Nicholas J. Rusch
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Johann Rusch was a tutor
, farmer, member of the Iowa Senate
(1858–1860), the second Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
(1860–1862), Iowa’s Commissioner of Immigration, and a captain in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
, Holstein
. He attended elementary school at Marne
, the gymnasium at Meldorf
, the Segeberg Seminary and the University of Kiel
. He immigrated to the United States in 1847 and while enroute he tutored the children in a family. He settled on a farm in Scott County, Iowa
near the city of Davenport
. He was part of the first wave of immigrants who settled in the area from Schleswig-Holstein
.
Rusch soon acquired knowledge of the language, laws and institutions of his adopted country. He was a member of the Republican Party
, and was nominated by Scott County Republicans to serve in the Iowa Senate
in 1857. He won the general election and while in the Senate he focused his attention on alcohol laws, land ownership of foreign-born Iowans and German language usage in official documents. He became an influential leader among German-Americans and within the Republican Party. In 1859 he was nominated by the Republican State Convention for Lieutenant Governor
on the ticket with Samuel J. Kirkwood
. As Lieutenant Governor, Rusch presided over the Iowa Senate for two years.
After serving his term, Rusch was appointed by Governor Kirkwood to be Iowa’s Commissioner of Immigration. He spent his time in New York where he distributed promotional information about the state. He returned to Iowa ten months later as immigration nearly came to a halt during the Civil War. Rusch joined the Union Army when Kirkwood appointed him to the Commissary Department with the rank of captain. In Vicksburg, Mississippi
, he developed a plan to protect Union steamboats on the Mississippi River
from guerilla attacks by positioning lumberjacks along the river to provide steamboats with fuel and to interfere in case the boats were attacked. The plan was approved by General Ulysses S. Grant
and Rusch left for New York where he recruited immigrants for his lumberjack army. Before he could be put his plan into action, however, Rusch died suddenly after his return to Vicksburg on September 22, 1864. He was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery
in Davenport.
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
, farmer, member of the Iowa Senate
Iowa Senate
The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 50 members of the Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 59,500 per constituency. Each Senate district is composed of two House districts...
(1858–1860), the second Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
This is a List of Lieutenant Governors of the U.S. state of Iowa, 1858 to present. In Iowa, the Lieutenant Governor and the governor run together on the same ticket. Before the 1998 Election, the law was changed from the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor running separately....
(1860–1862), Iowa’s Commissioner of Immigration, and a captain in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Biography
Rusch was born on February 16, 1822, in Sankt MichaelisdonnSankt Michaelisdonn
Sankt Michaelisdonn is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany....
, Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
. He attended elementary school at Marne
Marne
Marne is a department in north-eastern France named after the river Marne which flows through the department. The prefecture of Marne is Châlons-en-Champagne...
, the gymnasium at Meldorf
Meldorf
Meldorf is a city in western Schleswig-Holstein, in the district of Dithmarschen, and straddling the Miele river. It was first mentioned in writing before 1250 ad, and it served as the capital of the Dithmarschen, a peasant republic with Allies in the Hanseatic league dating from 1468...
, the Segeberg Seminary and the University of Kiel
University of Kiel
The University of Kiel is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in 1665 as the Academia Holsatorum Chiloniensis by Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and has approximately 23,000 students today...
. He immigrated to the United States in 1847 and while enroute he tutored the children in a family. He settled on a farm in Scott County, Iowa
Scott County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 165,224 in the county, with a population density of . There were 71,835 housing units, of which 66,765 were occupied.-2000 census:...
near the city of Davenport
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
. He was part of the first wave of immigrants who settled in the area from Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
.
Rusch soon acquired knowledge of the language, laws and institutions of his adopted country. He was a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party of Iowa
The Republican Party of Iowa is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Iowa. The State Central Committee is led by Chairman Matt Strawn and Co-Chairman Bill Schickel...
, and was nominated by Scott County Republicans to serve in the Iowa Senate
Iowa Senate
The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 50 members of the Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 59,500 per constituency. Each Senate district is composed of two House districts...
in 1857. He won the general election and while in the Senate he focused his attention on alcohol laws, land ownership of foreign-born Iowans and German language usage in official documents. He became an influential leader among German-Americans and within the Republican Party. In 1859 he was nominated by the Republican State Convention for Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
on the ticket with Samuel J. Kirkwood
Samuel J. Kirkwood
Samuel Jordan Kirkwood , was an American politician best known as Iowa's American Civil War Governor. He also served in the U.S. Senate and as U.S. Secretary of the Interior.-Early life and career:...
. As Lieutenant Governor, Rusch presided over the Iowa Senate for two years.
After serving his term, Rusch was appointed by Governor Kirkwood to be Iowa’s Commissioner of Immigration. He spent his time in New York where he distributed promotional information about the state. He returned to Iowa ten months later as immigration nearly came to a halt during the Civil War. Rusch joined the Union Army when Kirkwood appointed him to the Commissary Department with the rank of captain. In Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
, he developed a plan to protect Union steamboats on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
from guerilla attacks by positioning lumberjacks along the river to provide steamboats with fuel and to interfere in case the boats were attacked. The plan was approved by General Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
and Rusch left for New York where he recruited immigrants for his lumberjack army. Before he could be put his plan into action, however, Rusch died suddenly after his return to Vicksburg on September 22, 1864. He was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery
Pine Hill Cemetery (Davenport, Iowa)
Pine Hill Cemetery is located in north-central Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is in a section of the city that includes three other cemeteries: Mount Calvary, Davenport Memorial Park and Mount Nebo, which is in the back of Pine Hill. One of the cemetery’s more prominent markers is a memorial...
in Davenport.