geowash

George Washington Auxier and his wife, Nancy Prater, were living in Kentucky at the time of the Civil War. Several of their children were nearly grown. The oldest daughter, Mary, who had married John Deigh was expecting her first child and was apparently staying with her family. The family had hiding places in the upstairs of the home for the women to hide and had uniforms from the North and South for the men to wear to fool renegades who roamed the country.

Once a rough group of men came to the house. The women hid and their son, William Bickers Auxier, was questioned as to the whereabouts of the rest of the family. He said the women had gone to visit a sister and then provided the food the renegades wanted. After they had eaten the renegades rested and enjoyed the warmth in the Auxier home. One soldier went to sleep in a chair. The leg of the chair rested on the dress tail of the baby, George Neibert Auxier. Little Tom was so upset he tried to saw off the leg of the chair which woke the soldier who fortunately thought the whole thing was funny.

In 1866, the Auxiers migrated to Nebraska. They traveled down the Big Sandy River on a huge flat boat until they reached a larger river and then transferred to a steamboat. This was a great thrill to the children as they had never been far from home and traveling by water was a new experience. One morning, they were seated at the breakfast table when the boat hit a sandbar. Their chairs tipped over and their breakfast and the dishes toppled over them.

In 1867, they moved to the new country of Sullivan County, Missouri. The long trip was made overland with ox drawn wagons while they drove their hogs, sheep and cattle on foot. Only the mother and the younger children rode in the heavy laden wagons. The others walked and drove the stock. Camp was made each night near a creek and they kept guard to prevent wild animals from molesting the hogs and sheep or stampeding the cattle.

The trip was long and tiring, but after many weeks they arrived. A homestead was selected and the logs were cut for the first building, a long shed which was open on one side. Quilts and blankets were used for a door at night. The men cut logs for a house while the girls and younger children herded the stock because there were no fences and the animals could easily stray. The house was completed by winter. George and Nancy lived there until their deaths.

George Washington Auxier and Nancy Prater
were married on October 3, 1839 in Floyd
County, Kentucky.They moved to Nebraska
in 1866 where they settled on the Missouri
River. Constantly troubled with illness and
having paid out $500.00 for doctor bills,
George moved his family to Missouri.

George was an affectionate father and a
kind and true husband. He was always
ready and willing to help the poor. No beggar
entered his door who was ever turned away
hungry. Few women have lived a purer life
than Nancy or have been endowed with higher
Christian graces." Agnes Auxier -1902

George Washington Auxier and Nancy Prater were the parents of:
1.. Mary B. Auxier who married John Deigh.
2. Emiline J. Auxier who married Jacob Taylor.
3. Martha Rebecca Auxier who married (1.) Gustavus Watson (2.) George Washington Barbee.
4. Samuel Martin Auxier who (1.) Mary Ann Haley Watson (2.) Mary Arratsam.
5. Amanda Arminta Auxier who married Uriah Morgan Kent
6. William Bickers Auxier who married Victoria Virginia McQuarter.
7. Sarah Jane Auxier who married William Henry Watson.
8. John Prater Auxier died in Kentucky at the age of 15 months.
9. Nancy Carolina Auxier who married Augustus Young
10. Thomas Jefferson Auxier who married Barbara Ellen Banner
11.George Niebert Auxier who married Susan Belle Martin.