Union County, now Anson's neighbor split off about 92 years later in 1842. Some of our ancestor's records are in Union County, Chesterfield District, SC, Beaufort District, SC and all across Tennessee. See David Donahue's memorial Web site for much more. From Virginia, to the Carolinas then to Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois. Rushings generally followed the population migration pattern shown below. Later, our ancestors spread out across the southern United States.

Later Census records 1850 and after are the best resource for constructing or verifying a family structure. Early census data numbers will not prove a family without additional data like probate records which name the heirs. Probate records may be twenty or more years after a persons death so don't give up easily. Please remember that another person may interpret data differently. Always verify all data you get from the Internet before submitting it to L.D.S. or D.A.R., or even Family Tree Maker or another friendly commercial gedcom collector. Mistakes happen and can complicate your search.

Land records and Census data does not adjust and is time sensitive. We must consider that old records reflect the time they were made.  For example Alabama is West Florida in the 1790 Census the state of West Florida is where you should look for an ancestor from Alabama at that time. Many locations (cities, towns) within counties are not now in the same County or State they once were. New counties were created and then re absorbed into the original.[Everton's Handy Book or Ancestry's Red Book will summarize these changes.].
 
 

There is a special collections or genealogy section in almost all major city libraries, if not then the same documents can be found through the local LDS family history center. Land abstracts and court records are another way of getting to the proof. Marriage records sometimes have parents names look at the original if you can find one because omissions are frequent in abstracts. The LDS archives place brackets <> around facts that are submitted but not proven. Ideally LDS un-bracketed facts will have two sources to check out included [these can be seen on the origional microfilm record]. The kinship or family structure is the exception. Even with LDS information remember to prove the kinship with other documentation just as you would from an Internet source.

When up aginst the "brick wall" get the county and state boundry changes and the migration paths for the area in question, they can help clear the mud. Both are available at the libraries and are much more revealing than the large map above.

The Soundex system is a method of indexing names in the 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 US Census. The sounds in a name are classified into groups and numbered. The soundex code for Rushing is R252, a soundex search for  Russin, Ruskin, Rushen, Rushin or Russian and many other spellings is R250. If we check both R250 and R252 when doing a soundex search we get better results for the Rushing surname and it's variations. If someone is kind enough to list the page numbers in their sources, copy them down they have saved you the soundex part of the search. All in all this work is extremely satisfying because of the wealth of information that can be gleaned from these documents. By 1790 the year of the first federal census in the United States, Rushing families were enumerated in Anson County, North Carolina as well as in Cheraws and Beaufort Districts in South Carolina (Virginia records of the 1790 federal census are lost). William Rushin, by 1794, already appears in the Warren County, Georgia tax lists with Flint River Jack (John Rushin by 1794).

Rushings of Native American Descent  can be found in the records of the Dawes Final Roll and the Guion Miller Rolls. These pages only show Native Americans with the surname Rushing but provide links to resources for researching other surnames.

Genetic genealogy (DNA) testing has shown that Peter Rushen of England and several varied United States Rushing family lines seem to share a recent common ancestor. Except for obvious non-paternal events all Rushings in the U.S. share a common ancestor and also the genetic 'Viking genes' haplogroup I1A-Norse.

A search of P. W. Coldham's extensive works on ship and emigration records did not turn up these names however variations of our surname appear in the various Barbados records.

Rushen, Russin, Rushem, Rushin, & Rushlin of Barbados "International Records: English Settlers in Barbados, 1637-1800 Marriages, Wills and Administrations, Baptisms. 6 volumes" English Settlers in Barbados, 1637-1800 Barbados' surviving parish registers were copied during the mid-19th century and are now housed in the Barbados Department of Archives. William or Matthew are not found in the archive but James is clearly found there.

Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company. Copyright 1979. "Barbados Records, Wills and Administrations Volume I", SANDERS, Joanne McRee

"Barbados Marriages Volume I, 1643-1800." ST. MICHAEL PARISH MAY 6 1721 Benja: Ruskin & Kathan: Edwards [Marriage Record]
 

There is also a James Rushen listed as a white British settler in Christ Church Parish, Barbados [James arrived from London, England between 1639 - 1654]. He and his wife Ursala (Maiden name Wathmoll from transcripts of the Barbados marriage records, Volume 1, Jan. 30, 1654) and children Francis and Prudence Rushen disappear from Barbados after 1659. A James Rushin appears in 1667 New Kent County, Virginia with a debt.

