♀ Ruth Burress

1819 - 1878

 

Butter, Burris

Ruth Burress
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Parents
Spouse
Michael Plaster
Michael Plaster
1813 - 1892
Children

Michael and Ruth Plaster, in 1857, made the 2,000 mile journey over the plains of the Oregon Trail to Brownsville, Linn County, Oregon.  They had seven children at the time.  Traveling on the Oregon Trail was difficult, and women planning to leave would gather for important social events with friends in the months before to sew quilts together.  An article on the Oregon Trail says that "When it came time for a family or a group of families to leave, the farewells were often grandiose and sad...During the journey, women did most of the things they did back home; cooking every meal, taking care of the children, gathering food and fuel for the fire. Women had to do these things in dust, rain, hail, in tents or in the open air."  Ruth's parents are listed as William Burress and Eleanor Frakes in the Oregon Biographical Index.

 

Timeline

1820


Aug 7
Age: 1y
William Burress - 1820 United States Federal Census

residence


Little York, Hardin, Kentucky, USA ⇓
Also living in Little York is a Job Burris. On the same page, a Charles and David Dougherty are also living.
1 Source ⇓
1820 November 20 – The Congress of Troppau (Opava) is convened between the rulers of Russia, Austria and Prussia.

1836


Jun 23
Age: 17y
Edith Hinkle - Find a Grave

marriage


Michael Plaster
Schuyler County, Illinois, USA ⇓
"Schuyler County Illinois I Do hereby Certify that I Did Join to gether in Marriage Michel Plaster & Ruth Burrass on the 23 day of June 1836". Signature of the justice of the peace is difficult to make out.
4 Sources ⇓
1836 Arkansas is the 25th state admitted into the United States of America.

1838


Mar 22
Age: 18y
1838 • The Boers win a decisive victory over the Zulus in the Battle of Blood River.

1840


Age: 20y
Michael Plaster & Ruth Burress - 1840 United States Federal Census

residence


Township 66, Lee, Iowa Territory, USA ⇓
Michael and Ruth (Burress) Plaster are living with their oldest daughter Ann Marie Plaster, who is about one or two years old. On the next page is a 20-30 year old Joseph Burris.
1 Source ⇓
1840 • New Zealand is declared a British colony.

1843


Jan 10
Age: 23y

1846


May 16
Age: 27y

1852


Sep 10
Age: 33y
1852 Antioch College was founded. Its first president was Horace Mann.

1856


Feb 28
Age: 36y
1856 • The nawab of Oudh (Wajid Ali Shah) is exiled to Metiabruz and the state is annexed by the British East India Company.

1857


Age: 37y

moved


Oregon ⇓
The Plasters were pioneers on the Oregon Trail from Missouri to Oregon, a journey of 2,000 miles. In the "Oregon Biographical Index", it mentions that Ruth Burress and her husband Michael Plaster traveled to Oregon in 1857 from Gentry, Missouri over the plains. This photo is not of them, but of some travelers from that time period. See gallery for more info on the Oregon Trail: https://johnsonfamily.talldude.net/ruth-burress-124/gallery/oregon-trail/all
2 Sources ⇓
1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford: The Supreme Court of the United States rules that Blacks are not citizens and slaves can not sue for freedom, driving the country further towards the American Civil War (the ruling is not overturned until the 14th Amendment in 1868).

1878


Apr 3
Age: 59y
Ruth Burress - Find a Grave

death


Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, USA ⇓
A newspaper article published in the Oregon State Journal says that she died "Near Brownsville Apr. 3, 1878, Butter Plaster, wife of Michael Plaster, aged 59 years and 3 days."

2 Sources ⇓
1878 • The Treaty of San Stefano concludes the Russo-Turkish War

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