John Rushen, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of John Rushen
JOHN RUSHEN, one of Hall County's well known and substantial farmers and stockmen, came first to Nebraska in 1878. Since then he has led a busy life, in which there have been ups and downs, and now resides on his well improved farm situated in South Loup township.
Born in Germany January 10, 1855, John Rushen was the eldest child of his parents, Jeorgen and Katherine (Stange) Rushen, the others being as follows: Mrs. Mary Kuehl, a widow, who lives at Valparaiso, Indiana; Mrs. Molly Foster, who died, at Chicago, Illinois, in 1906; Lena, who died during the voyage to America from Germany and was buried at sea, and Henry, who died in infancy. The parents were natives of Germany. The mother of the above named children died at the age of thirty-six years and to a second marriage of the father the following children were born: Lena, Charles, James, Bertha and Emma, all of whom are living. The father was a wagonmaker by trade, an occupation in which he was engaged while living at first in Chicago. From there he removed to Porter County, Indiana, where he bought forty acres of land in what was known as the White Settlement, on which the family lived for two years when he sold it and bought another farm of forty acres situated three miles north of Valparaiso. Still later he bought additional land and put up a fine house and in 1878 died there.
John Rushen attended the public schools and helped his father on the Indiana farm. In 1878 he came to Lincoln, Nebraska, and at first herded cattle for $15 a month, and then became connected with Hass, Mitchell & Company, an association which continued for almost seven years. After leaving this concern he went into partnership with George W. Dunham as game hunters and they made their headquarters at Denton in Lancaster County, a station between Crete and Lincoln, supplying game to the Lincoln markets. The next business venture of Mr. Rushen was the renting of a ranch in Buffalo County and stocking it with cattle but he never lived on the ranch but settled at Venango, in Perkins County and carried on an implement business there for six years. Unfortunate investments caused his failure in business and he determined then to return to Hall County. With a team of mules he conveyed his household goods from Venango to Denver and there loaded a car for Cairo. His finances at that time were at so low an ebb that he had to borrow one dollar to finish paying for the transportation, else the railroad would not have permitted him to unload.
As soon as settled at Cairo Mr. Rushen went into the well and pump business, found it profitable and afterward, when he had succeeded in honestly paying every cent of indebtedness that misfortune had brought upon him, he moved on a part of what was once the estate of his father-in-law, and has since followed an agricultural life here. His land is situated in section 35, South Loup township, where he has found the soil particularly well adapted for fruit growing and the raising of potatoes. During the past season Mr. Rushen's potato crop was considered the best that came to the Grand Island market. He set out trees of all kinds and at one time was credited with having the best orchard in the county. He devotes his one hundred and twenty acres to mixed farming and pays considerable attention to his grade of livestock.
Mr. Rushen married Miss Emma Mieth, October 16, 1883, who was born at Chicago, Illinois, March 26, 1864, a daughter of August and Mary (Pingle) Mieth, natives of Germany. Both Mr. and Mrs. Rushen were reared in the Lutheran church. He is an independent voter but not an indifferent one because he is a good citizen. For many years he has belonged to the order of Odd Fellows.
Source: Buechler, A. F., Robert J. Barr, Dale P. Stough, and Bayard H. Paine. 1920. History of Hall County, Nebraska. Lincoln, Nebraska: Prairie Pioneer Genealogical Society. 965 p.
Page(s) in Source: 850-851
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook