Rush Township

Jo Daviess County, Illinois

The Township of Rush has probably had as much influence in shaping the destiny of the county as any other township outside the Township of West Galena. Immigration began to flow in quite rapidly in the year 1828, when a large number of energetic, thrifty people were attracted toward it-much more so than to many other townships in the county-among them being George N., Ira L. and Halstead S. Townsend. The Townsends were fine specimens of physical manhood and could trace their lineage back to noble ancestry. They were of English descent, their ancestors having emigrated to America at an early day. Eber Townsend of this family was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and 'was wounded and captured by the Indians. Halstead S. Townsend rose to considerable prominence and represented the county in the State Legislature two terms1859 and 1871. Later there came to the township such men as Asher Miller, Ira Rowker, Seth Post and Elias Stanton, the descendants of many of whom still reside in the township. In early times there was a race-track within the township, where people from all parts of the country came annually to attend the races and, for several years, there were large annual gatherings. The population have always been intensely loyal, and during the War of the Rebellion the township sent 125 men of its best blood into the Union Army. In politics it has always been almost as strongly Republican as the township of Menominee has been Democratic. The first post office within the township was established at Millville in 1847, with Hiram Ames as postmaster.

Check out the History of Rush Township

Or the Biographies of Township Residents