Rose was one of the sixteen known enslaved people held at the Bush-Holley House. She was the third child of Cull Bush Sr and Patience, who were also enslaved by the Bush family. We know that Rose lived in the Bush household with her family until the age of 4. We also know that she is no longer there by the age of 14. It appears that after the death of David Bush, the Bush family began to send Cull and Patience’s daughters out to serve in other households once they were old enough to work independently.
Rose was willed to David’s daughter, Grace, after his death, and would have served her, or had the money for her labor sent to Grace, until she was legally freed on her 21st birthday by the Gradual Emancipation Acts. As Grace did not marry or move from her parents’ house before Rose’s 21st birthday, it is likely that Rose remained a maid for hire until she came of age. No records of her in freedom have been found.
