Gershom RUSLING

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  General Notes:

The following is from the Christian Advocate, New York, April 7, 1881, and is a fuller account of him:

GERSHOM RUSLING. This veteran Methodist, son of James Rusling and Mary Fowler, was born in New York City Sept. 1, 1796, and died in Trenton, N. J., Feb. 5, 1881. He was the father of a family of Methodists, of whom Gen. James F. Rusling, of Trenton, N. J., is best known to the Church at large. His early life was spent in Warren County, N. J., chiefly near Hackettstown, and at Washington. His parents, also, were Methodists, of an earnest type, from Hull, England, and two of his brothers (Joseph and Sedgwick) became Methodist ministers, well known throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Fifty years ago Rev. Joseph Rusling, then of Philadelphia, was one of the popular orators and poets of our Church. His "Sunday-school Hymns" were long in general use, and some he wrote survived down to our last "Collection." His brother Gershom (subject of this memoir) early embraced religion, being converted at a camp-meeting in Northern Jersey, and for many years was the life and soul of our Church at Washington, N. J. Owing chiefly to his efforts our first Methodist Episcopal church was erected there, in 1825-26, and he continued an active official member there until his removal to Trenton in 1845. He had been the leading merchant and business man at Washington, but his health failing after his removal to Trenton, he lived more quiet and retired. He was Recording Steward and class-leader over twenty-five years, an exhorter over thirty-five years, and a subscriber to the Advocate over fifty years. His house was always the welcome home of gospel ministers, but especially of Methodist preachers, and he never ceased to talk of George Banghart, Manning Force, David Bartine, Lawrence McComb, Isaac Winner, Bishop Janes, Bishop Scott, and other worthies, who had gathered about his fireside in previous years.

He was married three times, and left a widow and three sons surviving, the latter all children of his first wife, Eliza B., daughter of Henry Hankinson, Esq., formerly a prominent member of the bar at Washington, N. J. He had great force of will and sturdy independence of character in all things. As a business man, he was shrewd and sagacious. As a husband, he was tender and kind. As a father, he was affectionate and devoted to his children. As a citizen, he was upright and honest. Socially, he was gifted as a talker, and noted for his fund of anecdotes and power of repartee. As a Christian, he was rooted and grounded in "the faith once delivered to the saints;" a true son of John Wesley and Francis Asbury; a fine representative of our old Methodism, and he greatly loved to compare our modern pulpiteers with Lawrence McComb, Charles Pitman, and such old heroes of the past.

maintained family prayer to the last; and his latest intelligible utterance was, "Happy, happy in the Lord." He loved the Church and all her institutions, and never doubted that his steps were "ordered by the Lord." Surely such a man has not died, but merely "passed over to the majority."

Gershom married Eliza Budd HANKINSON on 1 Mar 1825. (Eliza Budd HANKINSON was born on 13 Apr 1783, died on 3 Dec 1838 and was buried in Asbury Methodist Episcopal Cemetery.)

Gershom next married Hannah MATTHEWS, daughter of Jeremiah MATTHEWS and Kezia ALIEN, on 7 Jul 1841 in Hunderdon, NJ. (Hannah MATTHEWS was born on 22 Oct 1796,¹ died on 19 May 1858 ¹ and was buried in Asbury Methodist Episcopal Cemetery.)

Gershom next married Sarah HILL on 13 Dec 1860.