James H. M. Rust was born, 5 Mar 1827, in Maury County, Tennessee. His parents, Charnock Cox and Avarilla Stone Rust, had migrated to Maury County from Granville County, North Carolina. They settled in the Colleoka Community. James Rust's lineage has been traced to his immigrant ancestor, William Rust, Sr., who arrived in America, c.1655. William Rust's parents have not been determined, but there is a strong possiblilty that he was the William Rust born in Suffolk, England, c1634. A search of the families in Norfolk and Suffolk shires reveals many Rusts with the given names that seem to have been carried down through the Rust lines, i.e. John, William, George, Mathew, Samuel, Peter, and Benjamin. James Rust's mother, Avarilla Green Stone, was the daughter of James Stone and Ann "Nancy" Bobbitt. Her grandparents were Jonathan Stone and Felicia Cook. Jonathan Stone was an Orderly Sergeant in the Revolutionary War, and the son of Captain John Stone and Alice Hurst, of Halifax County, North Carolina.

When William Rust arrived in America, he settled in the new county that had been recently form, (1648), from the Indian District called Chickacoan, named for the local Indian tribe living there. Kent Islanders, who had settled with William Claiborne when he founded the island settlement on the Chesapeake, moved to the Chickacoan area, across the Chesapeake from Kent Island, when Lord Baltimore gained possession from William Clairborne. The new county was named Northumberland and was located between the Rappahannock and Potamic rivers, tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. The Indians living on the Northern Neck, which included Northumberland County, were a part of the Algonquian culture groups that were scattered through the region. They were hunters, gatherers, and cultivators using Stone Age technology. However, blessed with a favorable enviroment, they were able to produce enough food to provide a living for the tribe. They produced corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, gourds, sunflowers, and tobacco.

When Westmoreland County was formed from Northumberland, William Rust's land fell within the new county. It was located on the Broad Creek that emptied into the Yeocomico River about 2 miles from the Patomac. William Rust participated in Bacon's Rebellion and he was discharged "ye Good Behavior and to pay cost." His will was probated, 29 Nov 1699, in Cople Parish, Westmoreland County, Virginia.

William Rust, the immigrant, married Ann Medcalfe, the daughter of William Medcalfe. William Medcalfe was a headright of Lieutenant Richard Popeley, who had gone to the aid of William Claiborne when he was trying to maintain possession of Kent Island, across the Chesapeake from Maryland. William Medcalfe evidently accompanied him, and is found in the early records of Kent Island then moving to the Chickacoan Indian District with others from the island when William Claiborne lost the island to Lord Baltimore. William Medcalfe died sometime between April 1655 and 20 Jan 1656 when his will was proven in court. Children of William Rust and Ann Medcalfe were: Samuel Rust, ancestor of James H. M. Rust; William Rust, Jr.; George Rust; and John Rust.

Samuel Rust, oldest son of William and Ann Rust, and ancestor of James H. M. Rust, became a very wealthy man and his will, dated 16 Aug 1715, disposes of several thousands of acres of land, plus many personal assets. He was a tobacco inspector, surveyor, appraiser, and prominent in various other county affaris. Samuel Rust married Martha Garner, daughter of John Garner and Susannah Keene. Susannah Keene's father, Thomas Keene, had been one of the Kent Islanders before moving to Northumberland County. John Garner is the immigrant ancestor of Vice President John Nance Garner, 1868-1967, called "Cactus Jack"; and Lieutenant General Jay Garner, first Director of the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance to Iraq. Samuel and Martha Rust were members of the Yeocomico Church, built, 1706, which is still standing, in Cople Parish, Westmoreland County. Samuel and Martha Garner Rust had the following children: John Rust, oldest son and ancestor of James H. M. Rust; William Rust; Anne Rust; Jeremiah Rust; Mathew Rust; Benjamin Rust, ancestor of First Lady Laura Welch Bush; George Rust; Hannah Rust; and Captain Peter Rust.

John Rust, oldest son of Samuel and Martha Garner Rust and ancestor of James H. M. Rust, was born, c1686, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He married, c1737, Agnes Clements, daughter of John and Jane Clements. John Rust's will dated, 11 Apr 1727, was proven in court, 31 May 1727. He left his oldest son, Samuel, his "pistols, holester, & Sord and Cerebine." Also, his cotooch box and his track of land whereon he lived. Land in Stafford and King George Counties, as well as Westmoreland, were left to other heirs along with other belongings. Children of John and Agness Clements Rust were: Samuel Rust, ancestor of James H. M. Rust; John Rust; William Rust and Elizabeth Rust.

