RUSK-Squire - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

The name of Squire RUSK is a familiar sound to the people of the western part of Montgomery County, for there he has long be en a resident and has become known as one of our most skillful general farmers, being of the older type of tillers of the soil, rather than a representative of the new school.  He has been a very careful observer and is a man of much practical and natural ability and everyone knows that practical experience counts for more than what one may learn from book s, this is true in any line, and is perhaps as strikingly exemplified in agriculture as in anything, if not more so, consequently the man, who, like Mr. Rusk, has experimented and observed the results all of his life, is bound to have mastered a great deal in the science or field of endeavor which claims his attention.  Squire Rusk was born in Wayne Township, Montgomery county, Indiana July 2, 1834, consequently he may be said to be a link between the pioneer epoch and the present, for he grew up amid primitive conditions, and helped his father clear and develop the home farm from its wild state, and here he hascontinued to reside, not caring to change the advantages of his home community for those of any other, being able to foresee in his youth a great future for this section of Montgomery county.  He has lived to see great changes that take place in his vicinity and he has taken no small part in this transformation.  Mr. Rusk is a son of David and Martha (Ball) Rusk, the father having been a native of Ohio where he spent his earlier years coming to Wayne Twp, Montgomery county, Indiana with his parents in a very early day, the family settling in the wilderness. This entire locality was then the ho me of only a few white people who had braved the wilds of the frontier, and the Rusks founded the future home of the family in the woods, far remote from any center of civilization. They worked hard and endured the hard ships incident to such environment. The father of our subject followed farming all his life.  He was more or less active in the affairs of his community, and he served as trustee of Wayne Twp for some time.  His family consisted of six children, 3 of whom are still living, making their homes in Montgomery county. Squire Rusk was married in 1882 to Julia GRENARD, daughter of Jesse and and Mary (Sayers) Grenard. Both the Grenard & Sayers families were early settlers in Mont Co. Here Mrs. Rusk grew to womanhood and, like her husband, rec'd such education as the early day district schools afforded.  One child has been born to our subject and wife namely: Edith, who married Walter Runyan of Wayne Twp. Politically, Mr. Rusk is a Democrat and has been unwavering in his allegiance to the party 's principles. Religiously, he is a Baptist.  He is not active politically and has held no offices, preferring to lead a quiet life.  Mr. Rusk is the owner of a fine farm of 460 acres of land, mostly in this county, one 80 acre tract being in Fountain County.  His present modern and attractive home was built by him.  None of his land is worth less than $150 per acres.