A Brief Family History and Genealogy of Riley ... - TimPearson.com

George W. Pearson
George W. Pearson
Our earliest known Pearson ancestor is George W. Pearson, grandfather of Riley Cephas
Pearson. Many people have been researching George Pearson for many years, but no
one has been able to uncover who his parents were. This is our "brick wall", in
genealogical speak. There are many theories, but no proof. It's my hope that someday
I will be able to say with certainty who his parents were, but for now this is where our
history begins. It has been suggested that George's middle name may have been
"Washington". It is most likely that George's family is from England and had been in
America for several generations.
George W. Pearson was born about 1785 in Virginia. Some sources point to Prince
William County as the place of his birth, which has not yet been confirmed. He married
Elizabeth Warren in Virginia. Elizabeth “Betsy” Warren was born April 25, 1784 in
Dudley, Worcester County, Massachusetts, daughter of John and Katherine (Cooper)
Warren. The Warren family is well researched. They are of English descent and have
been in America since the mid 1600s.
George and Betsy had eleven children. They moved to Athens County, Ohio with their
family about 1817. The first of their five children were born in Virginia, the rest in Ohio.
George and his oldest son, Branson, had farms that were side by side in Athens County,
Ohio. It is almost certain that they lived near a little town named Frost, where they did
their trading. It is located on the banks of the Hocking River.
George and Betsy lived in Ohio until approximately 1849. It would appear that they
moved to Iowa at a later date than most of their grown children. It has been
suggested that they married off all of their daughters before they moved. Their
youngest daughter was married in Athens, Ohio in August of 1849. The 1850 Lee
County, Iowa census shows George Pearson age 64, born in Virginia and Betsy Pearson
age 65, born in Virginia. The 1856 Lee County, Iowa census lists George and Elizabeth
Pearson living in Iowa for six years.
George and Betsy stayed in Iowa until about 1857, at which time they were quite
elderly and moved to Putnam County, Missouri, where their eldest son Branson lived.
The 1860 Putnam County, Missouri census shows George Pearson, age 74, farmer, born
in Virginia and Elizabeth Pearson, age 75, born in Virginia. George and Betsy are
almost certainly buried somewhere in Putnam County, Missouri.
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