Samuel Rust, oldest son of John and Agness Clements Rust and ancestor of James H. M. Rust, was born, c1717, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He married Bridget Turner, c.1737, daughter of John J. and Phoebe Shippe Turner. Phoebe Shippe was the daughter of Richard Shippe of Richmond County, Virginia. Samuel Rust's will, dated 26 Dec 1741 was probated 12 Apr 1742, in St. Stephens Parish, Northumberland County, Virginia. Samuel and Bridget Turner Rust had the following children: Captain John Rust; and Agnes Rust.

Captain John Rust, son of Samuel and Bridget Turner Rust, and ancestor of James H. M. Rust, was born c1738, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He married, c1758, Sarah Cox, daughter of George and Eleanor Lampkin Cox. George Cox was the son of Charnock Cox, Sr. and Mary Presley. The Cox lineage has been traced to Vincent Cox, immigrant ancestor, and the Presley lineage to William Presley, immigrant ancestor, who was active in the early affairs of Northumberland County, serving as a Burgess and High Sheriff. Eleanor Lampkin was the daughter of George Lamkin, Jr. and Jane Ashton. The Lampkin and Ashton lineages have been traced to immigrant ancestors. John Rust was a Captain in the Militia of Granville County, North Carolina during the Revolutionary War and served as sheriff of Granville County, in 1792. John Rust died, c1819, in Granville County, North Carolina. Children of John and Sarah Cox Rust were: George Rust; John Rust, Jr.; Jeremiah Rust; Mathew Rust, ancestor of James H. M. Rust; Sarah Rust; Lemuel Rust; Mary Rust; and Vincent Rust.

Mathew Rust, fifth son of John and Sarah Cox Rust, an ancestor to James H. M. Rust, was born, c1770, in Granville County, North Carolina. He married, 2 Jul 1791, Priscilla Millls, daughter of William Mills. Matthew Rust died, c1806, at the age of 39 years. The children of Mathew were put under the guardianship of his brother, Samuel Rust. After the marriage of their mother to Harlow Priddy, the children were apprenticed to relatives of their father. William Rust was apprenticed to Claiborne Cooke, as a carriage maker; George Boswell Rust was apprenticed to George Rust, as a carriage maker; Charnock Cox Rust was apprenticed to Samuel Rust as a planter; and Mary (Polly) Rust was apprenticed to Jeremiah Rust. The two younger children, John S. Rust and James Rust, were not listed in the dockett report. William M. Rust, oldest son of Mathew and Priscilla Rust, moved to McLean County, Illinois where he became a very wealthy man. John S. Rust and George Boswell Rust moved to Gibson County, Tennessee, where their descendants can be found today. Mary Rust married Stephen Roycroft and moved to Hickman, Weakley and then to Gibson County, Tennessee. Charnock Cox Rust, fourth child and father of James H. M. Rust moved to Maury County, Tennessee.

Charnock Cox Rust, born, Dec 1798, in Granville County, Tennessee, married Avarilla Green Stone, 15 Mar 1820, in Franklin County, North Carolina. He died, 1832, in Maury County, Tennessee and is buried in John Lindsey Cemetery, Colleoka, Tennessee. Children of Charnock Cox Rust and Avarilla Green Stone were: Louisa Jane Rust; Nathaniel G. Rust; Mary Frances Rust; James H. M. Rust; Sarah Ann Rust; and John C. Rust. Louisa Jane Rust married William H. Evans, who was administrator of the estate of Charnock Cox Rust. They moved to Wayne County, Tennessee. Sarah Ann Rust married Goodman Smith Hight and continued to live in Maury County, Tennessee. Nathaniel G. Rust married Lavania A. Dickson. No further information on them. Martha Frances Rust married Robert Finley Dial, and continued to live in Maury County, Tennessee. John C. Rust married Elizabeth Jane Rinehart and moved to Wayne County, Tennessee. John C. Rust used the spelling Russ for the family name and when his son, John Goodman Rust, name his hotel in Clifton, Wayne County, Tennessee the "Rust Hotel", he admonished him for changing the spelling. This hotel was an imposing structure on the banks of the Tennessee River at Clifton and is said to have had all the modern conveniences of the times. A Wayne County historian related the story, to the writer, that prior to World War II, and during his North Africa campaign, German General Rommell registered at the Rust Hotel. He had come to study the tactics of General Nathan Bedford Forrest's campaigns in the Civil War.

