James Rush and Barbara Barngrover Family

Marriage Record for Barbara BARNGROVER

Spouse: James Rush
Date: 19 Nov 1806
B/G: BRIDE
County and State: Mason Co. KY
Notes: Bondsman: William Bennett - John Shotwell
State of Ohio - Highland County
This is to certify that I give my daughter Barbara Barngrover leave to marry James Rush of Kentucky.
Signed: Six Barngrover
Witness: John Shotwell


Eight children were reportedly born to James and Barbara:

Elizabeth – Born December 27, 1807 in Ohio and married Miles Judkins. Their children included James (born 1829), Margaret (born 1830), Jonathan (born June 11, 1833), Mary Jane (born 1835), John Van Buren (born June 12, 1837), George Washington (born April 24, 1839), Francis (born about 1840), Milton (born April 21, 1843), Jack Taylor (born 1845) and Sarah (born about 1848). Elizabeth died on December 19, 1879 in Indianola, Iowa.

Mary – Born October 20, 1810 in Ohio and married William Judkins in Brown County, Ohio on August 11, 1825. Children included Mandy, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Miles,
Mack, Lucinda, John Rush (born April 16, 1851) and George. Mary died October 15, 1880 in Indianola, Iowa.

William – Born January 13, 1815 in Ohio. Was educated in Ohio in subscription schools. Came to Shelby County in 1833 with a sister. Married Permelia Wharton in
Shelby County, Indiana on January 3, 1838. Six children were born to this couple: Francis, James, Paulina, John (born March 17, 1843), William (born January 10, 1849), James Thomas (born 1850) and Mary Mariah (born July 21, 1854). William later married Elizabeth Imel on August 19, 1858, having several additional children: Olive (born 1859), Luella (born 1862), Robert (born 1864), Alfred (born 1867), Earl (born 1867), Harriet (born 1870), Percy (born about 1872), Caroline (born 1874) and Myrtle (born 1876). William was living in Sugar Creek Township, Shelby County in 1850, near his father. William died September 17, 1891 in Shelby County, Indiana and is buried at Boggstown cemetery.

John – Born about 1817 in Ohio and married Rebecca Cox in Shelby County in January 1836. Much information can be provided on this family, including the lynching of John!

Lucinda – Born in Ohio about 1820. On December 1, 1836 she married Robert Boyd in Shelby County. Their children included James (born about 1839), Louise (born about 1842), Nancy (born about 1844), William (born about 1847) and Francis (born about 1849). This family was living in Greene County, Missouri in 1850, just three doors from John Rush.

Nancy –

Sarah – Married Peter Snyder.

Louisa – Married Richard Steward.

Shortly after James and Barbara married in Kentucky, they moved to Ohio. Apparently they did not long remain in Highland County where Barbara's father had moved. Several newspaper announcements in 1815 and 1816 (October 2, 1815, January 1816, May 2, 1816 and July 16, 1816) reported that James Rush had unclaimed mail at the Hillsborough post office in Highland County.

The exact places in Ohio that the James Rush family lived is unclear; however, in 1818 they were in Brown County, Perry Township, just across the line from Highland County.

James was still in Brown County, Ohio for the 1820 Census, living in Perry Township. James' family that year was recorded as having two males under 10 (William and John), one male over 45 (James), three females under 10 and one between 10 and 16 (Elizabeth).

Where the Rush family was in 1830 is also not clear. A biography of James' son William suggests that William was born in Highland County, Ohio in 1830 and remained there until he came to Shelby County in 1833. However, no Rush family was censured in Highland County in 1830. The family was possibly in neighboring Warren County, Ohio for the 1830 Census, although the name recorded could also be read as James Risk. This family had males - one between 5 and 10 (unknown), two between 15 and 20 (William and John), one over 60 (James); females – one between 10 and 15, two between 20 and 30 and one over 50. James Rush had likely moved to Shelby County, Indiana by 1835.

James was a farmer his entire life and is credited with helping to clear the Shelby County wilderness and developing its farms. A county history describes James as sturdy, honest and a loyal member of the Baptist Church.

James Rush married Hannah Lloyd in Shelby County on August 10, 1837. Four children born to this marriage included Mahala (born about 1839), George (born about 1840), Eliza A. (born about 1842) and Permila (born about 1844). The family was living in Shelby County, Sugar Creek Township for the 1840 Census. The Census listing for James' family shows: Males – one under 5 (probably George), one between 5 and 10 (unknown) and one between 50 and 60 (James); females – one under 5 (Mahala), two between 5 and 10 (unknown) and one between 30 and 40 (Hannah). James' son William was close, and next to James was the family of Nathaniel Cox.

Hannah apparently died between 1844 and 1850. For the 1850 Census, James (64) and his four children were in Shelby County, Sugar Creek Township: Mahala (11), George (10), Eliza (8) and Permila (6). Several related families were nearby within the same township: William Rush (son of James), William Wharton (William Rush's in-laws) and George and James Barngrover (nephews of James' wife Barbara).

James then married Nancy Pollard March 17, 1859 in Shelby County. The Chadwick biography on William Rush claims that his father James was married four times, but only three wives are so far known.

The 1860 Census is unique in that the recorder asked not only in which state the resident was born, but also the county. Thus, we know that James was born in Madison County, Virginia. Listed with James (76) in 1860 were his new wife Nancy (59), George (20), Alex Jane (George's wife), Eliza (18), Permelia (16) and a 7 year old James Beariff. James was a farmer, his land valued at $1,000.

Ten years later in 1870, James and his remaining family had moved north a few miles to adjoining Moral Township in Shelby County. Recorded with James (89) were Nancy (71), George (30), James W. (7), Lorenda (5), Elizabeth (3) and another individual whose name and age are not legible. From the subsequent Census, we know that James William Rush, Lorenda Rush and Elizabeth Rush were grandchildren, almost certainly children of George, born about 1840.

James died July 4, 1877 in Shelby County and is buried at Boggstown cemetery. His third wife Nancy (87 and born in Virginia) was back in Sugar Creek Township for the 1880 Census. Three grandchildren were living with her: William (17), Lorenda (15) and Elizabeth (13), all natives of Indiana. Nancy's stepson William Rush lived nearby.

Returning briefly to Mary, daughter of James and Barbara Rush, one of her sons was John Rush Judkins. Another was George, born April 15, 1856. An interesting letter written by George Judkins at Indianola, Iowa on January 20,1920 was addressed to a nephew and niece:

Dear Nephew and Niece,

We received your letter and was glad to hear from you. This is a beautiful day and the sun is shining bright but the ground is pretty cold and icy and some snow around. This leaves us in usual health and we are able to eat our three meals each day.

Elmer and Lizzie are going to her folks today, as she hasn't been there since Xmas, suppose you had a nice time Xmas and had a big eat of wedding cake, suppose your new brother-in-law and wife are happy and on the way to prosperity. Your aunt and myself were at home all day Xmas by ourselves but in the evening we was at Liberty Center to a Xmas tree with the rest of the children. They had a nice programme and a large crowd. Was at home New Years Day worked all day. Well I believe it would be a good time for you folks to come out and see us, as we butchered two good sized hogs yesterday and we have something to eat now and we have some flour and potatoes yet on hand and some apples for the children. Elmer and myself are chopping wood in the timber, we sawed about 5 or 6 loads of wood last week and now we want to gut up sufficient wood and have it sawed to last us to last us until this time next year. Your Aunt and Lizzie went Friday night to an entertainment. Elmer and Lizzie will move to themselves the first of March, will live ½ of a mile south of us. We received a letter from your mother a few days ago and was glad to hear from her. We haven't heard anything from Becca for quite a while. You wanted to know about the Judkins-I will tell you all I know.

There was two brother Joel and Jonathan Judkins (do not know where they were born). Jonathan Judkins is your Great Grandfather, and we are descendants of Jonathan. Jonathan married -------. To them was born William P. Judkins; your Grandfather and your Father's father was born in Iradell County, North Carolina, February. 2, 1808, and your grandfather Judkins married Mary Rush and to them was born 12 children, some dying in infancy. Your Aunt Mandy Park was the oldest. Your Aunt Lizzie Cleland next to the oldest, you Aunt Becca Conn, your Uncle Miles W. Judkins, and your Uncle Mack and your Aunt Lucinda Judkins (died when about 12 years old). The next is your Father John R. (Rush) Judkins born April 16, 1851, and the last was myself George W. Judkins born April 15th, 1856. As to the Rushes they lived southeast of Indianapolis, Indiana in Shelby County near Fairland. Some of your Uncle William Rush's children are living there now and Uncle John Rush who your father was named after lived near Springfield, Missouri or near a small place called Ashgrove Mo. Suppose his children still live near there if any are living. He was killed during the war by a band of rebels as he was a Union man. This is all I know about the Judkins family.

Your Great Grandfather James Rush lived near Fairland, Indiana at the time of his death. Do not know where he was born but he died July 4, 1877. He was near 100 years old when he died. I was in Ohio and Indiana in 1877 and saw the relatives of the Rushes that was living at the time. Was at Grandmother Rush's house and ate dinner there, also your Uncle Miles and your Father was there and we all three of us heard Grandfather Rush's funeral preached that was September 1877. They put off having the funeral until then. You wanted to know where I was raised. I was born in Indianola, Iowa April 15,1856 and lived there until 4 years old and Father moved to Knoxville, Iowa and lived there 4 years and then moved to Des Moines, lived there and then moved back to Indianola, Iowa, and lived there until January 1882 and then moved to Liberty township, Warren County, Iowa and lived there every since. Was married Oct. 28, 1880. Your Father was born in Indiana and came to Indianola in 1852. He went the same road I did until June 1878 and then he was married to Ida Mae Wisehart, your mother. I have your Father and Mother's picture taken about the time they were married. That is all the picture I have of them.

I see President Wilson wants the people or voters of the United States to vote on the question of the League of Nations or no League of Nations as Congress don't want to suit him, and so he wants the voters to settle the question at the next election, but W.J. Bryan is not in favor of it. Wilson and Bryan can't agree. We have a winter ever since Thanksgiving and I am getting tired of cold weather. I don't know if you can read this or not, I am as nervous as a man of 100 or more. Will close for this time.

Love to you and Mary,
Your Aunt and Uncle George and Meckey Judkins

Of greatest interest in this letter is the reference to John Rush's death near Springfield "during the war." George must not have known how John Rush actually died, or possibly this story was a more convenient version for the family. As readers of In Search of Footprints know, John Rush was lynched near Springfield, Missouri.

As noted above, John Rush, son of James and Barbara, married Rebecca Cox in Shelby County in December of 1836. Rebecca's parents were not known for certain when In Search of Footprints was written, although the 1850 Greene County, Missouri Census suggests that Rebecca was born about 1820 in Kentucky. It turns out that Rebecca was born August 5, 1820 in Fayette County, Kentucky, the oldest daughter of William Cox and Nancy Causey.

Source: http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/rush/2531/