Matthew M Rushing (abt. 1668 - abt. 1730)

Born about 1668 in Charles City County, Virginia [uncertain]

Descendants

Died about 1730 at about age 62 in Browns Creek, Anson, North Carolina [uncertain]

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This profile is part of the Rushing Name Study.

Biography

The death of William Rushing, father of Matthew, is recorded in the court records of Charles City County, VA during the period from 1678-1690, including the following, which gives clue to the probable birth year for Mathew:

"Charles City County, Virginia, Order Book, 1676-1679":

16 Sep 1678 session, Charles City County Court:

"Admin. granted Jno. Galloes on the estate of Mathew Rushing as marrying the relict." ^[1]

Note: "the estate of Mathew Rushing" refers to the orphan son, not the father, see the below entries from the court orders giving the father's name as William. The tie is Sarah, the relict (widow) of William Rushing, later of John Galloes/Wallis, and later married to John Munford/Mumford, whom she also outlived. It is unclear if Sarah was Mathew's mother, or stepmother.

"Charles City Co., VA, Court Orders, 1687-1695"

P. 47

"At a Court Holden at Westover 3rd April 1689 . . . p. 205 . . . Widow of Jno. Wallis, dec'd to procure security of 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."

Same, p 69: Court, Westopher, 3 Dec 1689:

"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 any right to said orphan, and said orphan's estate being secured in hands of James Munford, court therefore sets orphan at liberty."

Same, p. 88: Orphans Court, Westopher, 15 Sep 1690:

"On 23rd this month Mr. Jno. Hardiman, Mr. Richd. Bland and Mr. Jno. Woodleiffe 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 Matthew Russhin, an orphan, to be set aside and secured." ^[2]

Based on these entries, the father of Mathew Rushing, William Rushing, died in Charles City County, Virginia about 1678, when Mathew was underage. That Mathew was "set at liberty" in 1689 indicates that he had come of age about that time. Since Matthew brought suit in his own name, he must have been adjudged at least 21, as that was the age of full majority when you could bring suit in your own name. This places Mathew's birth year at or before 1668.

Mathew, along with Edward Goodson, acquired a land patent of 475 acres on in 1714 on the west side of Nottoway Swamp:

"(p. 431 {of Deeds, Will . . . Great Book Vol 2  1715-1726})  27 Mar 1721 . . . .  Mathew Ruskin and wife, Elizabeth Ruskin, of Albemarle County in North Carolina appoint Edward Goodson of Isle of Wight County as their attorney to acknowledge the deed for 100 acres to William Faircloth, Sr.  Land is on the west side of nottoway Swamp (being part of a patent for 475 acres granted said Mathew Ruskin and Edward Goodson on 16 Jun 1714).  Wit: Thomas Bryant, Robert Scott and Henry Wheler." ^[3]

As indicated, he and his wife, Elizabeth, sold a portion of that land in 1721, when they are described as residents of Albemarle County, North Carolina (this part of the county included Chowan Precinct).

Mathew appears to have first acquired land in Chowan Precinct about Feb 1714/15: Deed Book W #1, Chowan County, NC., #412, pg 201

"WILLIAM BROWN of Chowan Prect., planter and MARTHA his wife to MATTHEW RUSHEN of the sd. Prect., planter  21 Apr. 17 --  8   L   150 acres on ye west side of Meherrin river, joining Dividing Run and ye River   part of 640 acres surveyed by ye aforesd. BROWN  Wit.:  GEORGE SMITH, JOHN SMITH   Reg. 2 Feb 1714/15" ^[4]

Mathew's marriage to Elizabeth occurred sometime before 15 Jul 1718. Since he was an underage orphan in Charles City County, VA, the marriage had to have taken place in the Virginia colony. Obviously, that means he cannot be identified as the Mathys Riesin who arrived with his family in Virginia in 1709, as has been theorized. That her name was Elizabeth is supported by the following:

Deed Book B #1, Chowan County, NC, #1135, pg 603

"MATTHEW RUSSIAN of Chowan Prect. to WILLIAM BRIDGERS (residence not given)  16 July 1718  12 L  150 acres on the north side of Meherrin River, joining ye Dividing Run and the river   and is part of a greater tract surveyed for WILLIAM BROWN  Wit.:  JOHN BARDIN, JOHN NAIRNE  Reg. 8 Nov 1718."

