Today I have researched the Peter Hurst and Ann Rust family of Woodford County, Kentucky.  I am beginning with this portion of a history of Woodford County by W. E. Railey.  I also have gravestone photos, census records and other things to share with you, but will begin with this to give you a history of the family.  I will say that Peter and Ann Hurst had more children than are listed in this essay, but  since they died young were probably unknown to this author.

Woodford County by W. E. Railey, Part Four

Peter Hurst married Ann Rust in Virginia and came to Kentucky about 1812. I have not been able to learn what part of Virginia they came from, but it is well known that they were both of English extract. Ann Rust was a niece of Chancellor Kent, a distinguished barrister of Virginia and the author of “Kent’s Commenatries”. Soon after they arrived in Woodford County Peter Hurst was drafted for service in the War of 1812, but his eldest son George, realizing what an important factor his father was, in relation to the maintenance of a family that contained seven or eight children, notwithstanding his youth, volunteered his services as a substitute, was accepted and rendered creditable service. Peter Hurst also had a brother whose name was Harry, who was in the service of the War of 1812, and he was an aide on the staff of General William Henry Harrison. General Harrison was commissioned by Governor Charles Scott as commandant of Kentucky troops in that war.

Peter Hurst and Ann Rust had the following children: George, Marshall, James, Alfred, Margaret, Kent, Ann, Bettie and Kittie. All married but Kittie. There was no effort to arrange these names according to birth, as I was not in possession of dates.

Marshall Hurst married Julia Darneal, and they had Shrewsberry and Frank Hurst, who are well remembered businessmen, in the commission business for many years in Versailles, and farmers as well as commission merchants.

James Hurst, who married Teny Norwood, had no children, but they reared Lewis and Nora Harrison, niece and nephew of his wife.

Margaret Kent Hurst married Henry Ferguson and had these children: Mary Hurst, who married Will Edwards; Lewis, James, Peter, Kate and Millie, who married Hack Skillman. Henry Ferguson and Margaret Kent Hurst lived for many years on a farm near Spring Station that adjoined the farm of David C. Humphries and followed the old Cole Road to Harmony Church. This farm was formerly owned by Mr. Lee, who built a splendid brick residence there early in the nineteenth century.

Ann Hurst married Thomas D. Urmston. She inherited that part of the Peter Hurst estate that lay back of the Versailles Cemetery, and at her death she bequeathed it to her niece, Mary Ferguson Edwards, who owns it to this time.

Bettie Hurst married James Alexander, of Woodford County, and they had one son, Charles Alexander, who was for many years a prominent farmer of the county. Charles Alexander was an intense Union man during the Civil War, and ever afterward a strong Republican in politics, a man of Christian character, and well-liked by his friends and neighbors. For one term since the Civil War he was Collector of Internal Revenue for the Lexington District, but I fail to recall the years of service or the administration under which he served. His grandfather, David Alexander, was a native of North Carolina, who came to Kentucky just before the War of 1812, in which he took part. Returning to Woodford County after the war he resumed the duties incident to this farm. I am not advised as to whether he had children other than James or not, but James, I think, only had Charles. Charles married Mollie Daniel and they took much pleasure in the old homestead, and were life-long members of the Presbyterian Church.

Alfred Hurst was born in Woodford County in 1818, reared on the farm of his father, in the ‘Dry Ridge’ vicinity, three miles from Versailles, and his elementary education was obtained in the schools at Versailles. When twenty years of age he entered the office of Doctors Carter and Blackburn where, under their direction and advice, he laid the foundation for a course in medicine. Afterwards he entered the school of medicine in Cincinnati, and later attended the Louisville University of Medicine, where he graduated in 1845. He then formed a partnership with Dr. John Carter, of Versailles, but the firm was dissolved a few years later and he maintained an office alone for many years. He died at Midway during the year 1888.

Dr. Alfred Hurst married in 1840 Adela Craig, daughter of James Craig, and granddaughter of the Rev. Joseph Craig, a noted minister. She died in 1879. Of the nine children resulting from this union, all died at an early age, and unmarried, except their daughter, Bettie, who married Charles Nuckols, of this county, and of this union the following children were born: Ada, Minnie, Jane, Charles, Francis, Samuel, Alfred and Horace.

Sallie Hurst was another daughter of Peter Hurst and Ann Rust whose name I did not get until this sketch was written. She married Hezekiah Ellis and they had Sallie Ellis, who has not married, and Sue Ellis, who married John A. Higgins, now employed in Good Roads Bureau at Frankfort, and they have a daughter, Julia Hume Higgins, who is employed in the Automobile Department of the state government.