Biography of Baron Dekalb Rushing, Pike, Coffee, Crenshaw, Alabama http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/pike/bios/bdrush.txt ================================================================================ USGENWEB NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed and copyrighted by: Ronald Bridges ================================================================================ November 1999 Biography of Baron Dekalb Rushing - Pike/Coffee/Crenshaw Counties, AL Baron Dekalb Rushing was born 20 July 1828 in Dublin, Montgomery Co., AL. He was the second child of Malachi (b. Abt. 1792 in Beaufort District, St. Peters Parish, SC & d. Abt. 1845 in Dublin, Montgomery Co., AL) and Teletha (Dykes) [b. 1795 in Beaufort District, SC & d. Abt. 1840 in Dublin, Montgomery Co., AL]. Malachi and Teletha migrated from SC to Montgomery Co., AL in 1818 when there were but two houses in Montgomery. They first located on the prairie and then moved to Dublin, Montgomery Co., in the piney woods. They were both liberally educated and were farmers. It is thought that Baron was probably named after Johann DeKalb, a German soldier who won distinction in the American Revolutionary War. Johann DeKalb added Baron to his original name, calling himself Baron Johann DeKalb. He came to America with Marquis de Lafayette in 1777 and the Continental Congress appointed him a major general. There are two family stories about Baron Dekalb's wife, Sirena. When Baron Dekalb was a young boy hunting in the woods one day, he heard the cry of a child. The girl was about eleven years old and was thought to be Creek Indian. His parents raised her and called her Sirena. The other story is that Serena was a Creek Indian left with the Rushing family because the girl's parents were being marched to Oklahoma and did not think Serena would survive. Hence, they left her with Baron Dekalb's a family, who agreeably in Christian spirit raised and cared for her. One family history suggests she was born in Tallapoosa Town, Coosa, Co., AL. Tallapoosa Town (most likely a Creek Indian village) was a part of the Creek Indian Territory. Coosa Co., Alabama did not come into being until 1832. Family history suggests she was born circa 1828. John Park, Justice of Peace, married Baron DeKalb and Sirena 31 January 1847 in Pike Co., Alabama. They lived in Pike County, AL in 1850, in Coffee County, AL in 1860 and in Crenshaw County, AL in 1870 according to Census Reports for those years. They had Mathew Malachi, born 1 Mar 1848 in Elba, Coffee Co., AL and d. unknown; Mary Anna Feby, b. 1 Mar 1848 in Elba, Coffee Co., AL and d. 1 Jan 1931 in Jay, Santa Rosa Co., FL; Thomas William Rushing, b. 13 Aug 1851 in Pike Co., AL and d. 13 Jan 1937 in Walton Co., FL; Rebecca Rushing, b. 1855 in Coffee Co., AL and d. unknown; Napoleon Bonaparte Rushing, b. Abt. 1858 in Coffee Co., AL and d. unknown; Stephen Abraham Rushing, b. Jun 1859 in Coffee Co., AL and d. unknown in St. Petersburg, FL; Mason Kimmie Rushing, b. 27 Jun 1863 in Coffee Co., AL and d. unknown; Charles R. Rushing, b. 1864 in Coffee Co., AL and d. unknown; Joseph Earnest Dempsey Rushing, b. May 1868 in Coffee Co., AL and d. unknown; Stonewall Rushing, b. 1870 in Coffee Co., AL and d. unknown; and Lucinda Rushing, b. 1870 in Coffee Co., AL and d. unknown. Baron DeKalb was a blacksmith and was elected Justice of Peace, Coffee County, and was commissioned 6 April 1859. He was a sergeant in Company A, 33 Alabama Infantry Regiment of the Confederate States during the Civil War. He enlisted at Elba 22 Feb 1862 and was in Captain Kimmey's Company. (Many of the Rushing sons carry the Kimmey, believed to have come from the army officer's name.) Baron was honorably discharged in 1863 due to a disease of the lungs. Baron Dekalb moved to Walton County, Florida 7 January 1872. He applied for a Soldier's Pension 29 September 1902. On the applications he stated, "I have been a sufferer from Rheumatism for fifteen years and since the first of January 1902, I have been wholly unable to perform manual labor of any kind, being confined to by bed the most of the time and have only been able at times to get about with the assistance of crutches and sticks; that about three years ago I dislocated my ankle, besides have been a sufferer from liver and kidney complaints and on account of said diseases am rendered wholly unable to gain a livelihood by manual labor." Dr. J. F. King signed the Physician's Affidavit. The pension was approved to pay from 1 July 1909 at the rate of $150.00 per annum, Pension Certificate #1725. Sirena died before Baron on 23 Dec 1899 in Euchee Valley, Walton Co., FL. It was told that Baron DeKalb died while sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair. He fell from his chair on his open pocketknife and it closed, cutting the skin between his thumb and index finger. He died 8 Oct 1913 in Euchee Valley, Walton Co., FL. They are both buried in Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Walton County, FL. Rushing Baron D. 1st Sergeant 3/11/62 Elba AL 33 at enlist. Born Montgomery Co AL. Disability discharge 7/25/1862 signed by M.C. Kimney Commanding Officer CO A. Reason for discharge: hepatized lungs from frequent bouts of pneumonia. 33rd Alabama Infantry Regiment The Thirty-third Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized at Pensacola, FL, on 23 April 1862, with men recruited from Butler, Coffee, Covington, Dale, and Montgomery counties. It proceeded to Corinth just after the Battle of Shiloh. Placed in the brigade commanded by Col. Hawthorn of Arkansas, the regiment remained at Tupelo untill the Kentucky Campaign began. It was part of the brigade of Gen'l Sterling A. M. Wood of Lauderdale, Gen'l Simon Buckner's Division, and was present at the capture of Munfordsville. At Perryville, the Thirty-third entered that conflict about 500 strong, and came out with but 88 rank and file. It came out of Kentucky with the army, and at Murfeesboro the loss of the regiment was comparatively large, for it was in Gen'l Patrick Cleburne's Division. The remainder of the winter was spent in camps near Tullahoma, and the regiment retired behind the Tennessee River during the summer. In the grand forward movement on the enemy's line at Chickamauga, the Thirty-third lost 149 casualties. Gen'l Mark Perrin Lowrey of Mississippi relieved Gen'l Wood after the latter was wounded and assumed command of the brigade [16th, 33rd Mississippi regiments, and J. H. Gibson's (18th AL) and Newman's (TN) battalions] the Thirty-third was effectively engaged at Missionary Ridge without loss. It was part of the wall of fire that checked the exultant federals at Ringgold Gap, where it lost but one man. The regiment passed the winter at Dalton, and was in the incessant battle from there toAtlanta, fighting during the day and entrenching at night, and losing many by the casualties of battle, particularly at New Hope Church, and around Atlanta. Having followed Gen'l John Bell Hood into Tennessee, it moved to the assault of the enemy's works at Franklin, with 285 men, and lost over two-thirds of them, mostly killed. Transferred to North Carolina, the Thirty-third took part in the operations there, and a remnant was there surrendered. Field and staff officers: Cols. Samuel Adams (Butler; wounded, Perryville; KIA, Kennesaw Mountain); Robert F. Crittenden (Coffee; captured, Nashville); Lt. Cols. Daniel H. Horn ( Coffee; resigned); Robert F. Crittenden (promoted); James H. Dunklin (Butler); Majors Robert F. Crittenden (promoted); James H. Dunklin (wounded, Chickamauga; promoted); and Adjutants John Crosby Stallworth (Conecuh; died, Tupelo); A. M. Moore (Greene; KIA, Chickamauga); Willis J. Milner (Butler)