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| Eastern Carolina Republican - New Bern, NC |
In Historic Beaufort, North Carolina - A Unique Coastal Village Preserved, the account of the Busk House circa 1846 gives more information on those who ventured from Beaufort to San Francisco:
308 Broad Street
BUSK HOUSE circa 1846 – plaqued
Born about 1797, in 1820 sail maker James Busk first married Keziah Parks in Baltimore County, Maryland. In 1854, Busk married Sabra Harker (c.1800–c.1860), daughter of Clarissa Fulford and Ebenezer Harker. (Sabra's grandfather, Ebenezer Harker, purchased 2400-acre Craney Island in 1730; known since as Harker's Island. Ebenezer Harker's aunt, Abiah Lee Folger, was mother of Benjamin Franklin.)
In 1859, 62-year-old James Busk married 24-year-old Lucretia A. Marshall, daughter of William P. Marshall and Tamer Simpson. On a broken tombstone in St. Paul's Episcopal Church Cemetery, 1865 is inscribed as Busk's date of death.
It is interesting to note that James Busk was among the 1850 crew that sailed barque Louisa Bliss from Beaufort, around Cape Horn, to San Francisco with a cargo of lumber from William C. Bell & Co. (partners Thomas Duncan, M.B. Roberson, Benjamin Leecraft and B.L. Perry). Others in the adventuresome crew were locals: A.M. Fales, Brian Rumley,* S.S. Duffy, W.P. Hellen, LeRoy Piver, James Gillikin, David W. Noe, W.F. Hatsel, J.L. Manney and Charles Whitehurst.
1997 Survey: 2-story, side-gable house with boxed eaves, interior end chimney and 2/2 sash. Hipped porch has chamfered posts with Doric capitals, traditional railing and open ceiling.
*Mentioned in the ad, Brian Hellen Rumley (1809-1853) was agent for W.C. Bell & Co. Brian, brother of James and John, was son of John Rumley and Sarah Gibble. Brian married Brancy Hatsell in Onslow County in 1832. After the California trip, he later died at 43 from yellow fever in Kingston, Jamaica and was buried there.
