Rush Family History
The Story of the Rush Family
Links:
Palmerston North Cemetery Records. Search for:
- John Henry (John Herbert) Rush
- Sarah Ruth Rush
- Ambrose Benedict Bonaventure Rush
- Ignatius Thomas Richard Rush
- Joseph Herbert Rush
John Henry Rush, 1847-1912
This page documents John Henry Rush, Cecilia's eldest son of Cecilia's of her union with Richard Rush's son, John George Rush.
John Henry Rush was born in the Hutt Valley late in 1847. His father was John George Rush, although he was not married to Cecilia at the time. John Henry was christened by Fr Robert Cole in St Paul's Catholic Church on 24th February 1848. He already had a half brother, Thomas Rodgers, and three surviving half sisters, Sarah, Cecilia and Ann Rush, from his mother's previous two marriages.
There seems to be some confusion as to his actual name, as his christening records list simply "John", while his marriage certificate shows "John Joseph", his death certificate "John Herbert" and the birth certificates of his children either "John" or "John Henry". Perhaps some of this confusion arises through the John Joseph and John Joseph Herbert of later generations, but he was always known as John Henry, although he may have been named Herbert after his mother's maiden name.
John Henry spent his childhood on his parents' farm in Taita, and much of his youth was spent, like his half brother Thomas, working on the farm or in the surrounding bush. Sometime later, however, he took up a trade as a carrier, and spent his adult years following this calling, and farming. While still in his teens John met Sarah Ruth Grennan, a native of County Down, Ireland. Sarah, a year older than John, having been born in 1846, had taken assisted passage to New Zealand with her older sister Eliza in 1857. Both Sarah and Eliza were employed as domestic help to the Riddiford family, of Lower Hutt.
John Henry and Sarah were married in the Catholic Church in Lower Hutt on the 29th of December 1867, by Fr Eugene Pertuis.
The marriage notice in the "Wellington Independent" stated: "Married. Rush-Greanen. On December 29, at the Hutt, by the Rev. Father Pertuies, according to the rights of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, John Joseph, eldest son of John George Rush, of the Hutt, to Miss Sarah Greanen, youngest daughter of Mr John Greanen, of County Down, Ireland. No cards." (Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2624, 18 January 1868, Page 4)
Sarah's sister, Eliza, had married John's half brother, Thomas, the previous year. John and Sarah Rush settled, initially, in the Hutt Valley, probably on the Taita farm of John George and Cecilia. Their first two children, John Alphonsus and Ignatius Thomas Richard, were born in 1868 and 1870, but soon after the birth of Ignatius, John and Sarah decided to move to the new settlement of Palmerston, that was being formed in what were known as the Manawatu Wastelands. They made the journey up the Manawatu River and were amongst the first handful of pioneers to settle in the area; their third son, Ambrose, was the second white child to be born in Palmerston North.
Sarah presented John with a fine family of seven sons and two daughters:
- John Alphonsus Frederick (Jack), 1868-1942
- Ignatius Thomas Richard, 1870-1931
- Ambrose Benedict Bonaventure, 1872-1932
- Rose Cecilia, 1874-1958
- Alphonsus Henry, 1876-1916
- Joseph Herbert, 1878-1941
- Henry Xavier, 1880-1959
- Thomas Diego, 1882-1962
- Cecilia, 1884-1973
Birth Notices
Rush - On October 29, at the Hutt, the wife of Mr John Rush, junr, of a son (Wellington Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 2767, 8 December 1868, Page 4)
Rush - On July 27, at the Hutt, the wife of Mr J Rush, junr, of a son (Wellington Independent, Volume XXV, Issue 3030, 9 August 1870, Page 2)
The children were all active and the boys were all keen and respected rugby players in later years. (There was a storm of protest by the media when Diego missed out on selection for the 1908 All Black team.)
Move to Palmerston North
On 17th March, 1872, John took part in the first Roman Catholic mass in Palmerston North, acting as altar assistant to the French priest, Fr Moreau, taking charge of the congregation. This took place in a surveyor's thatched hut, and was attended by about a score of people, almost exclusively members of the Rush family, most of whom joined John and Sarah in Palmerston over the next few years.
John and Sarah lived out their lives in Palmerston North, becoming well-known and respected residents, and playing a major part in the development of that town.
Death
Eventually, on 30th September, 1912, John's heart failed and he collapsed and died, having contracted cancer of the tongue six months earlier. He was buried, on October 2nd, in Plot 56, Block 74 of the Roman Catholic section at Terrace End cemetery. Sarah lived on, in Colombo Street, until 19th July, 1919, before she too passed away at the age of 73. She also lies with her husband in Terrace End cemetery. You can view their cemetery records from the links on the right.
Obituary. John Henry Rush
A very old and respected resident of Palmerston, in the person of Mr John Henry Rush, passed away at his residence, Willis street, this morning after a short and painful illness. Deceased, who arrived in Palmerston when there were only about two or three settlers here, making the journey up the Manawatu river by canoe, was 65 years of age, and was born in the Hutt district. The late Mr Rush was a member of the Roman Catholic Church and was one of the communicants in the first mass celebrated some forth years ago by Mr Moreau, a French priest, in a thatched whare which stood on the site of Coleman Place. He also took an active part in volunteering. Deceased is survived by a widow, seven sons and two daughters. The sons are Messrs John, Richard, Ambrose, Alphonsus, Joseph, Henry and Diego, while the daughers are Mrs Barry (Wanganui) and Mrs Gleeson (Palmerston North). Mesdames Litchwark (Taranaki), McDowell and W Cox (Palmerston North) are brother and sisters of deceased. The interment will take place at the Palmerston cemetery on Wednesday. [Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9302, 30 September 1912, Page 7]
Between 1891 and 1923, forty-eight grandchildren were born to John Henry and Sarah Ruth Rush.
Burials at Terrace End Cemetery
John Henry's children Ambrose Benedict Bonaventure Rush, Ignatius Thomas Richard Rush, Joseph Herbert Rush are all buried in Terrace End Cemetery.
2017 Rush/Rodgers Family Reunion
Members of the Rush family attended the 2017 reunion held in Palmerston North. Here's the John Henry Rush family group photo. Click on the image to see a full screen view.
Contact details
If you have any information or photos to add to this page, or any corrections, please contact Dale Hartle in Levin, New Zealand, by phone +64 021 45 34 24.