As a retiree immersed in genealogy, I’m slowly working my way through decades of photocopies that once filled my research notebooks. Many of these treasures were gathered long before digitized records were just a click away. Today, much of that same material is readily available online — but there is still something special about the copies my parents brought home from their research travels.
Today’s Monday’s Diggings features one of those treasures: a photocopy from the Randolph County Genealogical Society Journal that my parents collected during a trip to North Carolina. The article contains the petition for dower filed by my 4th great-grandmother, Sallie Rush, widow of Noah Rush.
A dower petition can be a gold mine for genealogists, and this one certainly was. In requesting her legal one-third life interest in her late husband’s lands, Sallie named her surviving children and several grandchildren. This single document accomplished several important things in my Briles and Rush research:
- It provided documentary evidence linking Sallie Rush of Randolph County, North Carolina, to Sallie Briles of Kansas.
- It identified Dorcus Briles, wife of Branson Briles, as a daughter.
- It confirmed the migration patterns of family members from North Carolina to Indiana and Kansas.
At the time I first encountered this journal transcription, it was a pivotal piece of evidence in untangling the Briles/Rush connections. While today we often seek out original images whenever possible, I am grateful to earlier genealogists who abstracted and published these records. Their work preserved access to documents that were not easily obtainable decades ago.
Below is a transcription of the journal article.
SALLIE RUSH’S PETITION FOR DOWER
From: Estate papers, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.
Superior Court – Randolph County
Sallie RUSH Plaintiff)
against ) Petition for Dower
Zebadee RUSH Sen. )Milton BLAIR and wife Mary BLAIR
Franklin JOHNSON and wife Martha JOHNSON
Alexander BRILES and wife Sallie BRILES
Branson BRILES and wife Dorcas BRILES
George G. RUSH
John C. RUSH
Noah RUSH
Nancy WADE
Sallie HATFIELD
Zebadee RUSH, Jr.
George GASTMON and wife Mary GASTMON
Martha RUSH
Nancy RUSH
Louisa RUSH
Laura RUSH
The last four minors by their Guardian
Lewis RUSH DefendantsTo the Honorable A. W. TOUGEE Judge of Said Court
The Petition of Sallie RUSH widow of Noah RUSH deceased respectfully Showeth unto your honor.
I. That her Said husband died intestate in Randolph County during the year 1870.
II. That he left him surving the following children & grandchildren who are his only heirs at law, to wit, the defendant, Sallie BRILES wife of Alexander BRILES Post Office Loray Kansas, Darcus BRILES wife of Branson BRILES Post Office Verdia Kansas, George G. RUSH Post Office McCameron Indiana, John C. RUSH, Noah RUSH, Nancy WADE. Post Office of the last three Springville Indiana. Mary BLAIR wife of Milton BLAIR, Martha JOHNSON wife of Frankline JOHNSON, Zebadee RUSH. the last three of Randolph County North Carolina – Sallie HATFIELD, Zebadee RUSH, Jr., Mary GASTMON wife of George GASTMON and Carolina RUSH. The last four Springfield Indiana, and the following minors, Martha RUSH aged 20 years, Nancy RUSH aged 14 years, Louisa RUSH aged 12 years, Laura RUSH aged 9 years, and Said minors have for their Guardian Louis RUSH Post Office Springville Indianna.
III. That her Said husband at the time of his death was seized in Fee Simple of the following tracts of land, Situated in Said County. 1st. tract. The home tract adjoining R. W. HARRIS, Lewis JOHNSON and other containing by estimation 300 acres. 2nd. the POWEL tract adjoining the lands of
John WILBORN other lands of the deceased containing 100 acres more or less. 3rd tract adjoining Benj. RUSH and others containing 50 acres more or less. 4th tract adjoining P. COPPLES lands and others containing 24 acres more or less. 5th tract adjoining lands of Robert LOFLIN and others containing 15 acres more or less. 6th ½ interest in Copper mine tract of 100 acres more or less adjoining N. SPENCER and others.
IV. That your Petitioner is desirous to have her Dower in said lands alloted to her according to law. Whereupon your Petitioner prays. 1st an order, that a writ issue to the Sheriff commanding him to Summons five persons qualefied to act as Jurors, connected with the parties neither by Comanquinity nor affinity and entirely disconnected to view the aforesaid tracts of land and to allot and Set apart to her one third part thereof, including the dweling house and all out buildings and improvements appertaining to the Same, for the term of her natural life, and Report their proceedings in due form of law. 2nd That summons with copies of this Petition may be issued to each and every of the defendants, and also publication made as to the non residents requiring them to be and appear before this court according to law, and show cause if any they can why the prayer of your Petitioner Shall not be granted, and your Petitioner as in duty bound Shall ever pray.
JACKSON and ROBINS
Attos. for Petitioner
A digitized image and full transcription of the original court case file can now be found on FamilySearch. For those who prefer to work from the original record rather than a journal reprint, I’ve included the citation for the first page of the court file below.
“Randolph, North Carolina, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89C6-R6QV?view=explore : Feb 14, 2026), image 1074 of 1821; North Carolina. Division of Archives and History. Image Group Number: 007384178