Sanders Publishing Company. Copyright 1982. "Barbados Records, Wills and Administrations Volume II", SANDERS, Joanne McRee

HOWARD, Henry 3 Apr 1658, RB6/13, p. 238
Wf Mary Howard* - Xtrx & land in Christ Church Parish bounding Maj. Robert Haccett, Merris Eavrns, Robert Watkins, Thomas Vinton, & Capt. William Balston; mentions Irish servant Mathew Flennaugh; friends henry Strowd & Lt. Stephen Brown - Overseers. signed Henry (x) Howard
Wit: John Bradshaw, James Ruskin, [This is James Rushen] Will (x) Ashburner
Proved 20 July 1658

Baltamore: Genealogical Publishing Company. Copyright 1979. "Barbados Records, Wills and Administrations Volume I", SANDERS, Joanne McRee

MAKERNES, William of London 17 Dec 1689, RB6/41, p. 465
Cousin Peter Makernes, his dau; the 3 sons of uncle John Baslee; sis Mary Page; Richard Hands shoemaker at Northhampton; Mr. Withorne of the same place; cousin & God dau Ann Makernes & her sis Mary Makernes; uncle Chaplin; John Ruslin and his wf and dau Prude Ruslin*[sp?] [This is James Rushen & wife and daughter]; negro Judith - freedom; negro Henry - his freedom at 21; bro Robert Makernes - Xtr.
signed William Makerness
Wit: Abraham Whood, John Potter, Nathaniel Enderby sworn by Jno: Rocke notary public
Memo, page 466, Power of Atty 26 Aug 1700: Robert Monk* of Farnham, Co. Surry apothecary & surgeon & Mary Monk* his wf Admx of the will of William Makernes heretofore of Bdos merchant or planter, late of London merchant decd. Appoint Thomas Pilgrim of Bdos merchant or planter our Atty to sue for recovery from William Griffith of Bdos merchant or planter surviving Xtr of the will of Thomas Page late of Bdos merchant or planter decd & of the front ____ Coates of Bdos widow & Xtrx of James Coates Esq of Bdos decd. Wit: Stephen Smither, John Smither, Mary Dare Dep, Stephen Smither of Farcham, Co. Surry carryer age 29
Proved 27 Aug 1700 London, 1 Dec 1701 Bdos

Haviland, Ann, widow 18 Nov 1692, RB6/3, p. 45
Aunt Alice Burdrix, the wf of Rosswell Burdrix of Southwark in London; neice Catherine Farchason; kinsman Thomas Farchason; cousin John Farcheason; Xtrs - Thomas Quantine Esq and Richard Turner of Bdos. signed Ann Haviland
Wit: Tho: Hogan, Jasper Bullard, John Leagan, Thomas Rushell [This is Thomas Rushing a Barbados land owner]
Proved 26 Nov 1692

Haviland, Ann, widow
18 Nov 1692, RB6/3, p. 69
Aunt Alice Burdrix, the wf of Roswell Burdrix of Southwark in London; neice Katherine Fercharson; cousin Thomas Fercharson; cousin John Fercharson; Xtrs - Thomas Quintyne Esq and Richard Turner of Bdos. signed Ann (x) Haviland
Wit: Thomas Hogan, Jasper Bullard, John Legay, Thomas Rushee [This is  also Thomas Rushing]
Cod, 18 Nov 1692, Elizabeth Hagen, dau of Thomas Hagen.
Proved 26 Nov 1692

Barbados, settled by the British in 1627, served as a point of origin for many settlers who eventually settled in Virginia, Georgia, the Carolinas. As a result, many early American families can trace their origins in the New World first to Barbados.  Most of the more than 40,000 original white British settlers left Barbados for the American colonies after the 'Sugar Revolution' of the 1650's. A few extremely rich sugar 'Barons' had taken the farmland away from the small cotton and tobacco farmers to plant the more profitable sugar. Cotton and tobacco did not do well in the climate and soil of the island while sugar did. James' surname is spelled Rushen, Rushem and Rushkin in the Barbados records. Could this James also be one of the progenitors of the Rushins, Rushens or Rushings in American Virginia? There is evidence for a James Rushing in 1667 in New Kent County Virginia.
 

When searching the Virginia archives for variation of the Rushing surname you find the documents on this page. As with any documents some interpretation is necessary. They are presented here so that  the reader can find the meanings for themselves. The author's comments are included so another researcher can see how these conclusions were reached. It is twice stated that Mathew is the son of William Russhin and twice stated that he is the orphan of Mathew Russhin.

