I have detailed a lot of information for Abigail, in hopes that somehow her life story might eventually get cleared up on the various ancestry sites and be made closer to her true-life story. Due to bad data in Ancestry.com, Abbey's story so far has been incorrect.

-Donna Z (great-great granddaughter)

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Abbey is the daughter of William Rusk (born in Maryland) and Lucy Harrell (born in either KY or IN)

Abbey may have been born in 1848 or 1849: On the below referenced censuses for 1860, 1870 & 1880, Abbey lists her age that coincides with being born in year 1848 on the 1860 census and being born in year 1849 on the 1870 & 1880 censuses. If Abbey was born in 1848, then Abbey was a twin with brother George Washington Rusk (this would make 2-sets of twins born to this family). If they were twins, then one of them has their birth day wrong. George Washington Rusk is listed as born 13 Dec 1848, and Abbey is listed as being born 25 Dec. If Abbey was born in 1849, then she is not a twin with George.

*The one big issue as to whether Abbey was born in 1848/1849, is that she is not enumerated with the rest of her siblings and parents on the 1850 census. While that can't be the deciding factor, it may affirm that Abbey wasn't born yet and infact was born in 1852.

Abbey was an artist, businesswoman and 1st Marshall of Granite, OK. (I can't find any documentation of Abbey being a Marshall- however that is what her obit says). Her g-g granddaughter Jo Ann Stewart-Wofford (the contributors 1st cousin) said that Abbey traveled the west as an art teacher as she was very talented in painting.

+There were (2) Abigail J. Rusk's born in 1852 in Indiana. The other Abbey is the daughter of Vance Rusk and Mary Ann Weidner. Vance Rusk and Abbey's father William Rusk share the same 3rd great grandfather David Rusk (born ~1735 in Ireland). There is no doubt that Abbey's father William and the "other" Abigail's father, Vance knew each other, as they all lived in Montgomery County, IN, and they all migrated from Ohio to Indiana. The other Abigail born to Vance Rusk married George Marion Brown. Her FaG memorial is 44130246 +

1860 census: (Abby Rusk) 12 years old living with the Stringer family in Center, Marshall, Indiana.

1870 census: (Abigail Murphy) 21 years old with her son William and daughter Ora Luella with her in Kankakee, LaPorte, Indiana (NOTE: this census is not in Ancestry.com. It can be found on the FamilyResearch.org site)

1880 census: (Rusk Arthur) 31 years old. Abbey is enumerated with her 2nd husband James B. Arthur and 2 children William and Ora Luella in North Liberty, St Joseph, Indiana. She listed her given name as RUSK, so unless you search for Rusk Arthur, Abigail and her 2 children won't come up in ancestry.com. Abigail listing her name as Rusk is further proof Abigail's maiden name was Rusk.

* See Abbey's daughter Ora Luella's FaG memorial for a picture of the 1870 & 1880 census's

Many researchers believe that Abbey Jane Rusk was born in Maryland (both of her obit's says she was born in Maryland). On all the census's Abbey participated in, she lists that she was born in Indiana and that her father was born in Maryland. Any census her children participated in, they also list that their mother was born in Indiana. Somehow, by the time of her death, her one son (John Irvan Roosa a.k.a. Robert Lee Rice) and her grandchildren mixed it up and identified in her obit that she was born in Maryland.

After the death of her mom in ~1855, Abbey and her full-female siblings were distributed out to various homes, Abbey is found in the 1860 census living with a Mrs. Catherine Stringer and sons in Plymouth, Marshall, Indiana.

Abbey's father was married 3 times, and without exception, his daughters from his previous marriages were farmed-out once their mother was deceased and his sons remained with their father. It is doubtful that Abbey remained close with her siblings, as she was barely 3 years old when her mother died and was removed from her father's household.

+Abbey's 1st husband was Mr. William Murphy (born in Connecticut).

They had the following children:

-William H Murphy (1868-) born in Connecticut and probably died after 1921 in Topeka, KS

-Ora Louella Murphy-Jackson (1869-1908) born in Indiana and died in Oklahoma.

*For those searching for William, he married Ellen "Ella" M. McIntosh in 1892. He and Ella lived in Topeka, KS. I lose track of William and Ella after 1921.

+Abbey's 2nd husband was James B. Arthur. They married on 26 Oct 1872 in LaPorte County, Indiana.

No children were born. They are enumerated together in the 1880 census.

+Abbey's 3rd husband was John Benjamin Roosa**. They are enumerated in the 1885 Kansas State Census.

They had one son:

-John Irvan Roosa (Birth 21 JUN 1881 • Onaga, Pottawattimie, Kansas, USA Death 25 JUL 1963 • San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA).

After Abbey and John Roosa divorced, John kidnapped their only son John Irvan Roosa and changed his name to Robert Lee Rice (see newspaper article attached to this memorial)

*While researching Abbey's husband John Benjamin Roosa, I decided to utilize Abigail's statement in the newspaper saying that she believed he was in a Poor Man's Home in Maryville, Missouri. Well, that turned out to be true! John Benjamin Roosa is enumerated in the 1900 census as John B Rosey in Polk, Nodaway, Missouri living in a County Poor Farm. And in the 1910 census as John D Roose in Polk, Nodaway, Missouri living in the County Infirmary. John Roosa died in 1919 and was buried in the County Poor Farm cemetery as John Rosey.

*Polk, Nodaway, Missouri is in the Maryville Metro Area

+Abbey's 4th husband was Sias A Bachelder, no children were born to this marriage. They are enumerated in the 1900 & 1910 censuses. Sias died in 1917. Thereafter Abbey is enumerated in 1920 living with her son-in-law John J. Jackson and his children. And in 1930 she is living in Oklahoma still, but not with family.

At this time it is certain that Abbey's maiden name was Rusk. Please see the attached obit published by her grandchildren and also the 1880 census attached to her daughter's memorial. In the obit it lists her parents as Mr & Mrs William Rusk.

The only official record that lists Abbey's maiden name is on the delayed birth certificate application by her son John Irvin Roosa, who as stated above, had changed his entire name to Robert Lee Rice.

On his delayed birth certificate, he lists his mother's maiden name as Skelley. This has caused a multitude of family researchers to build their ancestry trees with bad data.

Abigail's maiden name was RUSK.

**Kansas State Census Collection dated 1 March, 1885 lists Abbey, John Benjamin and son John Irvin's last name as Rosa.

**Marriage license between Abbey and Sias A Bachelder lists Abbeys name as Roosa.

**Delayed Birth Certificate for Robert Lee Rice from the State of Kansas dated July 15, 1935 gives Roberts surname as Rice, with fathers name John Benjamine Rice, and mother Abigail Jane Skelly (this maiden name for Abbey has been suspect for many years). Robert Lee Rice's (or John Irvan Roosa) father had a sister named Eleanor Roosa who married Patrick Skelly. They had a son named John Irvan Skelly. They lived/died in Illinois. This very possibly is where John Irvan Roosa (a.k.a. Robert Lee Rice) got the maiden name of Skelly for his mom Abigail that he put down on his delayed birth certificate.