Allen Rusk

Allen Rusk was born on February 6, 1825, in Clayton Township, Perry County, Ohio.^[1] When he was a child, he moved with his family to Morgan County, Ohio, where he was raised on his father's farm and educated in the common schools.^[2] He also apprenticed in plastering.^[3] In 1852, he moved came to Wisconsin, settling originally at Lancaster, Grant County. In December 1852, he hauled a load of merchandise to Vernon County for Henry McAulley, who operated a store there. While in Vernon County, Rusk began to look for land to make a permanent home for his family. He brought his family to Viroqua, Wisconsin, in October 1853, and in the spring of 1854, he selected a large plot of land in what is now Liberty, Vernon County, Wisconsin. He settled on the land in April 1855. At the time, that area was still part of a larger township of Viroqua, and Rusk is credited for getting the town of Liberty established as a separate entity.^[2]

Rusk was elected the first chairman of the Liberty town board, and served at least seven years in that role.^[2]

Rusk volunteered for duty in the Union Army in the fourth year of the American Civil War. He was enrolled as a private in Company I of the 42nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. The 42nd Infantry mustered into federal service on September 7, 1864, and spent their entire service on provost duty in southern Illinois. They mustered out of federal service on June 20, 1865.^[4]

Rusk was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly on the Republican Party ticket in 1877 and 1880. He served in the 1878 and 1881 legislative terms.^[1][5][3] During the 1881 term, he was serving in the Legislature while his brother was Governor.

Rusk was the sixth of 7 children born to Daniel Rusk and his wife Jane (née Faulkner). Allen Rusk's younger brother was Jeremiah McLain Rusk, who had distinguished Union Army service in the Civil War and went on to become a U.S. congressman, Governor of Wisconsin, United States Secretary of Agriculture, and namesake of Rusk County, Wisconsin. Jeremiah's son Lycurgus J. Rusk also served in the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Allen Rusk married Mary Newton, of Harrison County, Virginia, in 1843. They had six children together but one daughter died young. They were ultimately married for over 60 years, dying within days of each other in March 1904.^[6][7][8]

The town of Liberty, Wisconsin, was formerly named "Rusk Corners" after Rusk.^[1]