James H. M. Rust married Louisa Jane Evans, 3 Oct 1849, in Perry County, Tennessee. The couple are listed in the 1850 census living next to her the family of Allen B. Evans. Allen B. Evans had moved from Maury County prior to 1845 when he signed a petition to be attached to Perry County. In the 1850 census, he is found living in Perry County. The Evans lineage has been traced to immigrant ancestor, Francis Evans, who was born, 14 Dec 1690, in Chirbury, Shopshire, England. Allen B. Evans married Martha Westmoreland Glover, daughter of Daniel Glover and Martha Westmoreland. The Glover lineage has been traced to John Glover of Brunswick; and the Westmoreland lineage has been traced to immigrant ancestor, James Westmoreland, who immigrated from Milburn, Westmoreland, England, c1652. Ollin V, Mapes, in his book, "Westmorland Ne` Neville", connects James Westmoreland with the powerful English family, Neville, who were Lords of Westmoreland shire in England.

During the Civil War, James Rust joined the regiment of Colonel Jacob Barnett Biffle as a private, 3 Oct 1862. At the time he enlisted, he had a wife and five children. On December 11, 1862, Biffle's Regiment was on Indian Creek, 20 miles east of Savannah, in Hardin County, where they joined General Nathan Bedford Forest on his raid into West Tennessee the last half of December. General Forrest reported that Biffle, with 400 men, was with him in the attack on Jackson, in Madison County, 19 Dec 1862. Colonel Dribrell reported that Biffle's regiment engage at Parker's Crossroads, 31 Dec 1862.

On January 25, 1963, General Gideon Pillow reported that Biffle's regiment was engaged in making a sweep of Bedford County in middle Tennessee, rounding up stragglers and conscripts. On 5 Mar 1863, Biffle's Regiment was in Forrest's Brigade in the capture of Thompson's Station, near Nashivlle, in Davidson County, and was again with Forrest as part of Starnes Brigade at Brentwood, also in Davidson County, 25 Mar 1863, although it did not take part in the assault and capture of that position. It was engaged in skirmishes at Chapel Hill in Marshall County, and again, 29 May 1963, near Savannah.

For the next several months, the regiment was in West Tennessee enforcing the conscript act, and engaging in frequent skirmished with the federal forces. During this time, it was reported as part of a brigade commanded, at times, by Colonel Cox, and at other times by Colonel Dibrill, in Forrest's division, consisting of Starnes' 4th, Cox's 10th, Holoman's 11th, Dibrell's 8th, and Biffle's Regiments.

At Chickamauga, 19 Sep 1863, and 20 Sep 1863, the above brigade, under Colonel George Dibrell, increased by the addition of Shaw's Batallion, Allison's Squadron, and Morton and Freeman's Batteries, was in Forrest's Corps as part of Brigadier General F. C. Armstrong's Division. Following the Battle of Chickamauga, Armstrong's Division was placed in General Joseph Wheeler's Calvary Corps. On 31 Oct 1863, the 1st Brigade in General Wheeler's Corps composed of McKinzie's 5th, Baxter Smith's 8th, Cox's 10th, Dibrell's 8th (or 13th), and Bittle's Regiments. On November 20th, General W. Y. C. Humes was reported as in command of this brigade with a note that all except McKenzie's Regiment were with General Wheeler. On September 30th, General Wheeler started on a raid around the Federal Army, moving up the Sequatchie Valley to McMinnville, in Warren County, and across to Murfreesboro, in Rutherford County. From Murfreesboro, they moved to Pulaski, in Giles County, and recrossed the Tennessee River at Decatur, Alabama.

