Biography of Francis Marion Rushing - Coffee Co., AL ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with the USGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. ALGenWeb File Manager - Lygia Dawkins Cutts ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Thu, 10 Dec 1998 18:53:03 -0600 Contributed By "Ronald D. Bridges" Biography of Francis Marion Rushing - Coffee Co., AL Francis M. Rushing, M. D., physician and surgeon, at Elba, was born in Montgomery county, Ala., in 1833. He is a son of Malachi and Telitha (Dykes) Rushing, native of Beaufort district, S. C., the former born in 1792, the latter a few years later. They were both liberally educated, married in their native state, and in 1818 removed to Montgomery county, Ala., when there were but two houses in Montgomery. They located first on the prairie and then moved to Dublin in the piney woods, where they both died when Francis M. was a little boy, the mother when he was seven years old, the father a few years later. Mr. Rushing was a farmer, and served a short time in the war of 1812, as a substitute for his brother. His father, Matthew Rushing, was probably born and died in South Carolina, but his wife came to Alabama and died in Pike county. Grandfather Dykes died in South Carolina when the mother of Francis M. was a little girl. Francis M. Rushing was the sixth of a family of six sons and one daughter: Thomas A., died when a young man; Baron DeKalb, now of Know Hill, Fla., was a sergeant in the Thirty-third Alabama regiment during the late war; Stephen Dykes Decatur, died in Texas after the war, having served in the Eighth Alabama; William McDonough died in Texas after the war; Andrew J. died when a young man; Rebecca, his sister, died when a young lady. When Francis Marion was twelve years old, being an orphan, he and a brother went to Pike county, Ala. He lived with an uncle until he was sixteen years old, working on the farm and attended school in the winter time. Becoming dissatisfied with his lot, he began life for himself, working on a farm and attending school as he had means. He succeeded in obtaining a fair education, and in 1855 he became clerk in the office of Probate Judge, P. D. Costello, continuing in this place until 1857, when be came clerk in a store and at the same time read medicine with Drs. J. P. Blue and J. G. Moore. In 1861 he graduated from the Medical Department of the University of Louisiana, and he practiced at Elba until 1862, when he was made surgeon of the Twenty-firth Alabama (Company K), and spent some months at Corinth, Miss. His health failing, he resigned and returned home, and practiced his profession at Bullock until 1863, when he joined the home guards and served as first lieutenant at Pollard, Pensacola, and other places, participating in several minor battles and skirmishes. In 1859 he married Fannie V. Yelverton, daughter of Judge Gappa T. Yelverton, who came from George to Alabama, finally locating in Elba, where Judge Yelverton is buried; Mrs. Yelverton is still living. Judge Yelverton waa a prominent attorney and was a member of the legislature. He was also county judge of Dale and Coffee counties, and was a commissioner to Florida to negotiate for the transfer of West Florida to Alabama. He was also a member of the secession convention. He raised a regiment for service in the late war, but not called into active service. Mrs. Rushing was born in Montgomery county, and died in 1877. She was a member of the Baptist church, and the mother of four sones and four daughters, viz.: Martha A., wife of John B Harper, of Geneva; Willima M.; John B.; Grappa M., a physician at Nevada, Texas, a graduate of Mobile Medical college; Fannie M.; Tupp; Delia, and Minneola. Dr. Rushing is one of the oldest and most prominent physicians of Coffee county, and is both well and favorable known. He is a member of the State Medical association; and has been one of the counselors for six years, and is president of Coffee County Medical society. In 1878 he was elected to the legislature, and in 1880 to the senate from Coffee, Henry, Dale and Geneva counties. He introduced several measures that became laws. In August, 1892, he was elected probate judge of Coffee county, Ala., without seeking the office. Since then he as been retired