LOOFBOURROW

The Loofbourrow families have a long and interesting history of pioneering in many states from Westbridge in New Jersey in 1700 to 1870 in Norway Township in Republic Co. in Kansas.  John Loofbourrow, Sr. is the first known Loofbourrow.  He was born in Loughbourrow, England in 1660 and married Hannah Bunn in England.  They came to America, and he died there in 1723, at Woodbridge, New Jersey.  John Loofbourrow, Jr. was born in Woodbridge, New Jersey in 1692.  The Republic County Loofourrows are the tenth generation and are in direct line from Ebenezer Loofbourrows and Mary Riley Loofbourrow the sixth generation.

Dr. John Loofbourrow as a brother of Ebenezer.  Dr. John was born in 1783.  He came from Ohio to Mineral Point, Wisconsin, then called Michigan Territory.  He married Rebeckah Lamb in 1836.  She came to Mineral Point with her father in 1828 when she was 12 years old and lived there the rest of her life.  She says in part that her father had a part interest in a lead mine and also had a government job in the mining of the lead.  The ore was mixed with wood in a rock furnace, something like a lime kiln and burned from twenty-seven to thirty hours or until the lead ran out into a lower basin, then was dipped into seventy-five pound molds.  The government received two per cent of the lead at the smelter.

The Indians were dissatisfied with the treaty the government had made with them and made a great deal of trouble.  A large fort was built with portholes in its log walls and a large log house was erected deep inside the fort.  Twenty-two families were housed there in order to be safe from Indian raids.

The winters were bitter cold and their cows were killed for meat, and the government furnished salt pork, flour, beans, vinegar, soap and candles during the Indian troubles.  No one was allowed to leave the fort to get the raspberries which were grown in profusion less than a mile from the fort.  They gathered greens to cook with their salt pork.  This was a beautiful wild country.

These families have pioneered in Woodbridge, Perth Amboy, and Huntingdon in New Jersey, Connecticut, Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio before coming to Kansas in 1870 and 1873.  Members of a number of Loofbourrow families are buried in New Corydon, in Jay County, Indiana.  A daughter of Major Nathaniel Wade and Mercy Bradstreet Wade was the granddaughter of Governor Simon Bradstreet of Massachusetts and of John Loofbourrow, Sr. and Hannah Bunn Loofbourrow.

Dr. John Loofbourrow died in 1856 after ministering to the Mineral Point settlers for more than 20 years.  John Messmore Loofbourrow was born in Indiana in 1851.  His parents were Thomas and Rhoda Messmore Loofbourrow.  He came to Kansas in 1870 and married Bernice Spillman who was born in 1857.  She came to Kansas with her father and stepmother in a covered wagon in 1874.  She met John L. and, after going back to Iowa, they corresponded.  While in Kansas, she had taught school in Republic County and in Iowa while living with her grandmother, she taught in a primary school.  In 1879, John L. went to Iowa and they were married.  They came to Kansas and homesteaded the SW4 of Section 13 in 1879.  They farmed there and raised stock.  They reared two children, Chester and Frances.  Mr. Loofbourrow died in 1928.

Mary Bernice was a member of the Christian Church in Iowa and taught a Sunday School class at Highland Church in Norway township many years ago.  She was a member of the WCTU and was made a living memorial in Kansas State WCTU in 1957.  She had a wonderful memory and kept her interest in people and events and read her "Belleville Telescope" every week until her death in 1959 at the age of 102 years and 7 months.  Mrs. L. had a great many friends who sent her gifts, flowers, and cards at every birthday for many years.

She had three granddaughters: Helen Mantz, Smith Center, Kansas; Pauline Loofbourrow, Sacramento, California; and Miss Muriel Loofbourrow, Kansas City, Missouri.  At her death, she was the oldest person in Republic County.

Frances Loofbourrow was a teacher in Republic County for many years and was elected County Superintendent of Schools for one term.  She was born in 1886 and died in 1942.

Chester Loofbourrow was born in 1880 and died in 1942.  He attended the old Kansas State Agricultural School in Manhattan and was a farmer.  He married Hattie A. Murphy.  The had the same interests in schools and young people.  His wife graduated from the Concordia Schools in 1894, and taught school in Republic and Cloud Counties for ten years.  She and her sisters were excellent teachers and worked for the improvement of churches, communities, and schools.

Albert Luther Loofbourrow came to Republic County, Kansas in 1873.  He was the son of John G. and Phoebe J. Loofbourrow.  He walked to Smith County and homesteaded in 1887.  He came back to Norway Township and purchased a farm, where he spent the rest of his life.  In 1880 he was married to Emma Jane Lewis.  Mr. and Mrs. Loofbourrow reared four daughters; Effie Gile, Cecil Simpson, Maxia Barlsen and Berneice Hyder.  Mrs. Loofbourrow died in 1900and Mr. Loofbourrow in 1917.  He was a farmer and a stock raiser.