John E. Bush
Henry Bush, Sr., grandfather of the above, was born in Germany; came to America prior to the Revolutionary war; enlisted as a soldier in that war, and was wounded at or near New York City, and died from the effects of the wounds several years afterward. He was located in Monroe County, Pa., where Henry Bush, Jr., the father of John E., was born in 1790. In 1811 he married Sarah Smith, who was born in 1789. They lived in Monroe County until 1838, when they removed to Shelby County, and located on section 8, Orange Township. John E. was the sixth child of the family. He was born in 1828, consequently he was ten years of age when he came to this county. He lived with his father until 1849, when the gold fever for California broke out. Young Bush took this fever, and he and his brother, C. W. Bush, and M. W. Jackson determined to see this El Dorado. They fitted up a team of ponies and wagon with provisions and accoutrements, and left home April 19, 1849, and arrived at St. Joseph, Missouri, about the first of June. Here they fitted another team of two yoke of cattle and joined in company with about a dozen other teams, and about the middle of June started for the plains. To give a history of this trip across the plains would take more space than we can give, but suffice it to say that they suffered all the privations that the early emigrants suffered who crossed the great American Desert at that early day. They were compelled to abandon their wagons, take it on foot without water or provisions; finally arrived at the settlement in the Upper Sacramento Valley November 1st, after being seven months on the road. He remained in California until 1853. During this period he spent the most of his time mining and packing. About two months he followed hunting. There are but few men now in Shelby County that have given the time to the rifle that Mr. Bush has. The first deer he killed was in 1848, when he killed three in one day, near where Swanders Station now is. He has killed deer almost every year from that time to the present. The past year (1881) he, together with a party of others, went to Wisconsin for a deer hunt. Mr. Bush killed seven deer and a lynx. While in California he within two months killed fifty deer and one black bear. He and his partner, Nathan Travers, killed ninety-three deer, and sold $777 worth of venison, beside what they traded for provisions to live on during that time. In 1853 he returned home by vessel by way of the Isthmus, arriving at home between Christmas and New Year’s. He then remained at home with his father until 1863, when he married Miss C. E. Rauth. By this union they have seven children, viz, Charles M., born 1865; Edmund R., born 1868; John H., born 1870; William W., born 1873; Frederick, born 1875; Maud M., born 1877; and George, born 1879.
Mr. Bush has the confidence of his fellow-citizens, having filled the ofilce of infirmary director nine years, and at the present time is one of the commissioners of the county.
Mr. Bush, while in California in 1851, went out one day with a party of others in pursuit of a wounded grizzly. After being out some time the party separated. Shortly afterward Mr. Bush heard the bleating of a cub bear. He supposed she was calling for her dam, but, when he came up to where be supposed the cub was, he not only found a cub, but a full grown grizzly and four cubs. Mr. B. concluded these were not the parties he was looking for, and the sooner he could get away from there the better,—so he took to his heels and ran as fast as he could, the bear after him. He threw his hat, ran about fifty yards to a leaning tree, which he attempted to climb. Just as he reached the tree the bear was upon him, and struck at him and knocked his gun from his hand He succeeded in getting part way up the tree when the bear caught him by the boot and held on. Both fell to the ground. The bear then ran to her cubs, and John made good time for the bushes; but before he reached them the bear was upon him again. Just as the bear reached him he sprang over a large pine log. The bear stopped on the log, and John reached the bushes and got away. During all this time his partner, who was near him, saw the whole affair, but climbed up a tree, and kept out of danger, never offering any assistance.
Mr. Bush has killed buffalo, antelope, mountain sheep, bear, wolves, and almost all kinds of wild game of the country.
From History of Shelby County, Ohio; R. Sutton & Co, Philadelphia PA, 1883