Edwin N. Rusk, a leading citizen of Staunton township, now retired after many years passed in agricultural activities, was born on the Pence farm in Spring Creek township, Miami county, in 1859, a son of William F. and Mary (Anderson) Rusk, natives of Warren county, Ohio. The family is well and favorably known in that county, where those of the name have resided for more than one hundred years. The maternal grandmother of Mr. Rusk, Elizabeth Longstreet, who was related to General Longstreet, of Civil war fame, settled at Cincinnati in 1818. The paternal grandfather of Mr. Rusk, of Scotch-Irish parentage, came to the United States in 1780, when a child, and passed the mature years of his life in farming in Warren county. William F. Rusk grew to man hood in Warren county, where he passed some years in farming and was married in 1844, but later moved to Spring Creek township, Miami county, where he rounded out his career. He was one of the prominent and influential men of his community and served for many years as township trustee and county assessor. He and his wife were the parents of nine children: James A., a member of the Seventy-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil war, who was killed at the battle of Nashville, in December, 1864; John N., a member of the One Hundred and Tenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry ("Miami County's Own") during the Civil war, who, was killed by a Confederate sharpshooter at Cold Harbor, one of the battles of the Wilderness, in June, 1864; William Franklin, deceased; Lettie, who died as the wife of Albert Kinder; Walter S., a Canadian farmer, who has three children; Edwin N.; Louella; Laura Belle, who died young, and a child who died in in fancy. One of the cherished possessions of Edwin N. Rusk is the beautifully carved top of an ammunition box which was used as the headstone for his brother's grave. It was the possession of this that enabled the searchers to find the bodies of the two soldier brothers, whose remains were brought back to Ohio and buried in the graveyard at Raper Chapel, halfway between Piqua and Troy. Edwin N. Rusk was educated in the public schools of Miami county and was engaged in farming a tract of eighty-seven acres, which he owns, until 1915. Since then he has lived in retirement, his land now being farmed by tenants. In addition to establishing a reputation as a capable farmer, Mr. Rusk rendered his fellow citizens splendid service in several public capacities, being justice of the peace for six years and assessor of Staunton township four years. He was a member of several Liberty loan committees during the war period and of the draft registration board. February 21, 1884, he was united in marriage with Minnie, daughter of John and Susan (Harritt) Hart, farming people of Staunton township, and to this union there were born two daughters: Lettie, who married Frank Weatherhead, a farmer, in 1906, and Velva, who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Weatherhead have three children: Helen, born in 1907, who recently made a trip to Washington, D. C., New York City and Columbus, Ohio, for best sewing, and as one of the best girl canners in Miami county; Lucille, born in 1913, who is attending school in the country, and Robert Rusk, born in 1918. The family attend the Christian church at Troy, Ohio, of which they are members. Politically Mr. Rusk is a Republican and served as a member of the central executive committee.