Layne-Chapman & Bybee-Atterson Families

Most of the colonial land grants of North America specified no western boundary for simple reason that what lay to the west was not known at the time the grants were issued. It was not until the year 1750 that the Loyal Land Company signed a contract with Thomas Walker, a physician of Fredericksburg, Virginia, to lead a group of men to investigate the possibilities of establishing settlements on the wester side of the Cumberland Mountains. They passed through Cumberland Gap (which he named) and on to the Kentucky River but returned with an unfavorable report. In this same year the Ohio Land Company sponsored Christopher Gist of North Carolina and a group of Surveyors, geologists and a few soldiers down the Ohio River from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They camped on the south shore of the river near the Falls above what is now Louisville, Kentucky. From this point they traveled south through the Blue Grass region and returned to North Carolina. By this time the French and Indian wars delayed further exploration until 1765 when John Finley of North Carolina piloted several families (including Daniel Boone) on a visit to what is now Kentucky. He had been held captive by the Indians in this region and learned of its possibilities.

The stories which these families related, upon their return, concerning the mild winter climate where live stock could remain out through the winter months to feed on the luxuriant grass and of the virtues of the lime stone water with its strong bone building qualities for animals created a desire for many families from both Virginia and North Carolina to move there.
By this time settlements were being made in the western portion of North Carolina in what we now know as Tennessee. Regardless of the treaties made with the Indians who were loath to give up this wonderful hunting ground, the white settlers were constantly alert to massacres and raidings. This condition caused the white settlers to move frequently from one small settlement to another.

According to genealogical records of the Layne (Lane) and Chapman families we deduce that they were among the early settlers of what is now Tennessee. There is no record of the birth place of the first child of Robert Layne (Lane) and Polly Chapman (Richard born 14 February 1786) but their second child "Jemima" was born in Johnson, Washington County, Tennessee in 1788. Two more children, Tillson and Anna Maria were born at this place, also. And then the family moved to the northwest and located at Barren County, Kentucky. John (1794), Priestly Carr (1796), and Jonathan (1798) were born at this home and then the family returned to Washington County, Tennessee. Elizabeth Ann (24 June 1801) and Eliza (16 October 1802) were born while they resided here. Then the prairie of Kentucky called them back to Barren County where sons, David (born 24 Jan 1806 – of this sketch) and Ellis (born 1808) were born.
Both Virginia and North Carolina had been very lax in furnishing protection to their colonists in the western part of their domain and since the settlers were left to their own devices to protect themselves from the Indians, they petitioned for a separation from the Mother colony, formed their own state and supplied their own militia for protection.

About 1731, the French had erected a Fort at Vincennes on the Wabash River in what is now Indiana and a few families homesteaded near the Fort but it was not until 1778 that General George Rogers Clark brought this Wabash country under the control of the Americans. It was ceded to the United States in 1783 by the English. Following the Revolutionary War all this great North Western Territory was opened for settlement.

But there was much to be accomplished with the Indians who were being crowded ever westward to the Mississippi River. Their last great stand was headed by Tecumseh at the battle of Tippecanoe in 1811.

It took little time for the word to spread of the possibilities available in the virgin soil of this section of land. Soon the waterways and the Indian trails were filled with immigrant families from the east and south.

It was about 1831 when the Robert Layne – Polly Chapman family moved to the section now known as Clay County, Indiana near the Fort at Vincennes. But they were not alone on the journey. Son David, now 25 years old journeyed with his parents. On this 27 September 1826, he married Lucinda Bybee, evidently a neighbor. By this time they were the parents of three children, Martha Jane (born 26 July 1827), Sarah (Sally) Ann (21 Feb 1829) and Robert Lee (21 October 1830).

Lucinda’s parents Lee Allen Bybee and Jerusha Jane Atterson evidently came to Barren County, Kentucky about 1800. Their first child Elizabeth was born here is 1801. Lucinda, their fourth child was born 20 June 1805 at Glasgow, Barren County, Kentucky and since the record states that all fifteen of Lee Allen Bybee’s children were born in Barren County, Kentucky, we assume he made a permanent home at this place. It would not be correct to say that these families lived in great colonial homes and raised blue-blooded stock.

In the beginning of their homesteading they lived in small homes, perhaps log homes, carried their water from a creek nearby but as their families increased they erected larger more substantial homes. They, also, made an effort to build up the strain of their livestock of all varieties by purchasing good sires. Thus the Bybee’s as well as the Layne’s were well equipped with food, clothing, and animals when they all moved to the Wabash Valley.
Since Barren County lies in the southern part of Kentucky near the northern border of Tennessee and almost due south of Louisville, Kentucky. These families no doubt made the first part of their journey northward to the Ohio River and from there to the northwest to the Ohio River and from there to the northwest but whether they went by river or overland is not known.
Here in Clay County, Indiana, David Layne’s father, Robert, was soon elected Justice of the Peace. He was, also, a Campbellite Minister and no doubt performed some frontier marriages as well as settling some minor civic problems. Perhaps he entertained the Circuit riding judge as he came to check on government affairs.

Heavy timber covered these acres of ground and the men found hard work in clearing the trees and stumps in order to plant their crops. There was definitely no lack of material for homes and fuel. The women must once again resort to their ingenuity and training to make their homes as pleasant as possible under these pioneering conditions.

These families were greatly plagued by wolves and bear, which raided their livestock. The wolves come in great packs. Scholastic training was almost nil until after Indiana became a state and roads could be built.

It was the day before Christmas 1852, when Lucinda Bybee Layne gave birth to her fourth child Mary Elizabeth here at her newly erected log home, Bowling Green, Clay County, Indiana. Then came Jonathan Ellis (13 Jan 1835), Elihu Preston (18 October 1837), Nancy Maria (14 February 1839), and then great sadness entered the home after just a few days of illness, Lucinda’s husband, David, passed away 18 August 1840.

Lucinda was now left to mother and provide for seven children, the oldest but 13 years of age. But this was not all. In six months she gave birth to a daughter, Jerusha Emmaline (18 March 1841). There was a $500.00 debt to be paid, also. After consulting with her father, it was decided that she sell her home and come to live in a small house near him. Lucinda now passed through many trials in trying to provide for her family until some of the older ones were able to assist her.

In the fall of 1838, Phineas Young, Almon W Babbitt and other missionaries of the newly created church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which had been revealed to Joseph Smith, the modern Prophet of the lord, passed through Terre Haute and on through Clay County. Some of them were making their way to New York and Washington, D.C. on business concerning the church while others were preaching the gospel. Although the Layne and Bybee families were members of the Campbellite church, David Layne and Byrum Bybee attended some of the meetings conducted by these latter Day Saint missionaries. They became interested and requested baptism but before the ordnance could be performed, David Layne passed away.
Just how many of the members of this community were converted and baptized is not known but Lucinda gave her baptismal date as 1841.

Jonathan Ellis Layne in his history of his mother – Lucindia – tells us that in 1842, Lucinda with her family, her father and three brothers with their families along with others, left their homes in Clay County, Indiana and journeyed to Nauvoo, Illinois.

They crossed the Wabash River near Terre Haute and soon came to a settlement in eastern Illinois known as "Paris". Here they visited with Lucinda’s sister, Polly who had married Middleton White. The White family, were making their home at this place. From here the road led westward to Springfield, Illinois. It was here the members of this group saw a steam driven train for the first time.

Traveling on to the northwest, they came to Nauvoo on the Mississippi River. Finding no farmland in the vicinity of Nauvoo proper they moved on five miles to the south where they purchased farms. The road from Warsaw, Illinois ran in front of their homes and during the persecutions at the time of the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum there was little sleep in the Layne and Bybee homes due to the comings and goings of members of the mob.

It is commonly known that those persecuting the Saints at this time took advantage of them as they attempted to dispose of their property when preparing for the exodus from Nauvoo. Nearly all were compelled to take what was offered but in Lucinda’s case it was the same as giving it away. Her brick home and ten acres of good land were "sold" for eleven dollars in trade for flour to take on the journey. Her son, Jonathan, who was now eleven years old, recalled that upon opening the sacks they found the flour so black and bitter that they were unable to eat it. Only after going hungry three days were they able to swallow some of it.

It was in May 1846, says Jonathan that these families crossed the Mississippi River at a place near Warsaw called Nashville and from there went to Farmington, Iowa on the Des Moines River. They camped here for a few days to arrange the equipment and purchase some better food and then moved on to the Grand River where Lucinda’s two oldest daughters Martha Jane who had married Anthony Johnson Stratton and Sarah Ann whose husband was Horace Burr Owens were living. Lorenzo Snow was in charge of the Saints living here at what became known as Mount Pisgah. He had a small hand mill with which the Saints ground the corn, which they raised for food. Rather a tedious way to do it but better than no mill at all.

During the eighteen months, which Lucinda and her younger children lived here at Pisgah, she met and married (November 1847) a man by the name of J. Barnett Manzer. Barnett Manzer was born 18 May 1780 at Phillips, Rensealer County, New York. A son of Lawrence Manzer and Elizabeth. He was baptized in 1842 and when he was 80 years old he had his endowments in the Endowment House 17 November 1860. He had been married to Mary born April 1781 at Neshink, Rhode Island.

The following spring they moved on to Pottawattamie County, Iowa where they became members of the North Pigeon Branch. Here Barnett Manzer built a small home, fenced some ground and planted a crop and made his family as comfortable as possible while they made preparations for joining the Saints in the Rocky Mountains. At this place on 13 June 1851 Lucinda gave birth to a baby boy whom they named Stephen Manzer. Lucinda was now 46 years old and the task of caring for the new baby along with making preparations to cross the plains was very difficult for her. Barnett Manzer at this time was 71 years old.

On the 30 June 1850, Lucinda’s daughter Mary Elizabeth married George Wilding and she was now with out the assistance of her older children. Little by little the Manzer’s accumulated the necessary equipment and on 15 May 1852 they were counted among the 241 souls with 45 wagons who left Florence, Nebraska on the journey. They were pleased to have their former Branch president Benjamin Gardner as their leader.

Would Lucinda ever know anything but the adversities of Pioneering? She was not well and the journey was long and hard. She appreciated having a husband to assume the responsibility of the journey. As they arrived in the Valley the 27 September 1852 she realized that her pioneering days were not over. Although the city had a flourishing appearance she could see that it was still in its infancy.

She was greatly concerned when her father and other members of her family chose to go north to Ogden for their permanent home. Her husband was chosen to assist with the building up of Nephi, Juab County consequently she obediently went with him for this assignment. There seems to be no record at the present day as to what became of Barnett Manzer but we do know that Lucinda and her children Nancy Maria, Jerusha Emmaline, Elihu Preston and Stephen returned to Salt Lake from Nephi and reside in a home on the corner of South Temple and Second West until these children were married and Lucinda was alone. On the 4 October 1857 she buried her son Robert Lee Layne and on 10 October 1863 she received her endowments, which gave her much joy. Shortly after the railroad was completed, she went to Pasadena, California to be with her daughter.

As she grew older she returned to her children living in the vicinity of Salt Lake and was cared for by the George Wilding family in the Sixteenth Ward. She was deprived of her eyesight in her later years but received tender care from her daughter Mary Elizabeth Wilding who lived in the block north of the Jackson School until her death 10 April 1896 at the age of 91 years.