Jerry and Linda Butler

From the research of David Donahue

There is a Sarah Rushing living in the household of Burrell Rushing (b. ca. 1821) in 1850. In 1840 as Sally she is listed as head of what appears to be the same household. She probably is the wife of Richard Rushing even though she is in a separate household in 1840. She would be a second wife of Richard as she is not old enough to have been the mother of David Rushing. I would place the marriage in the age gap between Dennis and Richard, but this is arbitrary, although given her association with Burrell, son of Elijah, this age gap seems more appropriate than the later age gap between Willis and D. M. What may have happened is that Elijah (and perhaps his wife) died before 1840, as Elijah is not in the 1840 census but his children are. Sarah might have moved into the household to care for the minor children, while the by now very elderly Richard remained in his own household with the family of his son Richard.

Only three Rushings in Decatur County could ever have been considered comparatively wealthy -- Phillip, a slave ovner; Richard, a large land owner; and Burrell Rushing born ca. 1821, a plantation and slave owner. The best evidence for Sarah as a wife of Richard may be to consider how Burrell Rushing became a wealthy plantation owner with a mansion which is still a local landmark. All of the other Rushing's in the area including Burrell's brothers seem to have been small-scale farmers, tending a hundred or so acres without help or with a hand or two. Sarah seems to have moved into Elijah's household after Elijah and wife had died, where Sarah is listed as head of household in the 1840 census; her household included Burrell. In 1843 Burrell is buying the land for his plantation from John Lucky Houston and by 1850 Burrell is a slave owner. The money could only have come from Sarah. As Sarah was not wife of Phillip (whose wife was named Hannah), the money could only have come from Richard's estate.

There was action concerning Richard's estate during this period of time, as David Rushing's power of attorney in Benton County attests. Also, the 1798 Burrell is tied up in a land transaction during this period. While one descendant claims the 1798 Burrell was registering the land he had settled before 1820, the land records themselves seem to indicate that the land was being purchased from Richard Rushing or his estate.

My conclusion is that Sarah inherited a larger widow's share of Richard Rushing's estate, which was sold up. She then let her grandson, with who she was living, use the money to finance the plantation.