This is the Burrell Rushing who owned an antebellum plantation and built the local landmark known as the Townsend house near Parsons. The story of his death exists in several versions and has become a local legend. Burrell purchased the land from his future father-in-law, John Lucky Houston, in the 1840s and was a slave owner by the 1850 census. One mystery is where this Burrell Rushing got the money to finance the plantation. The following is speculation. In the 1850 census Burrell Rushing's household includes Sarah Rushing, age 80, who appeared as head of the same household in 1840. The most likely explanation for the origin of the money is that Sarah Rushing inherited a larger widow's portion of the estate of Richard Rushing which was sold up after Richard's death. Sarah then let her grandson Burrell, with whom she had been living since the 1830s, use the money to finance the plantation.