On 4 August 1915, Richard wrote "A Sketch of My Life" at the Blue River Valley Farm of which he was proprietor.
( Autobiography )
A SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF RICHARD DEVENISH, FREDERICKSBURG, INDIANA.
My grandfather was born in England.
My father was born in Maryland.
My mother was born in England. Her maiden name was Mary Guest.
I was born the Sixth of March 1836 one mile north of New Albany Ind. My parents were then living in what then was termed the double log house. My education was reading, writing, Arithmetic, Geography and Spelling in the Common School of that day. In September 1853 I left home with six dollars in my pocket and my earthly goods tied up in a big red handkerchief. My first stop was Cincinnati. I worked in a Sawmill there until May 1854 then I went to Pittsburgh and in August I as a helper took a drove of horses to Lancaster City, and 17 miles east of that city I found employment as a farm hand and remained there until Nov 1855. And while there I learned to Speak German. My next stop was Indianapolis remained there until March 1856 when I returned home.
From 1856 to 1857 I worked on the home farm. In April of 1858 I started for California taking boat to Cincinnati and rail to New York City, thence by steamer to Cuba, crossing the Isthmus of Panama, and by steamer to San Francisco, thence to Eureka, in Humbolt County. There I went into the timber business, supplying logs for the saw-mills. Humboldt and Mendiceno Counties have some of the finest timber in the world.
On the 27th of November I sailed by steamer for San Francisco, and the 3rd of December at nine oclock a.m., four other men and myself took passage on the Butterfield Stage-coach for St. Louis, by way of Los Angeles, Tuscon, Ariz., through New Mexico to El Paso, Fort Worth and Dallas to Fort Smith, Ark., Van Buran to Springfield then to Sedolia, Mo. Here we left the coach and took train to St. Louis.
At that time Arizonia, New Mexico, and the most of Texas through which we came were occupied by Indians and buffaloes. This was the wildest and most hazardous journey of my life, costing each of us $250.00. We arrived at the Planters Hotel in St. Louis at eleven p.m. on Christmas eve, being twenty-one days and nights on a constant drive. In Texas we drove for forty-five miles through buffaloes.
I remained on the farm at home until February, 1862; and from then until November of 1865 I was with the Army of the Cumberland, through Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama. The twelfth day of January, 1866, I came to Fredericksburg, Ind. The 2nd day of April, 1868, Mary E. Sensney and I were married. She died the 2nd of August 1886. The 14th of May, 1890, Sallie A. Roberts and I were married.
The fifth of August 1902 my wife and I went on a visit to my relatives in the State of Washington, going by way of Chicago, Omaha, Schyenne, Denver, Colorado Springs, Puablo, Salt Lake City, Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles and back to Sacramento, Mount Shasta, Portland, Seattle and Spokane. My friends were located within from forty to ninty miles of Spokane.
The sixteenth of June, 1913 wife and I started on another trip west by way of Chicago, St. Paul and over the Great Northern R.R. to Spokane and Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In my rambles I have been in and through the most of these United States. I have not been in South Dakota, Kansas, Lousiana, Florida, the two Carolinas, Maryland, the District of Columbia and the New England States.
What a change in this country since I came upon the stage of action. In January of 1868 I joined the Methodist Episcopal Church at Fredericksburg, Indiana; as to my Christian life I have nothing to say, but leave that to the judge of all mankind, who has been kind and merciful to me, and to the community win which I have lived.
On March the 18th, 1873, the Blue River Lodge No. 412, I.O.O.F. was organized here of which I was one of the charter members.