In November, Lieutenant General James Longstreet's Corps was sent into East Tennessee and the brigade went as part of Major General W. T. Martin's Calvary Division. It was reported as composed of Baxter Smith's 8th, Cox's 10th, Dibrell's 8 (or 13th), and Biffle's Regiment. General Longstreet had been given the assigment of keeping General A. E. Burnside, of the Federal forces, from reaching Knoxville, in Knox County. On 12 Nov 1863, Longstreet's Division crossed the Tennessee River six miles below Loudon, in Loudon County. He had a force of about 15,000 men. After several skirmishes, he attack the federal forces at Campbell's station around 11 a.m., on 16 Nov 1863. After more than six hours of fighting, the Confederate troops retreated into the woods. Federal troops marched the 17 miles to Knoxville. Nearly 500 casualties were estimated. For several days after the battle at Campbell Station, battles raged in Knoxville.

The Division remained in East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia until the last of March, 1864, when it started through North and South Carolina to Georgia, and rejoined the Army of Tennessee at Rosaca, Georgia, 23 Apr 1864. Colonel Biffle was reported in command of the brigade, on 31 Dec 1864, which by that time had been increased by the addition of McLemore's 4th, and Holman's 11th Regiments, and the removal of Baxter Smith's 8th. When it rejoined the Army of Tennessee, the brigade was placed in Brigadier General John Kelly's Division, where it remained throughout the Dalton and Atlanta Campaign. On 20 Aug 1864, it went with General Wheeler on his sweeping raid against General William T. Sherman's railroad communication in Tennessee. On this raid, Dibrell's 8th and part of McLemore's 4th were cut off from Wheeler's command and the brigade was never again united. Biffle's Regiment went with Wheeler's main force to the battle near Franklin, in Williamson County, on 23 Sep 1864, where Brigadier General Kelly was killed.

On 17 November 1864, General Nathan Bedford Forrest had been placed in command of all calvary with the Army of Tennessee, amounting to about 2,000 men. In the latter part of November and December, Biffle's Provisional Brigade was listed as composed of the 10th and 18th Tennessee Calvary Regiments, and as such took part in Forrest's Calvary operations during the Tennessee Campaign. It crossed the Duck River near Columbia, in Maury County, on 28 Nov 1864, and fought on the pike between Spring Hill and Franklin, on 30 Nov 1864. They moved up to Harding Pike four miles from Nashville, on December 7th, and moved to Murfreesboro Pike, December 12th, fought on Franklin Pike and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad area on December 16; and with Forrest in the rearguard of Hood's Army on the retreat out of Tennessee, moving south into Mississippi.

On 1 Jan 1865, General Forrest instructed Brigadier General Chalmers: " On arriving at Rienszi, you will consolidate temporarily Holman's, Biffle's, and Wheeler's Regiments, the 9th Batalion, and 1st Confederate Regiment into four regiments which will compose one brigade." On 19 January 1864, in compliance with this order, General Chalmers consolidated the 10 and 19th Tennessee Calvary Regiments. On 20 January 1864, Forrest instructed Chalmers to "retain Holman's, DeMoss's, Biffle's and Russell's Regiments and release all other parts of regiments and detachments whose commands may be in Georgia.

On 13 February 1865, all Tennessee troops in Forrest's command were ordered to report to Brigadier General W. H. Jackson at Verona, Mississippi for consolidation into six regiments to compose two brigades. Biffle's Regiment was consolidated into seven companies and placed in General Tyree Ball's Brigade.

On 3 May 1865, prior to the surrender and parole, Biffle's Regiment reported 22 officers, 281 men present, 257 effectives; agregate present and absent 508. It was parolled at Gainesville, Alabama, as part of Bell's Brigade.

After the war, James Rust returned to his home in Perry County. The land he was farming in the county was separated by the Tennessee River, and a canoe was used to cross the river. Since the river proved dangerous to cross, James Rust decided to move his family to Langford, in Madison County, Tennessee. His service in the Civil War had taken him to most of the West Tennessee areas, so he would have been familiar with the Madison County area. On 28 Oct 1872, James Rust purchased a 117 acre farm in the Cypress community of the newly formed Crockett County. This farm remained in the Rust family for over 100 years.

The will of James H. M. Rust was probated at the March 1882 County Court Session and is recorded in Minute Book C, page 459. It reads as follows:

I James H. Rust of the County of Crockett and State of Tennessee do make and publish this as my last Will and testament hereby revolking all other wills by me at any time made.

First I direct that all my funeral expenses and my debts be paid as soon after my death as possible, out of any moneys I may die possessed of or may first come into the hand of my Executor.

Secondly I direct that my wife Louisa James have full controll of all my property that she manage the same as she may choose to do during her natural life or widowhood.

