Last updated: Monday June 23, 2003



From Atlas Rush, Sanford, NC, 1950: The Rush Family

Elizabeth and Atlas Rush spent their entire wedded life in Southern Montgomery County; first few years of their early married life on the Luther Plantation located on the head waters of Dry Creek about two miles west of the home place of Benjamin and Lucretia Rush, his parents. After the death of Lucretia (mother of Atlas) which occurred in 1853, Atlas and Elizabeth moved to the old home and spend the balance of their life taking care of Benjamin, father of Atlas, who was overcome by blindness a few years prior to his death in 1860.

The old home was nicely furnished for the time. An inventory of the estate was made at the sale in 1860 at the division of the personal property shortly after the death of Benjamin. The Rush family owned a few slaves but they were favored with the faculty of seeing the end of this despicable custom. Atlas was not the owner of any slaves or no record of ownership. Benjamin, his father, sold his slaves bout 1851 according to an inventory of a deposition in other old papers of the family.

In culture and refinement know that Atlas and Elizabeth were equals of their neighbors in their home region, and in morals and manners they were at ease with acquaintances of their region and their words and customs rules of their day. Their country home by the “Big Road” was a gathering place for many years: post office, meeting place for the neighborhood where gossip and other news could be had at first hand. Atlas was a member of the County Board of Commissioners of Montgomery county for many years. He had a pet saddle horse known as his Mason pony. Atlas was a member of the Blackmer Lodge # 127-AF&M located in or near Mt. Gilead,

Elizabeth being called by the Divine Master to rest several years ahead of Atlas, lived a span of 32 years. While many have lost their vivid memory of this couple over the years, others have told me the beauty and personality of Elizabeth, friends who have long since gone to rest have told of the striking resemblance to Elizabeth. Mr. & Mrs. Thurmond J. Allred, Norman, NC, have a good picture of Atlas and Elizabeth Rush which came to them from their mother, Mrs. J. T. Allred who died in 1948.

Atlas and Elizabeth have left a fine example to be governed by, and in a period of time which has changed the record of history: the abolition of slavery, advent of railroads which has developed the far reaches of our highly favored land and brought the hard surface roads which revolutionized our mode of living. Also, you have left two generations of survivors as a whole prospering good citizens every ready to the call of danger and many have served in the defense of our land in two of the greatest wars in history. 6 children s follows:

4 G 1 C William G. Rush, b 1847 d 1943, married Miss Sallie Green, b ____ d 1937. To this couple born a large family and now scattered across North Carolina, 3 boys of this group farmers and now reside near their old home. A record of this family is not available.

4 G 2 C Thomas G. Rush, b 1849, d 1896. Never married. He was a house builder from Georgia to Virginia. Said he built the original Jackson Springs Hotel, a famous place to those of past years.

4 G 3 C Benjamin F. Rush, b 1850, d 1935, married (1) Amelia Allred, b 1860 d 1902, (2) Mrs. Loula Cox b ____ d 1929. Amelia and Benjamin were the parents of five children, here girls and two boys. All reaching adulthood except one son who died in infancy 1902. Thirteen grandchildren, living in Sanford, Raleigh and Winston-Salem, each connected in some branch of commercial life. As far as know, all are prospering.

4 G 5 C Cornelia Rush, b ______ d 1930, married to Jule B. Bowden, b _____ d 1919. To this union came a large family which survived to adulthood. This family left Montgomery County about 1896 moving to Ramseur where they resided for a year or so, afterwards moving to Greensboro. Here three surviving girls yet live, I am told. One boy a technical executive of the Fields Plant in Fieldale, VA. Another son in school who won a Rhodes Scholarship was drafted into the English Army and saw service in Belgium WWI. A letter not very long ago from a sister stated he maintained a residence in Greensboro but was working in Philadelphia.

4 G 6 C Miles J. Rush, b _____ d 1914, married Miss Green, b _____ d 1917. To this union born a large family but several of their children died in infancy. Survivors include three of which reside in Rockingham, NC, connected commercial life of this section; others of the same family reside in other section of the state and in commercial life

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