Susannah Sherfy Bashor, Christian Pipe Smoker? (52 Ancestors #45)

This is another article for the series "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks", a challenge by Amy Johnson Crow on No Story Too Small.

Susannah Scherfy Bashor
circa 1860 Boulder County, Colorado
Source: Hibsch Family Collection

My third great-grandmother, Susannah Sherfy, was born in November 1822[1] in Washington County, Tennessee.  She was one of several children born to John S. Sherfy and Margaret Beahm Sherfy. 

She married Martin Bashor on 31 August 1843.  Seven children filled their northeastern Tennessee home over the next 15 years including an orphan boy they took in.  Three more children were born after relocating in 1859 to Empire Prairie, Andrew County, Missouri including my second great-grandmother Martha Bashor Hibsch Collett in 1864.  Martin and Susannah moved twice more - to California and Colorado. 

Like many female ancestors, Susannah has a light footprint in records found thus far but a few stories came to light during my research that need verification:

• Buried a former slave who lived next door in Washington County, Tennessee
• Member of the Brethren Church
• Traveled by covered wagon to Empire Prairie, Andrew County, Missouri
• Smoked a pipe

Susannah died of Bright’s Disease (a kidney ailment) in December 1900 in Longmont, Boulder County, Colorado.  Her grave, inscribed with “Rest Sweet Rest”, is in Hygiene Cemetery, Hygiene, Boulder County, Colorado[2]. 

Future Research

• Verify stories
• Obtain birth, death and church records

Sources

[1] Year: 1900; Census Place: Precinct 1, Boulder, Colorado; Roll: 121; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 0157; FHL microfilm: 1240121; Enumeration District: 0157; Longmont Town, Wards 1-3. Ancestry.com.

[2] Find-a-Grave