Jerry and Linda Butler

Richard Rushing received two land grants issued by Josiah Martin, Royal Governor of the Colony of North Carolina. The first, No. 3853 dated May 22, 1772, was for 100 acres in Anson County on a branch on the lower side of Brown's Creek, joining the said branch above Wm. Rushing. The second, No. 7487 dated March 4, 1775, was for 150 acres in Anson County on the lower side of Brown's Creek, joining a small branch and Solomon Rushing.

Richard Rushing moved to the Beech River area of Perry County (later Decatur County) in Tennessee before 1820 and settled on the south side of the Beech River. He had extensive land holdings in the 7th and 8th sections of the 8th range along Turkey Creek. He probably is the ancestor of most of the Rushings living in Henderson County.

The following is a summary of the pension claim of Richard Rushing. It was written in a letter dated July 31, 1930, by B. W. Morgan, Acting Commissioner of Pensions, to Miss Edna Rushing, Sacramento, California.

"You are advised that it appears from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, [S. or 8.] 21457, that Richard Rushing was born in 1849 in Virginia 'on [the] Roanoke'.

"While residing in Anson County, North Carolina he served with the North Carolina troops, as follows:

"In 1776, three months in Captain John Jackson's Company, was in a skirmish at Drowning Creek where his brother William was wounded and soon after died; in 1777, nine months in Captain Stephen Jackson's Company; in 1778, ten months in the same company; in 1779, eight months in the same company; in 1780, ix months in the same company. A part of the time he served in Colonel Wade's Regiment.

"He was in skirmishes on Black river, Bates Bridge, Lynch's Creek, Richardson's Creek and Thompson's Creek.

"He was allowed pension on his application executed July 21, 1834, at
which time he was living in Rushing Creek, Perry County, Tennessee, having
lived there fifteen years.

"He stated that his brother Philip served with him most of the time.

"There is no reference to wife or children."

There is little proof of Richard's family, and the family presented in this database is somewhat of a composite. Richard seems to have had at least nine sons (including probably David in a separate household) and two daughters in the 1800 census of Anson County. There is proof that David, Willis, and Amy Boatwright were children of Richard. Dennis and Willis are always said to have been brothers, and the elder and younger Richard are in the same household in the 1840 census (based on ages children in the 1850 census). This is "Richard's family."

Then there is "Sarah's family." Sarah Rushing appears as age 80 in the household of Burrell Rushing, born ca. 1821, from the 1850 census. Her family includes Elijah, Isaac, and Burrell (born 1789). Phillip's wife is known from adeed to have been named Hannah, so Sarah could not have been his wife.

Between 1830 and 1840 Elijah Rushing and his wife appear to have died. Sarah (listed as Sally) appears as head of a household in the 1840 census; this probably is Elijah's household, including Burrell (born 1821). This young Burrell has money by the mid 1840s when he buys a large amount of land, buys slaves, and builds a mansion which is still a local landmark. Where did the money come from? The best explanation would that Sarah inherited a larger widow's portion of Richard's estate and financed the acquisitions of her grandson Burrell with whom she had been living for several years.

• David Donahue research.

The 1810 census shows
1 male 10 to 15
1 male 16 to 25
1 male 45 and over - Rich.
1 female 45 and over
7 slaves

The 1820 census shows
1 male 16 to 26
1 male 45 & c. - Richard
1 female 45 & c.

"The Whig" Nashville, Tennessee, November 1, 1841
Died in Perry Co., in the 96th year of his age, Richard Rushbing, a soldier of the Revolutionary War.

• Sarah Armistead research.