JOHN MAHAFFEY RUSH, a prominent farmer and stock raiser of Hopewell township, is of Irish descent, his father, Patrick Rush, having been born December 25, 1797 in County Tyrone, Ireland. Patrick's parents were John and Mary Rush, natives of County Tyrone, where they resided during their entire lives. Patrick Rush evinced a desire to come to America, and when but fourteen years of age, joined a party of friends, named Miller, who were about to emigrate. His parents pleaded with him to remain at home until he reached manhood, but with the impetuosity of youth he determined to sail immediately, and was permitted to accompany his friends on board the vessel, where he concealed himself until out of port. His friends paid for his passage, and he promised to work for them after reaching America until he could repay them. The Miller family came to Mt. Pleasant township, this county, and began clearing land. After working out his debt, young Patrick Rush hired to Mr. Miller by the year, remaining in his employ for several years. On Christmas Day, 1829, he was married to Sarah Mehaffey, a native of Ireland, born September 18, 1799, in County Down, Ireland. She was the daughter of John and Nancy Mehaffey. The latter family came to America and settled in Chartiers township, when Sarah was thirteen years of age, locating near Cross Roads Church, where Mr. Mehaffey was killed September 25, 1825, by a falling tree, while cutting timber for the church. After his marriage to Sarah Mehaffey, Patrick Rush rented a farm in Mt. Pleasant township, this county, upon which he remained for thirty years. He purchased two farms, which he sold, and in 1849 removed to Hopewell township, where the subject of our sketch is now living. Five children were born to Patrick and Sarah Rush, namely: John M., Nancy (wife of James Bigger of Muskingum county, Ohio), Mary Jane (wife of Matthew Knox, of Guernsey county, Ohio), Robert (lieutenant of the Ringgold Battalion, Pennsylvania Cavalry, killed at Rodney, Va.) and Sarah (married to Samuel Armstrong, of Guernsey county, Ohio). The mother died in October, 1886. She and her husband were members of the United Presbyterian Church. In politics Mr. Rush was a Democrat, but aside from attending election, took no active part in political affairs. He was a man of keen perceptive facilities and good judgment. Beginning life for himself when so very young, he had no opportunity for getting a literary education, yet he was in every sense of the word a successful man, and accumulated a handsome property. He died in August, 1880. John M. Rush was born October 22, 1830, in Mt. Pleasant township, and was sent to a subscription school, which he attended during the winters until seventeen years of age. He has a vivid recollection of the schools of that time, which were in sharp contrast to the present school system. The rude log schoolhouse with its primitive furniture familiar to every pioneer was the "temple of learning" where he received his education. The course of study pursued at that time included such text-books as "Cobb's Speller" and "U. S. Speller," "Western Calculator" and "English Reader." Quill pens were used, and the "copies were set by the master." Primitive as were the methods employed in those days, it was in such schools and by such methods that many of the most intellectual and able men of our day laid the foundation of their education. The training Mr. Rush then received has served well in his successful business career. At the age of seventeen years he left school and engaged in wagoning between Hickory and Pittsburgh, hauling grain and merchandise, driving four or six horses to a great "Conestoga" wagon. He followed that business nine years, and in 1856 took charge of his father's farm, having since pursued the occupation of farming and stock raising. In 1857 he was married to Nancy, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Fronacker) Stoolfire, of Donegal township, and to them were born five children: Albert Stoolfire, Eudora Winona, Lillian, Sallie M. and Herbert. Mr. Rush is residing on his farm two miles southeast of West Middletown. He is a Democrat, but seeks no political prominence. Mrs. Rush and her daughters (all of whom are living at home) are members of the Disciple Church at West Middletown. Mr. Rush has no church affiliations. Albert S. Rush, son of John M. and Nancy (Stoolfire) Rush, was born August 20, 1860, and was reared on his father's farm in Hopewell township, this county. He received his early education at the district school known as Tartown school, attending there until about eighteen years of age. He then followed farming, working with his father until twenty-two years of age, when he entered Duff's Commercial College at Pittsburgh, Penn., where he remained about three months, when sickness compelled his return home. On June 6, 1883, he was married to Miss San Jacinto Duvall, daughter of Louis Duvall. Their children are Albert John, Mary Nila and Stanley Oklahoma. In addition to managing a large farm, Mr. Rush does an extensive business in breeding, raising and selling pure blood Poland-China pigs, Shropshire sheep, and Jersey cattle, all registered. His exhibits of stock raised on his farm during the last three years have excited the comment and admiration of fine stock fanciers throughout western Pennsylvania. His business is growing, and his sales book holds orders from Ohio, New York, Maryland and Virginia, besides different localities in his own State. He possesses in an eminent degree those qualities which form a first-class citizen, and is a credit to his community, enjoying the esteem of his neighbors. He leaves to others the business of politics, caring nothing for the allurements of office-holding, but voices his sentiments at every election by his ballot, being liberal in local elections, supporting the most suitable candidate. In national elections he supports the principles of pure Democracy. Mr. and Mrs. Rush are members of the Dutch Fork Disciple Church, and by precept, practice and financial support, perform their duty toward sustaining and promoting the cause of Christianity in the community.

Text taken from page 1245 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published February 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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