yesterday's tennessee

Dennis Rushing Family

from the research of Norma Rushing Roberts and Bill Rushing

Dennis (4) Rushing, (Richard, 6). Born, circa 1786, in Anson Co., NC. Died 1860, in Benton Co., TN. Burial in D. Rushing Cemetery, Benton Co., TN. Census: 1820, in Stewart Co., TN.

Dennis Rushing was a Corporal in Captain Gray's Company of the Second Regiment of the Tennessee Militia infantry in the War of 1812. He and his brother Willis were the first settlers in Benton County and settled in what is now the Rushing Creek Community. They filed a joint claim for 200 acres deeded to the United States by the Chickasaw Indians. He married Kezia Bell. Born, 1786, in NC. Burial in D. Rushing Cemetery, Benton Co., TN. Children: (only 2 listed out of 10).

    (i) Elizabeth (5) Rushing. Born, circa 1805. She married Abner Smalley.
    (ii) Richard B. Rushing. Born 1810. Death: (unknown) Buried Cobbs Hill, Benton, TN. Occupation: Farmer.

Richard B.(6) Jason R.(7). Born ca.1810 in Stewart, Tenn., Died (date unknown). Buried: Cobbs Hill, Benton Co., TN. Occupation Farmer.  He married, first, Matilda Rushing. Divorced, Jan. 1848. He married second Elizabeth Waricks 31 Mar 1848. She was born 1822 and died Abt 1858. He married third, Elizabeth Hicks 2 Feb 1861.

Richard B. Rushing was "known as ‘Old Greasy Dick' Rushing. He was a farmer in District 5 (of Benton County), and served as constable and deputy sheriff for many years, apprehending runaway slaves on the Reynoldsburg Road. He was thrice married and left many descendants." (Slightly revised but basics from Taproots, A Virginia & Carolina Legacy). Richard & his brother Willis J. owned several plantations in Tennessee and Mississippi.

Richard & Matilda had the following children:

    1. Mary C. Rushing b. 1831 Benton Co., Tenn. She married James Neabor 17 Feb 1852.

Richard & Elizabeth Warrick had the following children:

    2. David D. Rushing b. 1849 Benton Co., Tenn. He married Winnie Hampton b. Sep 1847 on 13 May 1874. They had these children:

        (i) Josephine Rushing born Tennessee
        (ii) Ruth Rushing born Tennessee
        (iii) Will Rushing born Jan 1875
        (iv) Martha E. Rushing born Apr 1883
        (v) Thomas J. Rushing B Jan 1885
        (vi) Edgar L. Rushing born Jun 1888
        (vii) Louisiana Rushing born Jun 1891
        (viii) Lauvanza Rushing born June 189l
        (ix) Earl B. Rushing born Jun 1893

    3. Jason R. Rushing b. 1854 (There is a conflict as to exactly where he was born…perhaps in Tenn., or according to other records, in MS.)  He married first Lucy Ellen Ross, daughter of A. J. Ross. They had these children:

        1. W. J. Rushing b. abt 1878. He married Lou Henderson.
        2. Jeff D. Rushing b. abt 1879
        3. John T. Rushing b. 1884, d. 16 Oct 1942 Buried Rock Hill Cemetery, Quitman, Wood County, Texas.
        4. Bonnie Viola Rushing b. 1886, D1970. She married James E. Horn
        5. Lanny L. Rushing b. 1890. He married Francis Emelin Davis
        6. Nora Mae Rushing b. 17 Mar 1895, d. Sept. 1976 Buried Grove Hill Cemetery, Dallas, Tx. (Never married)
        7. Annie Bell Rushing b. 1897, D1925. Buried Grove Hill Cemetery, Dallas, Tx. She married Fred Felix Adair, Sr.
        8. Thomas Lester Rushing b. 1899, d. Jan 1981 Buried Grove Hill Cemetery, Dallas, Tx.
        9. Jack Rushing b. 1901

    Jason married second Ida Luticia Miles Whatley 11 Nov. 1907. Ida b. 18 Jan 1878. Both she & Jason were widowed she had two children from a previous marriage to Walter Thomas Miles. The children from that marriage are:

        (i) Jessie Ola Miles b. 6 Jul 1898. She married James F. Davis. d. Oct. 1985.
        (ii) Ella Mae Miles b. 25 Sep 1903, d. 1984, buried Grove Hill Cemetery, Dallas, Tx. She married Wilbur Garrett.
        (iii) Eva Gray Miles b. 20 Jan 1901, Died in infancy.

    Jason & Ida had the following children: (See photo)

        10.  Marvin Maples Rushing (8) b. 10 Jan 1910, d. 7 Sept 1974. Grove Hill Cemetery, Dallas, Texas. Marvin Maples married Jimmie Ada Tichenor , daughter of David Travis Tichenor & Stella Craig Tichenor. They had 9 children, 6 of whom are still living.

        11. Marlon Mable Rushing b. 10 Jan 1910 d. In infancy 1910. (Twins )

    Jason R. Rushing was a farmer of about 1000 acres in Winnsboro, Texas near an area called Cornersville. Farms during that time had neither electricity nor indoor plumbing. Most had out-houses and deep water wells were drilled. Coal-oil lamps provided light at night. Everyone was in bed usually before dark. The farm house was weathered (see photo) and had a breezeway thru it. This type of house in Texas is called a Dog Run House (or in Tennessee a Dog Trot House). Bedrooms and living areas were on one side, the kitchen on the other side. Land for a small school was donated by A. J. Ross, father of Lucy Ellen Ross, and Jason R. Rushing donated land for the Mt. Zion Church. Marvin attended the one room country Cornersville School. All grades were taught in that one-room. The children used slates (no blackboard or erasers to clean.) (See photo)

Continuation of Richard B. & Elizabeth Warick's children:

4. Phil Rushing b. 1852 Middle, Henderson TN, USA

5.  Martha J. Rushing b. 1 May 1852, Benton, TN

6.  Malissa Rushing b. 1857 Middle, Henderson, TN

7.  Mary Rushing b. 1859 Middle, Henderson, TN

Richard then married Elizabeth Hicks 2 Feb. 1861. As far as we have been able to determine, these are their children:

8.  Jeff Rushing b. 13 Oct 1861, d. 17 Sep. 1945. He married Mary Emily Lybrand.

9. Richard H. Rushing, b. after 1862

10. James C. W. Rushing, b. abt 1875

Please note that all information cited above should be confirmed before entering it into your genealogy records. If anyone is directly related to this family, you may contact me at norma.roberts2@verizon.net or my brother Bill at brush6040@aol.com.  Thanks to my brother Bill for his diligent research on our family, and for obtaining the photos from Court House records.

LDS records show these children living with Richard and his wife, but do not indicate they are Richard's & Matilda's or Richard's & Elizabeth Warick, or Elizabeth Hick's.

Darling B. Rushing b. 15 Jun 1831, d. 1 Apr 1863 (perhaps a Civil War casualty??) LDS shows he belongs to Roland & Zilpha (brother/sister to Richard)

Albert F. Rushing b. 18 Nov 1835, d. 20 Dec 1838 (Age 3) LDS shows he was Roland & Zilpha's.

Lucinda T. Rushing b. 30 Mar 1840, d. 22 Sep 1845 (Age 5) LDS shows she was Roland & Zilpha's.

Martha J. Rushing b. 1 May 1852, d. 28 Apr 1870 (Age 18) LDS shows she was Roland & Zilpha's.