My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM W. RUSK, farmer and stock-raiser, was born in Montgomery county, Ind., Aug. 29, 1833, and came to Jasper county when five years old. His father, John Rusk, was among the first settlers of the county, settling upon a claim in 1835, located two miles north of Joplin, for which he paid a horse and $100. He was a native of Brown county, Ohio, and died April 23, 1873. He was solicited to assume the honors of office, but always refused, preferring the care of his large stock interests. William W. Rusk, our subject, enlisted in the Seventy-sixth Missouri Regiment, and served nearly three years, being commissioned as first lieutenant of his company, C, and was with Ritchey’s scouting party, and was for a time prisoner at Little Rock, Ark. He was married June 9, 1859, to Elizabeth J. Stevenson, who was born in Illinois, and daughter of the late J. G. Stevenson, so well known. Their children are Amanda, William, Ida E., Clinton, and Hiram. Mrs. Rusk is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The farm is three miles southwest of Carthage, in section 14, township 28, range 32. Mr. Rusk is interested in Joplin mines.