Rush Nutt (1781-1837) was a Mississippian planter, physician, and scientist. He was the founder of Laurel Hill Plantation and discovered

Petit Gulf cotton Petit Gulf cotton was a cotton hybrid patented by planter Rush Nutt at his Laurel Hill Plantation in Rodney, Mississippi, in 1833. It was named "Petit Gulf" for the bend of the Mississippi River where it was grown. It proved more resistant than th ...

. He is a former justice of the Jefferson County court in Mississippi.

Early life

Nutt was born as Rushworth Nutt to Richard Turner Nutt and Elizabeth Rawlings in

Northumberland County, Virginia Northumberland County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 11,839. Its county seat is Heathsville. The county is located on the Northern Neck and is part of the Northern Neck George Washin ...

. Nutt studied under Dr. Benjamin Rush at the University of Pennsylvania. Nutt changed his name from Rushworth to Rush after Dr. Benjamin Rush.

Career

Nutt moved to the West in 1805 to

Jefferson County, Mississippi Jefferson County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi; its western border is formed by the Mississippi River. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, the population was 7,726, making it the third ...

and established the Laurel Hill Plantation. He established Oakland College. He built the first brick church in Rodney. He toured Egypt, Jerusalem, Syria, Turkey, and Greece. He was the first American to visit those regions. He wrote about his travels, agriculture and scientific studies. Nutt developed the "

Petit Gulf Petit Gulf cotton was a cotton hybrid patented by planter Rush Nutt at his Laurel Hill Plantation in Rodney, Mississippi, in 1833. It was named "Petit Gulf" for the bend of the Mississippi River where it was grown. It proved more resistant than the ...

", a hybrid strain, in 1833. He developed the Egypto-Mexican hybrid cotton in 1841. The cotton he developed were easier to pick. A article about his trips to Chkickasaw tribes was published in 1947 called ''"Nutt's Trip to the Chickasaw Country"'' in the Journal of Mississippi History by Jesse D. Jennings. He served as an appointed Justice in the court of Jefferson County, Mississippi.

Personal life

Nutt's first wife died six months after their marriage. Nutt married Eliza Ker, his second marriage, on 23 March 1808. She was the daughter of Judge David Ker. They had seven children. His son was

Haller Nutt Haller Nutt (1816-1864) was an American Southern planter. He was a successful cotton planter and plantation owner in Mississippi. He developed a strain of cotton that became important commercially for the Deep South. Early life Haller Nutt was bor ...

, was a planter who supported the Union during the United States Civil War. According to Haller Nutt's listed property in 1860, he owned 42,947 acres and 800 slaves.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nutt 1781 births 1837 deaths People from Northumberland County, Virginia Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania alumni American planters American slave owners