form politics. He has been a Mason since 1857, and is a member of Elba lodge, No. 170, A. F. & A. M. He has some farming interest, is popular with his people and is in all respects a self- made and successful man. (1) (1) Memorial Records of Alabama, Volume I, pp. 679-681. Located in Archives and History of Alabama, Montgomery, AL. "Francis Marion Rushing’s mother died when he was seven years old and his father died a few years later. When Francis Marion was twelve years old, being an orphan, he and a brother went to Pike County where he lived with a uncle until he was sixteen years old. He worked on the farm and attended school in the winter. Becoming dissatisfied with his lot, he began life for himself, working on a farm and attending school as he had means. He succeeded in obtaining a fair education and taught school for a while. In 1855 he became clerk in the office of Probate Judge, P. D. Costello, continuing in this place until 1857, when be came clerk in a store and at the same time read medicine with Doctors J. P. Blue and J. G. Moore. In 1859 he married Fannie V. Yelverton, born Wednesday, 19 April 1843, daughter of Judge Gappa T. Yelverton and Martha B. Yelverton, who came from George to Alabama, finally locating in Elba. In 1861 Francis Marion graduated from the Medical Department of the University of Louisiana, and he practiced at Elba until 1862. He enlisted as a Private on Tuesday, 8 April 1862 and was made surgeon of the 25th Alabama, Company K, and spent some months at Corinth, MS. He re-enlisted in September 1863 at Elba, AL in Captain Brown’s Company of Home Guards and continued service until May 1863, when his health forced him to resign. He was given an honorable discharge. He then returned to Bullock, Geneva County, AL, and practiced his profession until 1863. His health improving, he joined the home guard and served at Pollard; Pensacola, FL and other places, taking part in several battles and skirmishes in that area. He was tendered a surgeon’s position but refused, preferring to serve as a soldier. After the war, Doctor Rushing returned to Elba to continue his practice. While a practicing physician, Judge Rushing was a member of the State Medical Association. He was one of the counselors for six years and president for some time of the Coffee County Medical Society. Dr. Rushing was active in the county affairs and was elected to the Legislature in 1878, and in 1880 to the State Senate from Coffee, Henry, Dale, and Geneva Counties, during which time he introduced several measures that became law. In August 1892, he was elected Probate Judge of Coffee County and re- elected I 1898, serving all twelve years. When Judge Rushing and his County Commissioners took charge of the court affairs, the total county taxes were around $8000.00. The Tax Assessor’s Abstract for 1893 showed a total of $7,685.90. On 15 May 1895, a committee was appointed to examine the books of the treasurer. J. M. Sanders reported the sum of $1,666.78 in the treasury. Judge Rushing began to make some improvements during this first term in office and in 1895, a contract was made with the Converse Bridge Company to build two steel bridges in Elba, across the Pea River and White Water Creek. During his first and second terms, seven bridges were constructed over these streams. Improvements were made on the county jail and courthouse. A special tax of 1/20th on one per cent was levied for this purpose in July 1895. In August 1895, the Commissioners Court contracted with the Pauley Jail Company for the price of $3000. 00 payable in five years, giving notes of $600.00, each bearing eight per cent interest. Judge Rushing’s administration will stand out prominently for years to come on account of three things: first the construction of several steel bridges; second, the building of a new courthouse; and third, for the establishment of a home for county paupers. Dr. Rushing was president of the Board of the Board of Censors of the Medical Society of Coffee County in 1885. Composing this Board of Censors were doctors, F. M. Rushing, W. H. Chapman, J. W. Garrett, J. D. Blue and Ben A. Hill. Dr. Rushing was at the time of his election as Probate Judge, a prominent and highly honored member of his chosen profession of medicine. He perhaps treated more