Rush Ranch and The Rush Family

Hiram Rush’s grandfather's brother, Dr. Benjamin Rush, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Hiram Rush married Ann Inwood in 1835. They had two daughters (Eleanor and Sarah). When Ann Inwood Rush died, Hiram married Ann's younger sister, Sarah in 1849.

Later in 1849 they traveled to California by wagon train. He also drove a small herd of cattle with them. Hiram and Sarah first lived in Sacramento where they had a hotel business as well as the cattle. Hiram and Sarah had their first child, Benjamin Rush, in 1852. In 1857 they had Mary and in 1859 Kate was born!

In the late 1850s the whole family moved to Solano County. From 1858 to 1864 Hiram was buying land in Solano County. In 1864 he started buying land in the Portrero Hills, this became part of Rush Ranch. Eventually his family had over 5,100 acres of land in the Portrero Hills. He had several thousand head of cattle and sheep and many horses. He also raised grain and Rush Landing was used for shipping goods by water. Rush Landing was used to send goods from the Suisun Area to and from San Francisco.

In 1869, at the age of 60, Hiram was killed in a buggy accident. His buggy had tipped over on the side of a hill, near Portrero Hills.

Rush Ranch was actually the horse barn area for the famous Rush horses! Hiram Rush died in a buggy accident. His son, Benjamin, was too young to take over the land. Benjamin had to finish his schooling in San Francisco before he returned to Fairfield.