Dr. J. O. Rush moved to St. Francis County in April of 1896 and began his practice near the town of Colt.  Wanting to capitalize on the railroad,  he moved his office to the Dyer building on Front Street in Forrest City in 1900.  It was in 1906 to 1907 that he built his home (then at 300 North Front Street), which included his offices.  At the time, it was known as "the immense house down on Front Street.

In 1912 he started collecting relics as a hobby.  He had been to see a patient out in the county, and as he was leaving, members of the family said that they had no money to pay the bill.  It was then that Dr. Rush noticed some pottery in the yard and accepted it as payment.  Over the next 57 years, Dr. Rush collected more than 3700 pieces in his home museum.  It is still one of the largest collections in the state.  It includes pre-historic, Indian, Civil War, African-American, South Pacific, Mayan, Incan, and local interest pieces.

For years, Dr. Rush made his calls with horse and buggy, traveling in all kinds of weather over muddy trails.  As roads improved, he saw the need for faster transportation.  He bought one of the first automobiles in the county (a second-hand Ford) and established the first Ford dealership here.  Dr. Rush also owned and supervised about 600 acres of farm land west of Forrest City and at Blackfish.

Dr. Rush was a member of the American Medical Society and Secretary of the Cross-St. Francis-Lee Medical Association, Secretary of the Third Counselor District Medical Society, and Rock Island and Cotton Belt Surgeon's Society.  He was the Forrest City Health Officer, serving without pay for many years.  He was also a member of the commission that built the first "hard" roads in the county, including Highway 70 to Memphis.

Dr. Rush was also well-known for his "deep, hearty laughter," which resounded through the streets of Forrest City for more than 50 years. He married Cora Peak of Lexington, Missouri, in 1901.  He and his wife had three daughters: Francis Marian, Anne Virginia, and Stella Mae.  Dr. J. O. Rush died in Forrest City in 1961.