people in Coffee County than any of his contemporaries in the profession, and he was universally popular. He was a Mason, having joined the Elba Lodge No. 170 A. F. & A. M. in 1857. At the time of his death, he was the oldest member of the Elba Lodge. Francis Marion and Fannie V. (Yelverton) Rushing had eight children. Fannie died 24 July 1877 and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Elba, (AL). Francis served as mother and father of their children until his death 14 May 1912. He is also buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Elba." (AL) (2) (2) "Rushing" Through the Generations, by Peggy Rushing Sims Descendants of Francis Marion Rushing 1 Francis Marion Rushing b: 5 Jan 1833 in Montgomery Co., AL d: 14 May 1912 in Elba, AL +Fannie V. Yelverton b: 19 Apr 1843 in ? d: 24 Jul 1877 in Elba, AL m: 1859 in AL ...... 2 Martha Alabama Rushing b: 17 May 1861 in AL d: 7 Dec 1911 in AL +John Burr Harper b: 27 Nov 1867 in ? d: 11 Aug 1905 in ? ...... 2 William McDonald Rushing b: 12 Jul 1863 in Al d: 17 Nov 1931 in Unknown +Mary Wise b: 29 Oct 1863 in AL d: 6 Oct 1926 in Unknown m: 5 Sep 1882 .............. 3 Pier Rushing b: 21 Aug 1884 in AL d: 22 Sep 1884 in AL .............. 3 Marion Rushing b: 8 Sep 1885 in AL d: 22 Jan 1893 in AL .............. 3 Gwendoline Rushing b: 24 Feb 1888 in AL d: Unknown in ? +John Bunyon Pinkard b: 28 Aug 1882 in Pike Co., AL d: Unknown in Samson, AL .............. 3 Lillian Dale Rushing b: 22 Oct 1889 in AL d: 9 Nov 1977 in ? +Andrew Jefferson Bryan, Jr. b: Unknown in ? d: 27 Jan 1936 in ? m: 24 Jan 1911 ...................... 4 Andrew Rushing Bryan b: 10 Apr 1912 in AL d: Unknown in ? +Hilda McKinney b: 12 Nov 1927 in ? d: Unknown in ? m: 26 Apr 1947 ...................... 4 Dorothy Dale Bryan b: 11 May 1915 in ? d: 11 Jul 1981 in ? +Robert Wilbur Jones b: 7 Jan 1912 in ? d: Unknown in ? m: 22 Dec 1941 .............. 3 Mary Claudine Rushing b: 6 Dec 1892 in ? d: 29 May 1984 in ? +Robert Cosby Winter b: 7 Feb 1888 in ? d: 30 Jul 1957 in ? m: 27 Dec 1911 ...................... 4 Robert Cosby Winter, Jr. b: 25 Nov 1912 in ? d: Oct 1978 in ? ...................... 4 Mary Gwendolyn Winter b: 30 Oct 1920 in ? d: Unknown in ? .............. 3 Fannie Vera Rushing b: 23 Dec 1894 in AL d: 2 Aug 1989 in ? +Martin Douglas Cheadle b: 29 Oct 1895 in ? d: 2 Aug 1976 in ? .............. 3 Delia Rushing b: 29 Jan 1896 in AL d: 8 Apr 1953 in Charlotte, NC +Ralph Duncan Johnson b: 13 Oct 1898 in AL d: 13 Oct 1971 in Charlotte, NC .............3 Annie Lou Alice Rushing b: 30 Nov 1898 in AL d: 10 Apr 1957 in Elba, AL +William Mathew Brunson b: 19 May 1889 in AL d: 3 Mar 1947 in Elba, AL m: 28 Dec 1919 .............. 3 Johnnie B. Rushing b: 3 Sep 1902 in AL d: Unknown in ? +Horace Knowles, Jr. b: 6 Aug 1904 in ? d: 1990 in AL m: 17 Feb 1926 .............3 William Dykes Rushing b: 30 Apr 1904 in AL d: 25 Jul 1982 in Samson, AL +Frances Louise Brooks b: 8 Nov 1906 in AL d: Unknown in ? m: 20 Jul 1927 ...................... 4 Barbara Brooks Rushing ...................... 4 Bettye Blue Rushing +Wilmer Coleman Banks b: 24 Jul 1923 in ? d: 26 Dec 1990 in Sarasota, FL ...................... 4 Edward Dykes Rushing +Frances Jacqueline Christopher ...... 2 John Burrell Rushing b: 11 Dec 1865 in AL d: 21 Jun 1900 in AL +Mary Ada Ham b: 14 Sep 1871 in AL d: 21 Aug 1907 in AL m: Bef. 1893 .............. 3 Lucille M. Rushing b: 2 Nov 1893 in AL d: 8 Mar 1977 in AL +Josephus P. Blue b: 9 Oct 1881 in AL d: 1 Apr 1936 in AL ...... 2 Gappa M. Rushing b: Abt. 1868 in AL d: Unknown in ? +Jane (?) b: Unknown d: Unknown .............. 3 Marion Rushing b: Unknown in ? d: Unknown in ? +Marjorie (?) b: Unknown in ? d: Unknown in ? ...................... 4 Marjorie Rushing b: Unknown in ? d: Unknown in ? ...................... 4 Marion (Bud) Rushing b: Unknown in ? d: Unknown in ? .............. 3 Myrtle Rushing b: Unknown .............. 3 William Rushing b: 7 Sep 1899 in Unknown d: 1919 in OK ...... 2 Fannie Rushing b: 27 Sep 1871 in AL d: 22 Jul 1959 in AL +William Washington Ham, Jr. b: 15 Jan 1874 in AL d: 17 Oct 1961 in AL ...... 2 Francis Marion Rushing, Jr b: Abt. 1872 in AL d: 25 Dec 1953 in ? ...... 2 Delia Rushing b: 21 Dec 1873 in AL d: 9 Aug 1874 in AL ...... 2 Minneola Rushing b: 1865 in AL d: 1958 in AL