Deed Book B #1, Chowan County, NC   # 1709, pg 38-40

"Chowan - Att a Court held for the Prect. the 15 July 1718 at the House of WILLIAM BRANCH and continued to ye 16 July 1718 . . . MATT RUSSIAN and JOHN DEW, attorney of ELIZ. RUSSIAN, ack. sale to WILLIAM BRIDGES".^[5]

Later that year, they acquired additional land on the Roanoke River in Chowan Precinct:

Deed Book B #1, Chowan County, NC  #1259, pg 708

"THOMAS KIRBY of Chowan Prect. and ELIZABETH KIRBY to MATTHEW RUSHING of the Prect. afrsd.   16 Oct. 1718   22 L curent Money   150 acres more or less at the branchs of Roanoak River, joining JOHN HATHAN, a marsh, a swamp and a branch   part of 640 acres granted to HENRY WHEELER and by him sold the the sd. KIRBY   Wit.,:  JOHN RAINESFORD, RICHARD WASHINGTON, ESTHER KERBY   Reg. 25 Aug. 1719." ^[6]

He is also listed in 1721 as Mathew Rushin in Chowan, NC. ^[7]

He is believed to have died about 1728-1730 in North Carolina. Some researchers have postulated that his widow, Elizabeth, subsequently married Edward Goodson, but there is no evidence for this. The only wife for Edward yet found was Mary Thomas, daughter of Phillip Thomas.

Proposed children for Matthew (b 1668) and Elizabeth Rushing include a Mary, John, Matthew, and William. I have found no documents for Mary, but have found the following substantiating Matthew, William and John:

Excerpts from "The Granville District of North Carolina 1748-1763, Abstracts of Land Grants, Volume One - Anson Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Chowan, Cumberland, Currituck, Dobbs" by Margaret M. Hofmann, (1996: The Roanoke News Company, Weldon, NC) includes entries for Matthew Rushing dtd 1756 and 1761 which cannot be the Mathew b. 1728, and are likely his son.

In addition, there are Rushing excerpts from "Abstracts of Deeds, Edgecombe Precinct, Edgecombe County, North Carolina, 1732 through 1758", by Margaret M. Hofmann, (1987: The Roanoke News Company, Weldon, NC).  These are as found in the Halifax Co., NC Public Registry Deed Books 1-6. These include entries of 1740, 1741, and 1747 naming Matthew of Edgecombe County. The 1741 registration of a land purchase by Matthew in Deed Book 1 names John Rushing as a witness to the purchase, thus associating the two.

In Bertie Co., NC Deed Book C-269, in 1730 there is an entry for William Ruskin selling land to Barnabe Mackinne "bounded north by Marattock Riv where Matthew Rucking, father of sd William, formerly lived . . ." This substantiates a son William.

Sources

1. ↑ Margaret McNeill Ayres, Abstractor and compiler, Charles City County, Virginia, Order Book, 1676-1679 (Memphis, TN: Margaret McNeill Ayres, 1968), 114; ocr image, Internet Archive, Internet Archive (https://archive.org : accessed 21 April 2023; https://archive.org/details/charlescitycount00ayrerich/page/114/mode/2up.
2. ↑ Benjamin B. Weisiger III, Abstractor and compiler, Charles City County, Virginia Court Orders 1687-1695: With a Fragment of a Court Order Book for the Year 1680 (1980), PDF digital image, (Athens, GA: Iberian Publishing Company, 1992), 47, 69, 88.
3. ↑ William Lindsay Hopkins abstractor, Isle of Wight County Virginia, Deeds 1647-1719, Court Orders 1693-1695, and Guardian Accounts 1740-1767 (Athens, GA: Iberian Publishing Co., 1993), entry for Ruskin, Matthew and Elizabeth; 27 Mar 1721; p. 136-137, citing Great Book Vol 2 1715-1726, p. 431.
4. ↑ Margaret M. Hoffman, abstractor, Chowan Precinct North Carolina: Genealogical Abstracts of Deed Books 1696-1723 (Waldon, NC: The Roanoke News Company, 1984), 50.
5. ↑ Margaret M. Hoffman, abstractor, Chowan Precinct North Carolina: Genealogical Abstracts of Deed Books 1696-1723 (Waldon, NC: The Roanoke News Company, 1984), 34-40, 603.
6. ↑ Hoffman, Chowan Precinct North Carolina, 152.
7. ↑ Clarence E. Ratcliff, North Carolina Taxpayers 1701-1786 (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1984), 177.