My Genealogy Hound

BEN R. RUSK.
Actuated by a spirit of activity and determination, Ben R. Rusk, living on section 4, Jones township, is carefully conducting his farming interests and a tract of one hundred and five acres now pays tribute to his care and labor. It is the old Rusk homestead and upon this place the subject of this review was born and reared, his natal day being January 2, 1879. His father, James Rusk, was a native of Ireland and in that country spent his youth and early manhood. When he came to the United States, he located in New York city, where he resided for nine years, and then made his way to the middle west, arriving in Iowa about 1872. Here he bought land and improved a farm, upon which he spent his last days, his death occurring in 1891. His wife still survives him and resides with a daughter in Montana.

The family numbered two sons and four daughters who are yet living. Of this number Ben R. Rusk spent his boyhood and youth as a farm lad of the period, remaining at home with his father until the latter’s death in 1891. As his age and strength increased he assumed more and more largely the work and responsibilities of the farm and eventually carried it on in the interests of his father. Following his demise the son went to the west and on to Alaska, taking passage on a ship at Seattle, Washington, whence he proceeded to Skagway. He crossed the mountains on the White Pass trail to White Horse at the head waters of the Yukon and from that point went down the river about thirteen hundred miles in a canoe. In connection with his half-brother, J. L. Ray, he engaged in prospecting, meeting with fair success during the year and a half which he spent in the far northwest. He then left his brother there in the mines. This brother was born in New York in 1865 and was reared and educated here. He went west as a young man of eighteen years to Montana and was one of the early residents in the Alder Gulch gold mines. In 1897 he made his way to Alaska and in connection with our subject located a mine. He has several claims there still and is yet active in mining operations in that section of the country. As stated, he remained there in 1899, while Ben E. Rusk returned by way of Nome and Seattle. He then went to the Cariboo country in British Columbia with a friend on a hunting trip and in the spring of 1895 returned to Iowa.

Mr. Rusk then resumed farming and, in connection with the cultivation of cereals for which the soil is best adapted, he has engaged in the raising and feeding of pure blooded Duroc Jersey hogs and high grade cattle and standard bred horses. He is a progressive farmer, keeping abreast with the most advanced ideas concerning agricultural development and stock-raising, and as the years have gone by has met with that prosperity which ever crowns persistent, earnest labor.

On the 29th of November, 1906, in Creston, Mr. Rusk was married to Miss Florence Foster, who was born and reared in Nebraska and acquired a good education in the schools there. Her father, John Foster, removed to Iowa with his family and, locating in Creston, there spent his remaining days. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Rusk has been born one son, Leland C. Rusk.

Politically Mr. Rusk is a republican, thoroughly in harmony with the principles of the party. He and his wife are members of the Evangelical church. He was one of the promoters of the Mutual Telephone Company and is now president of the Monette Mutual line. He stands for all that is progressive, for all that makes for advance and improvement, and the appearance of his place is indicative of this spirit in the man. He can never be content with doing as former generations have done but must advance in keeping with the spirit of the age. He deserves much credit for what he has accomplished and is now justly accounted one of the representative agriculturists of the community.