to pursue their interest in the building and cons truction industry as there were a lot of houses and buildings going up in and around Colleg e View, Nebraska.
Grant and Elias each sold their 320 farmsteads in March 1903 to Henry Smith for the iden tical amount of $2,150. Grant, Grace and Emma lived in the College View area for the next t en years near Elias and Belle and their Rankin parents. While living at College View Emma, no w a young woman, met and married a young man by the name of Melvin Daniels. During their tim e in College View Grant improved his skills as an architect and builder. About 1915, Grant a nd Grace moved to Nashville, Tennessee after securing employment in the construction field a s World War I began in Europe. Shortly after moving to Nashville, Grant and Grace were agai n joined by their brother and sister, Elias and Belle. The Consers were in Nashville while Am erica was pulled into World War I. The Conser family made it through the war in good shape b ut at the its end a severe influenza epidemic traveled through the United States and Europe . In 1918, both Elias and Belle caught influenza as the epidemic spread into Tennessee. Bot h became critically ill. Belle did not recover from the illness and died in Nashville in 191 8 and was buried there. Elias slowly recovered, but never returned to full health. After El ias's health was strong enough to work again, he moved to Madison, Tennessee with Grant and G race where they helped to rebuild the Nashville Agricultural and Normal Institute located the re. While at Madison a second severe attack of influenza almost took his life, but he was nu rsed back to health by the faithful services of Miss Goldie Smith, to whom he was married i n 1919.
As a result of his poor health, doctors told Elias that his health would probably not im prove in the humid conditions of Tennessee so he and his new wife moved to Colorado. This wa s the first time that the Conser boys had really been separated as Grant and Grace stayed i n Madison, Tennessee to complete the many building obligations they had taken on. While livin g in Madison, Grant worked as an architect and contractor for many buildings at Madison Colle ge and later was closely associated with the building and supervision of the Riverside Sanita rium for Negroes, located on Young's Lane in Madison.
During July of 1929 Grace (Rankin) Conser fell ill and died on July 9th of that year. S ervices for Grace were held in Madison at their Seven-day Adventist Church and she was burie d at Spring Hill Cemetery in Madison. Grant later remarried a widowed woman named Bertha Debr ies. Grant continued to live and work in Madison.
In February 1945 Grant suffered a paralyzing stroke from which he never recovered. Gran t passed away at Madison Sanitarium on June 29, 1945 in Madison, Tennessee. Funeral service s for Grant were held the next morning at the Helen Funk Chapel at Madison College. Pastor R .I. Keate officiated and burial was at Spring Hill Cemetery.