Russel M. Rush, son of Samuel M. Rush and Elizabeth Cowden, was born on June 11, 1792 in Manchester, Ontario County, New York. He married Martha Culver on January 1, 1812 in Farmington, Ontario County. To their union were born seven children.
Russel was a neighbor of the Joseph Smith Sr. family. He corroborated with ministers and others in Palmyra to make Joseph renounce his story of the “vision.”[1]
The 1855 New York Census listed Russel as residing in Farmington, New York.[2] The 1875 New York Census listed him as residing in Manchester, New York with his son-in-law, George W McLouth.[3] Russel died in September 1879 in Manchester and was buried in the Palmyra City Cemetery.
[1] Barrett, Young Joseph, p. 53.
[2] New York Census, 1855.
[3] New York Census, 1875.