(1) Name: Michael CROSE
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Birth: 1765 Hampshire County, Virginia
Death: June 21, 1819 East Union, Kentucky Age: 54
Father: CROSE

Misc. Notes
Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 17:11:08 EDT
Subject: Re: [KYBOURBO-L] Early Families of Bourbon County, Kentucky, Project

Michael Crose was born ca. 1765 in Hampshire Co, Va. (now Grant Co,W Va.) He married his niece Mary Ross daughter of Elizabeth Crose (his sister) and Stephen Ross in 1786, incurring his fathers wrath and disinheritance. They were courageous and in 1788 ventured to Nicholas County and Bourbon County, Ky., Michael and Mary walked from Virginia to Kentucky, reportedly with a German Bible, Baby, and a hoe. As they were moving out from the Ohio River they had to camp in the woods. They were much afraid thier child would cry out. (Some say they slept with a hand over the baby s mouth), Indians and highwayman were in the area and it was dangerous territory.
When Michael entered his land, (1780) 57 acres, it was all in Bourbon Co, but Bourbon was later divided, part of the County was give to Nicholas Co., and Michael found his home was on the line deviding Bourbon and Nicholas counties, he built first a one story log cabin but as his family increased, he needed more room, so he added a second story, all fourteen (7 boys, 7 girls) were raised in this log cabin (see picture).
The Crose's and their friends built a church at East Union, near Michale's home, and they preached in the German language. They had foot washings the 15th of May each year. Later they changed it to Bonnet day, and all the ladies wore new bonnets. They were either German Dunkards or German Lutheran Baptist. The church was also used for a school house and is no longer standing, however their is still a Christian Church on the Highway at East Union, Ky.
Michael did have a iron mine on his place and the old shaft still stands, settlement of Michael's estate contained a large amount of iron. In all probability their ancestors came to Pennsylvania with a colony of German Baptist in 1719 from near Kassel Hess in Wesfalia Province, Germany. This colony spread over parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginian , and finally a small community came to Bourbon and Nicholas Counties, Ky.

Michael died on June 21 1819 and was buried on his farm located on Hinkston Creek and the mouth of Long Branch, East Union, Ky. This cemetery is now overgrown with weeds and grasses and the tombstones cannot be seen without digging for them.

I can get you a copy of Michaels inventory of effects and who bought them upon his death. you could then verify who lived in the area of East Union, Ky.

I have more information if you like. I have a picture of the cabin where they lived, it stayed in the Crose/Utterback family until the 1940's it was sold to strangers and burned down in 1948. Recently other cousins have found the cemetery, which very hard to find, you cannot drive to it, have to park at farm house and walk to it. I have recent pictures of the area showiing the ruins of the cabin.

Thanks, I really enjoy all your hard work
Michael was a pioneer of Bourbon county and I would like some mention of him and wife Mary Ross Crose who was still living in the cabin with her daughter and son in law, Benjamin Utterback. census of 1850 show her living there. she died in 1852,

Regards,
Howard Crose


Spouses
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1: Mary ROSS
Death: 1852
Father: Stephen ROSS
Mother: Elizabeth CROSE

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Last Modified: June 1, 2000
Created: March 2, 2003