RUSH. Christopher. A. M. E. Zion bishop. b. t in Craven county. N. C.. in 1777: d. in New York city. 16 July. 1. He was a full-blomled African. and born a sla 0. lie \vent to New York in 1795. ‘ and was subsequently freed. and licensed to preach in the Methodist. Episcopal clmrch in 1515. He was ordained a. superintendent or bishop in 1525. \ lie was largely instrumental in the separation of the colored from the white branch of the Met hud- ist church. and his address before Bishop l-Inoch ‘ George finally carried the measure. and be was thus a founder of what is now the African Methodist. Episco nal Zion church. At that time the African MethOt ists numbered only 100. but. Bishop Rush lived to see it. a comparatively large and flourish- ing organization. He published a history of his denomination.
RUSH. William. sculptor. b. in Philadelphia.
Pa.. 4 July. 1756: d. there. 17 Jan.. 1533. In his
youth he was apprenticed to Edward Cutbush, a.
carver. and he first became known as a maker of
figure-heads for ships. Especially noticeable among
his ship-carvings were the figures “ Genius of the
l'nited States" and " Nature " for the frigates
“ United States " and "Constellation." and busts
and figures of Voltaire. Rousseau. Benjamin Frank-
lin. William Penn. and others. for various vessels.
The figure of the “Indian Trader “ for the ship
“ \Villiam Penn " excited great admiration in Lon-
don. The carvers there sketched it and took casts
of the head. Another figure. that of a. river-god.
carved for the ship " Ganges." won the admiration
of the Ilindoos. who came in numerous boats to
reverence this image. But he did not confine
himself to figure-heads. although he never worked
in marble. but always in wood or clay. In 1512 be
exhibited. at the Pennsylvania academy. figures of
‘- Exhortation." " Praise." and cherubim. and hosts
of Linnalus. William Bartram. and Rev. Henry M.
Mnhlenberg. lle, executed also statues of “ Win-
ter." “ Agriculture." a figure of Christ on the cross.
which last two were destroyed by fire. several por-
trait-busts. including Gen. Lafayette (1524). and
«It her works. IIis best-known statue is that of
Washington (1514). which was bought by the city
of Philadelphi. . Mr. Rush served in the Revolu-
tionary army. and was a member of the councils of
his native city for more than a quarter of a. century.
RUSK. Jeremiah McLain. governor of Wis-
consin. b. in Morgan county. tho. 17 June. 1530:
d. in Viroqua. Wis., 21 Nov.. 1593. He divided his
time bet ween fa rm-
work and winter
study till he at-
tained hismajority,
and in 1553 re-
moved to Wiscon-
in agriculture in
ernon county.
tional army iul5b‘2.
was commissioned
major of the 25th
Wisconsin regi-
ment. rose to the
rank of lieutenant-
colonel. and served
with Gen. William
T. Sherman from
the siege of Vicks-
burg till the close
of the war. In
1865 he received the brcvet of brigadier-gcneml of which have been permanently useful. He invented
volunteers for meritorious service at the battle of
cinto. and became commander of the
Salkehatchie. lie was elected bank comptroller of
Wisconsin in 1566. which post he held till 1570.
was chosen to congress as a Republican in the lat-
ter year. served three terms. and as chairman of the
connnittee on pensions performed important services in readjusting the pension rates. He declined
the appointment of charge d'afiaires in Paraguay
and L ruguay. and that of chief of the bureau of
engra\ing and printing. which were ofiered him
by President Garfield. Since 1552 he had been
governor of Wisconsin, having been elected for
three successive terms. In 1555 Gen. Rusk was
an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican
nomination for president. and was secretary of
the department of agriculture in President lIar-
rison's administ ration.
RUSK. Thomas Jefferson. senator. b. in (‘am-
den). 5. C.. 5 Aug.. 1502-: d. in Nacogdoches. Tex.,
2‘.) J ul_\. 1556. He received an academic education.
practised law with success in Georgia. and in the
early part of 1535 removed to Texas. Ile then
identified himself with the history of that republic.
“as a. member of the convention that declared its
independence in March. 1536. was its first secre-
tary of war. participated in the battle of San Ja-
armv after
Gen. Samuel Houston was wounded, continuing
to hold that ofiice till the organization of the con-
stitutional govemment in October. 1536. He was
again chosen secretary of war. but resigned after
a few months' service. subsequently commanded
several expeditions against the Italians. and was a
member of the legislature. He was a justice of the
supreme court in 152k —'42. president of the conven-
tion that consummated the annexation of Texas to
the United States in 1545. and upon its admission
to the Union was chosen L'. S. senator as a. Demo-
crat. serving in 1546—56. He had been re-elected
to a third term. but in a fit of insanity. caused by
domestic misfortune. he committed suicide. Dur-
ing his senatorial service he was chairman of the
committee on the post-ofiice. and was interested to
a. large extent in the overland mail and the wagon-
road to the Pacific.
RUSS. Horace P., inventor. b. in 1521: b. in
Halifax. N. S.. 31 Dec" 1563. Ile invented the
pavement that bears his name. It consists of
granite blocks. and was laid in Broadway. New
York city. but, proved impracticable on account of
its being too slippery. Subsequently he turned his
attention to metallurgical projects. and for some
time prior to his death was engaged in gold-min-
ing in Nova Svotia.
RUSS. John Denison. physician. b. in (‘hebacco
(now Essex). Mass. 1 Sept“ 1501: (l. in I’ompton.
N. J.. 1 March. 1551. He was graduated at Yale
in 1523. and in the medical department in 1525.
After spending a. year abroad in bus ital practice.
he settled in New York city. but in . one. 1527. he
went with a cargo of supplies to aid the Greeks in
He entered the Na- I their struggle for independence. He remained. superintending the development of a hospital service
in Greece. for several years. but the failure of his
health compelled his return. and he entered again
upon practice in New York city. Dr. Russ became
interested at once in the condition of the poor that
were suficring from ophthalmia in the city hospi-
tals. and at his own cost, in March. 1532. made the
first attempt in the United States for the instruc-
tion of the blind. Ile was appointed superintend-
ent of the newly chartered New York institution
for the blind in the same year. and in this ofiice
introduced many methods of teaching. some of
which have been permanently useful. He invented
the phonetic alphabet. which consists of forty-one
