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Archiver > DISBROW > 2001-06 > 0992389627


From: "Michael Disbrow" <>
Subject: [DISBROW] Cash Disbrow's passing
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 19:49:37 -0400


From: Mike Disbrow, listowner

Subject: Cash Disbrow passes away...

Hi everyone:

The list is already aware of the death of Cash Disbrow on Saturday, thanks to the notification from Cash's daughter Georgia Disbrow and passed on by Cyndra Disbrow. Not everyone knows who Cash was and what he meant to the Disbrow family research effort, so I wanted to send a few (inadequate) words about the man and what he did.

Cassius Leo Disbrow was born 29 September 1923 in Yankton, South Dakota, to Cassius Marcellus and Luella Bergetha (Olson) Disbrow. (His ancestral line is as follows: Cassius Leo-10, Cassius Marcellus-9, William Ira-8, William Harrison-7, Oliver Perry-6, James-5, Henry-4, Caleb-3, Thomas Jr.-2, Thomas Sr.-1) He married 11 Jan. 1946 in DeSmet, SD, to Inez Irene Nelson. Inez preceded Cash in death several years ago. They had four children: Cassius Lea, William Dean, Georgia Ann and Linda Kay. I can't tell you much about Cash's life. I do know that he worked for many years for the City of Sioux Falls in the area of water or waste treatment, but that is all I know about that. In more recent years Cash spent time ministering at the local prisons, a project that meant a great deal to him being a man of deep religious convictions.

Cash first contacted me about 1978 when I was living in Florida. I believe he'd seen my query in Yankee magazine pertaining to my ancestor Reuben Disbrow and he called to fill me in on what he knew of the family. It seems he'd been collecting Disbrow history for several years and had a lot to fill me in on. It was Cash, for instance, who first told me about Mercy Disbrow and her witchcraft trial, a story which intrigued me enough to get my interest going strong. Cash was low key, but his words were well-chosen and his research clearly thorough and meticulous. I knew I could believe it if Cash told me it was so. He collected all things "Disbrow" he ran across - military and census records particulary intrigued him - and was in contact with many many relatives and Disbrow researchers over the years. Many of the fruits of his research ended up within the pages of my compiled Thomas Disbrow genealogy and the family newsletter which he published from 1988 through 1999.

Over the years Cash and I shared a lot of material with each other. We spent many hours on Sunday afternoons in conversation by telephone. Twice Cash travelled to Michigan to attend our Disbrow annual meetings and it was an extreme pleasure to finally meet the man I'd been talking to so long. After I'd edited the Disbrow Family Newsletter for four years and was wanting to rid myself of it so I could concentrate on compiling the Thomas Disbrow descendants books, Cash was there to take over at my request. He made the newsletter his pet project, improving on it in so many ways it became one of the best I've seen. No one can now appreciate the number of hours he must have spent writing, editing, printing, folding, mailing etc. for over ten years and several hundred pages of material. We could never thank him enough for his great legacy to our family history.

I wish I could say more about Cash Disbrow, but the truth is I never really got to know him as thoroughly as I would have liked to. That's my loss. And his death is OUR loss, truly.

Many of our subscribers knew Cash in one way or another and it would be nice if you would like to share anything with us regarding him.

Mike

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