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Ancestry.com Images Online, image 125 of 286
1850 U.S. Census, New Albany Township [North of ? Turnpike], Floyd County, Indiana; 28 June 1850
Line 18: h/h 175/176
James Devanish, 58, Farmer, $4000, b. Maryland
John, 29, Farmer; Hannah 25; Martha 23; James, 22, Carpenter; Stephen, 20, Farmer; Cornelia, 18; Solomon, 16, Farmer; RICHARD, 13, attended school w/in year; George, 11. All children b. Indiana
William Philips, 48, Labourer, b. England
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Ancestry.com Images Online, image 50 of 73
1860 U.S. Census, Eureka Township, Humboldt County, California; p. 50/170; 18 July 1860; Post Office: Eureka
Line 6: h/h 491/458
Orange G. Wood, 30, Stable Keeper, $1500/$1500, b. New York, married w/in year
Penmiah [?], 28, b. Indiana, married w/in year
Hannah Devenish, 32, b. Indiana
Richard Devenish, 23, Farmer, b. Indiana
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Ancestry.com Indiana Marriages, 1845-1920
Washington County, Indiana
Index to "Marriage Record" 1850 - 1920 Inclusive Volume I Letters A to L Inclusive
W. P. A. Original Record Located: County Clerk's Office - Salem Compiled by Federal Works Agency Work Projects Administration of Indiana 1941
County: Washington
Name: Richard Devenish
Spouse: Mary Sensenny
Marriage Date: 02 Apr 1868
Book: H
Original Source Page: 70
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Ancestry.com Images Online, image 33
1870 U.S. Census, Posey Township, Washington County, Indiana, 21 July 1870
Post Office: Livonia
Line 31 242/243 Richard Devenish, 34, Farmer, $2500/$400, b. Indiana
Mary Emma [Senseny] Devenish, 20, Keeping house, b. Indiana
Oscar Grant, 1, b. Indiana
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Ancestry.com Images Online, image 13
1880 U.S. Census, Posey Township, District 183, Washington County, Indiana, 8 June 1880, p. 504
Line 31 111/112 R. Devenish, 44, married, Farmer, b. Indiana; father b. Maryland; mother b. England
Mary E., 30, wife, married, Keeping House, b. Indiana; parents b. Indiana
Oscar, 12, son, single, attended school, b. Indiana
Cora, 9, daughter, single, attended school, b. Indiana
Homer/Horner, 5, son, single, b. Indiana
Harry Moor, 18, single, servant, b. Indiana; parents b. Indiana
Emma Crook, 28, single, servant, b. Indiana; parents b. Indiana
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Ancestry.com Indiana Marriages, 1845-1920
Washington County, Indiana
Index to "Marriage Record" 1850 - 1920 Inclusive Volume I Letters A to L Inclusive
W. P. A. Original Record Located: County Clerk's Office - Salem Compiled by Federal Works Agency Work Projects Administration of Indiana 1941
County: Washington
Name: Richard Devenish
Spouse: Sallie Roberts
Marriage Date: 14 May 1890
Book: K
Original Source Page: 130
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1900 U.S. Census, Washington County, Posey Township, Fredericksburg, Enumeration District 137 (Ancestry.com Images Online, image 3)
Enumeration Date: 2 June 1900
29/30 Richard Devenish, head, b. March 1836, 64, married 10 yrs., b. Indiana; father b. Maryland; mother b. England; he can read, write, & speak English; and, he owns his farm
Sarah A. Roberts, wife, b. July 1852, 47, married 10 yrs., b. Indiana; parents b. Indiana; she, too can read, write, and speak English
Carl E. Devenish, son, b. November 1882, 17, single, b. Indiana; parents b. Indiana; at school, 6 (months?); can read, write, and speak English
Charles Davis, servant, b. July 1858, 41, single, b. Indiana; parents b. Indiana, farm laborer; can read, write, and speak English
Jane Roberts [Mary Jane Hancock Roberts, widow of Richard], mother-in-law, b. February 1826, 72, widow; mother of 4 children, 2 are living; b. Indiana; father b. North Carolina; mother b. Virginia; can read, write, and speak English
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In 1910, Sallie and Richard are still in Washington County, Posey Township. Just the two of them.
(Ancestry.com Images Online, image 5 - enumeration district 159)
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Ancestry.com Images Online, image 2 of 14
1920 U.S. Census, District 190, Posey Township, Washington County; Sheet 1B; 05 June 1920
Line 87: h/h 26/26
Richard Devenish, head, 83, reads & writes; b. Indiana; Father b. Maryland; mother b. England
Sarah A. Devenish, wife, 67, reads & writes; b. Indiana; parents b. Indiana