Thirdly I direct that at the death of my wife there be an Administrator appointed and that he sell all of the personal and perishable property according to the law and that the proceeds be equally divided among my children, and that the said Administrator have the land (upon which I now reside) sold and the money arising there from equally among my children.

Lastly I hereby nominate and appoint my son John W. Rust my Executor This Feb 17th 1882. Signed J. H. Rust. Witnesses: G. W. Smothers and J. M. Bledsoe

James H. M. Rust died, 21 Feb 1882. He and his wife, Louisa Evans Rust, are buried at Cypress Cemetery, Crockett County, Tennessee.

(Civil War report on James Rust was compiled from The Confederate Soldier in the Civil War, The Campaigns, Battles, Sieges, Charges and Skirmishes, published by Fairfax Press. Genealogy data was compiled from The Rust Family of Virginia, a genealogy of the descendants of William Rust, immigrant ancestor, of Virginia, by Elsworth Marshall Rust; Forsyth, Lowery, Rust, Evans and Related Families, Cox, Lamkin, Rucker and Westmoreland, by Leona Lentz Weaver, privately published in 1990; and Ursula Bysshe Thompson Mottrom Colclough, by Alice Wright Algood, privately published, 2002; and data from thirty five years of personal genealogy research.)

Children of James H. M. Rust and Louisa James Evans were as follows:

Children of Mary Frances (Molly) Rust and George Washington Laman were as follows:

Children of John William Rust and Nancy M. McMillan were as follows:

Children of Avarilla Green Rust and George Washington Forsythe were as follows:

Children of Lucious Boling Rust and Arena Emerson were as follows:

Children of Martha Jane Rust and William Marshall Forsythe were as follows:

Children of Sarah L. Laman and George D. Bodkins were as follows:

Children of Cordelia D. Laman and William Neal Nolen were as follows:

Children of Daniel Hix Laman and Virginia (Jennie) Nichols were as follows:

Children of Edith Vandera Laman and Dee W. Holmes were as follows:

Children of Minnie E Rust and David Ora Tritt were as follows:

Children of Lillie F. Rust and Austin E. Spencer were as follows:

Children of Anna Rust and Benjamin Pigue were as follows:

Children of William Carl Forsythe and Flora B. Huffsteler were as follows:

Children of George Tolbert Forsythe and Maurine Wright were as follows:

Children of Charlie Hess Forsythe and Ethel M. Hays were as follows:

Children of Julius Henderson Forsythe and Abbie Earnheart were as follows:

Children of Pearl Forsythe and William Leonard Sherin were as follows:

Children of Lucy Ray Forsythe and Oliver Stevens Cooper were as follows:

Children of Walter Cleveland Rust and Viola Woodward were as follows:

Children of William John Robert Forsythe and Hattie Baggett were as follows:

Children of Minnie Elizabeth Forsythe and Arlin Reasons were as follows:

Children of Maude Louise Forsythe and Charles Wesley Ferguson were as follows:

Children of Otha Lilburn Forsythe and Letha Faulkner were as follows:

Children of Nancy Ursula Forsythe and Oscar Washington Medford were as follows:

Children of Martha Alice Forsythe and Halcy William Ward were as follows:

Children of Elam Lucius Forsythe and Nancy Elizabeth West were as follows:

Children of John Clarence Forsythe and Alice Berry were as follows:

Children of Marshall Vernon Forsythe and Vera Riggs were as follows:

Children of George Prentice Franklin Forsythe and Ocie Marie Williams were as follows:

Children of Jesse Pierce Nolen and Maude Myrtle Worrell were as follows:

Children of Lex Neal Nolen and Grace Virginia Hopper were as follows:

Children of Finis Garrett Laman and Frankie Lou Hart were as follows:

Children of Hardy Neal Laman and Velma Sue Crutchfield were as follows:

Children of Cordie May Laman and George Dawson Ulseton were as follows:

Children of Ben Hooper Laman and Beuton Brown were as follows:

Children of Robert Pigue and Florence (---) were as follows:

Children of Ewell Donald Rust were as follows:

Children of Mildred Louise Rust and Henry E. Shellabager were as follows:

Children of James Cleveland Rust and Louise P (---) were as follows:

Children of Janey M. Forsythe and Canada Foster were as follows:

Children of Flora Geraldine Ward and William K. Tritt were as follows: