yesterday's tennessee

JOHN RUSHING FAMILY NOTES (Bedford Co., TN)

from the research notes of Francis Thomas

The following letters were copied by Grace Goodall and included in the "Rushing Round Robin II".

Mississippi State Hospital

Dr. W. L. Jaquith, Director

Whitfield, Miss.

[above is a printed letterhead]

August 22, 1957

Mrs. Benjamine Ingram

Wadesboro, N. C.

Dear Mrs. Ingram:

I am sorry to be so late in thanking you for the information you sent me concerning the Rushing wills found in Anson County. I have had an unusually busy summer, occupied with both personal affairs and professionally. I have had to look after my own patients and those of another doctor too. When I tell you that I have close to a thousand in all, you will understand that I have had little time for genealogy. However, my interest in that subject never wanes.

I am very much interested in the possibility that the land records you mentioned pertaining to the Rushing family might reveal information of value to me in tracing this family. Will you please advise me as to whether your services are available for this work? If so please give me as close an estimate of your fee as possible.

I am trying to trace the parents of a great great gramdfather, Rev. John Rushing who was born in 1790 in Anson County. A host of Rushings migrated from this county to Tennessee in the early 1800's. John with his parents was one of the bunch. I have had a hunch for some time prior to receiving your letter that his father might have been the William mentioned as a son in the will of this Abraham Rushing whose will you found in Will Book 2, page 141. Written 5/20/1805. Probated July 1806. A lady in Tennessee who has done some work for me there thinks Abraham, Jr. was the father. I am writing the County Clerk today for a copy of this will. I really did not know whether in this case I should write him or you. I presume that if he can't make the copy that he will again transfer the request to you.

Although I am not going to be able to do very much work on genealogy until fall, I will certainly have time to write a check and answer any questions you have in mind about the family--that is, in so far as I am able. This Rushing line intermarried with another of my paternal lines who were from North Carolina, The Ogilvies. They were first found in 1749 in Edgecomb County, later Granville, Kentucky and Tennessee. I do not know whether they were ever neighbors in North Carolina or not but were in Kentucky and Tennessee. I do not think that my immediate family of Rushings ever lived in Kentucky, just colaterals. You will note that the Rushing family stuck to Biblical names for a very long time. My great grandfather was the first I have found to break this tradition. His name was Milton Richmond Rushing. I imagine that Milton was a maternal line, but do not know. The Richmond was for his maternal grandmother, Lydia (Richmond) Keele, wife of Rev. War Soldier Richard Keele, enlisted from Virginia but married and moved to N. C. and located on Nolachucky river.

I will appreciate hearing from you as soon as convenient.

Sincerely yours,

Modena H. Peterson, M.D.

* * * * *

Mississippi State Hospital

Dr. W. L. Jaquith, Director

Whitfield, Miss.

 

August 29, 1957

Mrs. Benjamine Ingram

Wadesboro, North Carolina

Dear Mrs. Ingram:

Your letter of the 26th. was received yesterday. I am very glad that you will be able to make this little search of Rushings for me. I do hope that it will enable me to get a little further along with my knowledge of this family.

I received a copy of the will of Abraham Rushing in the same mail as your letter. I am convinced that he was a close relative, in fact still think he was my John's grandfather. I wonder if the first Rushing I have found in America, William Rushing of Northampton, May 1744 wasn't the father of Abraham.

I am sending you copies of N. C. 1790 and 1800 census showing Rushings listed, also the 1820 Tennessee census. This might help you. Also the marriage and cemetery records that were in the State archives at Raleigh last year when I visited there. My check for ten dollars ($10.00) is also enclosed.

Sincerely,

Modena H. Peterson, M. D.

P. S. I was recently looking over a tax list of Anson County, N. C. for year 1763. I was very much interested to find William Hodges listed. He might be the long lost ancestor I have spent the past ten years looking for. If you happen to find him along with the Rushings, you have found both my families.