Chapter Twenty-Two 

Cities & Towns

Additional Notes to History of Rush

By: Mrs. Robert L. Hall (Obeta Hicks), Oakland, CA

Page 392-394

I lived in the town of Rush for about 35 years. My father and mother, Lee and Alice Hicks, moved to Rush in 1903. He bought a ten-acre tract of land there on which was situated a hotel which played an important part in the development of the mining industry. At first, my father carried the mail from Rush to Gilbert; later the route was from Rush to Yellville.

One of the earliest stores in Rush was a general store owned and operated by Mr. William Fernaman and his wife, Aunt Lou. Mr. Fernaman sold this store to my father, who operated it many years as a general store carrying practically every thing that could be found in stores anywhere in Northern Arkansas.

As the mining industry developed, the town grew rapidly and stores, hotels, barber shops, pool halls, rooming houses, a theater, and a doctor's office were built. In time, Rush grew to be one of the largest towns in the area with a population of some two or three thousand people. As the people came to work in the mines, a housing shortage developed and many of those who came bought tents and these tent homes were scattered over the hills. Some people spoke of Rush as "Rag Town", a name not liked by the "oldtimers" of Rush.

The ore taken from the mines was hauled in wagons over the rough roads to the railroad station at Summit and loaded on freight cars of the Missouri Pacific Railroad to be carried to the smelter in Joplin, Missouri. Often two or three teams of horses or mules would be needed to pull a load of the ore over the steep hills.

Among the early superintendents of the mines, I remember Mr. J. C. Shepherd who had previously worked in the gold mines in Mexico. He and his wife stayed in our hotel for a time. He named J. Con Medley, Superintendent of the Morning Star, because of Mr. Medley's knowledge of the mine.

I recall many of the families who lived in Rush during the "boom days" and worked in the mines. Among those I recall are the Rowdens, Setzers, Gentrys, Hands, Lowes, James, Miles, Woods, Hughes, and Dirsts.

Miners bought their supplies at our store and most of them bought "on credit", paying every two weeks when they were paid. Farmers on Big Creek, Clear Creek and the Buffalo River also traded at our store "on credit", buying their groceries and whatever they needed to make the crop. They would pay their bills when they sold their crops. Father bought his merchandise on credit usually from the traveling salesmen-"drummers"-who called on him to see what he needed. Occasionally, he would go to Little Rock or Springfield to the markets to select his "wares".

As his business grew, father built a two-story building-the lower floor was the general store and the upper floor was an eleven-room hotel.

Captain Charles LaVasseur, a French engineer, and his wife, as well as his brother-in-law, George Deburgan and his wife, came to Rush and lived in the hotel for a time.

I recall only three serious accidents that occurred at the mines. A large rock fell in a shaft at the Morning Star Mine, crushing two men; Logan Setzer and William Jones. I can recall hearing the whistle blow at the Morning Star, signalling a fatal accident had occurred and recall seeing Aunt Lee Ann Setzer, the mother of Logan, coming up the road on her way to the mine to see what had happened. She was crying and praying as she made her way to the scene.

Another fatal accident occurred at the Morning Star when a man fell from the tramway to the ground several hundred feet below.

We lived in the center of Rush, one mile from Buffalo River and one mile from the one-room school house. One of my first teachers was Mr. Will Bearden, who taught at Rush for several years. He was a good teacher.

I have many pleasant memories of Rush as a beautiful town where people helped each other and shared in their joys and in their sorrows. It grieves me that it is now only a ghost town.