Both William and Mathew died abt. 1678, in 1679 the courts order John Galloes, who married the widow of Mathew Rushing, the administrator for Mathew Rushing's estate in 1679 and, separately James Munford is ordered to hold William Russhin's estate away from Sara Wallis who has "unjustly detained" William's son, another Mathew [last names are spelled Russhin] the same year. The confusion comes about in 1685 when the Orphan of Mathew Rushing also petitions the court for a change in guardianship to John Wallis and is put out of the home of John Galloes who is Mathew Rushing's Administrator and Husband of Mathew Rushing's natural mother. So why are they calling him an orphan if his mother is still alive? The 1685 Charles City County, VA record entry answers this, and confuses the kinship. Here he is the orphan of Mathew Rushing, Mathew being the more widely accepted name for Mathew's father [Mrs. Rushing Galloes is deceased by 1685].

In 1679, Wm Russhin's estate held in escrow by James Munford, Sara Wallis being unable to post a security bond for Wm.'s
estate. By 1790 James Munford has died and Wm. Russhin's estate is in the hands of James Munford's widow Sara Munford.
Matthew Russhin first gains his liberty from Sara Wallis in June, 1690. Then in a separate court action "on motion of Mathew
Russhin"  Wm Russhin's estate is "set aside and secured" in Mathew Russhin's name in Sept. 1690, from the widow Sara Munford and (James Munford's) children's property. There are two separate Saras and two separate estates established by the court, William and Mathew were contemporary and William's son is also named Mathew? This is unlikely and it is fair to combine the two parents of young Mathew as one Mathew Rushing with a second son named William. The records of ensuing generations in Anson County, NC will then make sense, and the earlier Virginia records do not show a William but there is a Mathew Rushing.

Page 205
1679,
Widow of Jon. Wallis, Dec'd to procure security for what estate she has in her hands belonging to the orphan of Wm. Russhin,
dec'd. or else James Munford to be possessed of that estate.

Page 263,
The orphan of Wm. Russhin, petitions court that he is unjustly detained in service of Sarah, relict and adm'x of Jno Wallis,
dec'd, prays order for his freedom; and said Sarah, disclaiming and right to said orphan, and said orphan's estate being secured in hands of James Munford, Court therefore sets orphan at liberty.

1685
Page 359, Page 3 [Modern Numbering] December 1685
Abstract: "Jno. Galloes hath turned Mathew Russhin out of doores the Orph'n of Mathew Russhin dec'ed and otherwise evilly entreated him". At orphans request John Wallis app'd gaurdian.

Page 285,
3 June, 1690
At Westopher at Charles City Co., Court.
On motion of Mathew Russhin, an orphan, the widow of James Munford, dec'd, is to be summoned to next court to answer
what said orphan shall exhibit against her.

Page 300,
Ordered that widow of Ja. Munford, dec'd give good security at next orphan's court for what she has belonging to Mathew
Russhin.

Page 303, Charles City Co., VA.
At orphans court held at Westopher, 15 Sept., 1690
Sept. 15 1690 ... [List of Justices Presiding.]...
On 23rd. this month Mr. Jn. Hardiman, Mr. Richard Bland and Mr. Jon. Woodleife to divide the goods and chattels of Ja.
Munford. dec'd. between Sarah the relict, and children of dec'd; but before dividing, what estate was in
Munford's hands belonging to Mathew Russhin, an orphan, to be set aside and secured.

In other Virginia records we find Mathew Rushing in documents dated 1661 and 1662 in, and James Rushen in 1667 New Kent County when an indenture is ordered.

"Charles City County Court Orders 1661-1664"

Page 326
At Westopher, 4 January1661,  Morgan Jones ord to deliver to Mathew Rushing 3 bbl corn left in his custody.

Page 383
At Chaplins, A jury of inquest impaneled the 16th of M'ch 1662 upon the death of a serv't man ... jury members included
Math. Rushing.

"VIRGINIA COLONIAL ABSTRACTS Vol. XII"
by Beverly Fleet, © 1961

These documents help establish the time frame of the arrival of the first Rushings in America. Again I must thank Peter Rushen of England and John Thomas Rushing of San Diego, CA for helping me find where to look next. The emigration project continues, if you have any information that might help please write us NOW.