RUSK PENITENTIARY The main building of the present Rusk State Hospital was built in 1878. The Penitentiary was receiving prisoners by January 1883 from the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville, TX. These prisoners were used as convict labor for the iron industry in the area at that time. For more information on this institution, please check The Handbook Of Texas Online at the following address: <http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/RR/jjr1.html> Texas became a state in October of 1845, and in 1846 there was only one family living in Rusk. Rusk was chosen as the County Seat of Cherokee County and named after Thomas Jefferson Rusk, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. In 1880 it is interesting to look at the census records and see the dwellings listed in numerical order. There was a jail, dwelling #185-202 and the following are listed at this dwelling: W.A.G. Knight, 38, white, married, b. AL, Occupation - Jailer Father noted as being born in GA, mother in SC. Wife: S.J., 35, white, b. VA Her parents noted as both being b. VA All Children noted as white, being born in TX E.R., 14, daughter A.J., 12, son J.B., 8, son Emma, 5, daughter W. Sam, 2, son The following also noted at this dwelling as farm laborers: William Duke, 19, white, single, prisoner, b. TX. Parents noted being born in TN Ben Fewell, 29, black, married, prisoner, b. GA. Parents noted being born in GA Thomas Summers, 17, white, single, prisoner, b. TX. Father b. MS, mother b. TX Ector Johnson, 25, mulatto, married, prisoner, b. AR. Parents noted being born in AR Albert Owens, 28, mulatto, single, prisoner, b. TX. Father b. GA, mother b. MS. Occupation noted as school teacher John Clark, 28, black, single, prisoner, b. LA. Parents noted as being born in MS Mack Searls, 19, black, married, prisoner, b. TX. Parents noted as being born in GA C.C. Bell, 35, white, single prisoner, b. GA. Parents noted as being born in GA Ponip? Watson, 28, black, married, prisoner, b. TX. Father b. LA, mother b. GA Also noted in this dwelling: J.H. Langhorne, 25, white, single, boarder, b. TX. Parents noted being b. TN. Occupation noted as Deputy Sheriff Within ten dwellings on first one side or the other side of the above posted jail, the following occupations were noticed and I thought you may be interested. These people probably had their business in their homes or businesses on street level and lived above, sort of a two-story affair as was customary for the times: County Judge of Rusk County A Huckster District Clerk Gunsmith Laundress Blacksmith Sewing Machine Agent Grocer Attorney at Law Saddle & Harness maker Hack Driver Merchant Constable of Rusk County Store Clerks Cooks I just thought I would mention these, because I thought it interesting to see the dwellings around the jail. That is all I found listed as prisoners in Rusk Co., TX 1880 -- ******************************************************************** During our research trips, when a book is purchased relating to our family's history or listing information of the area, we buy two: One to keep and one to donate to our Clayton Genealogical Library in the family's name or a member of the family. Lou Ann & Woody Lunsford NATIVE TEXAN 8310 Werner, Houston, TX 77037-3027 TEXAS PROUD 281/447-8803 Fax 281/447-2133 ********************************************************************