Limbaugh family

The Limbaugh family is a prominent political family from Missouri. Its members have served as attorneys, politicians, judges, and political commentators in Missouri and the United States. The most well-known member is former conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh. The first family member in America, Georg Friedrich Limbach, was born in Germany c. 1737 and immigrated to the United States, arriving in Berks County, Pennsylvania, as a young man in 1753. In 1758, Georg married Anna Catharine Ritter and had six sons.[1] Georg settled in Missouri Territory in 1800 with his youngest son Michael and 19 other families. The family developed ties to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and served in a number of municipal capacities, including the governance of Southeast Missouri State University.

  • Jefferson W. Limbaugh Jr. (1852–1905), judge and attorney from Jackson, Missouri, who was one of the first mayors of Jackson, and was a member of the bar for more than 25 years.[2] He was the son of Jefferson Limbaugh (1826–1852) who in 1849 began the Southern Democrat newspaper in Jackson.[3] Jefferson W. Limbaugh II was a Democrat who was defeated in 1898 for election to the state house of representatives by Republican George Christian Thilenius by a vote of 2,163 to 2,326.[4] He and Rush Hudson Limbaugh I were grandsons of Daniel R. Limbaugh (1802–1862).
  • Rush Hudson Limbaugh Sr. (1891–1996), American legislator and ambassador; state legislator 1931–1932; Missouri Counsel for the War Emergency Pipelines, 1942–1946; President of the Missouri Bar, 1955–1956; President of the State Historical Society of Missouri, 1956–1959;[5] chairman of the Cape Girardeau Republican Committee, 1928–1938[6]
  • Stephen N. Limbaugh Sr., (b. 1927), son of Rush Sr., a retired United States District Court judge for the Eastern and Western districts of Missouri, 1983–2008; also served as Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney, 1955–1958.[7] He was married to Anne M. Limbaugh (1950–2017), Cape Girardeau community service leader.[8]
  • Rush Hudson Limbaugh III (1951–2021), American political commentator and host of The Rush Limbaugh Show. Grandson of Rush Sr., brother of David.
  • David Limbaugh (b. 1952), American political commentator, attorney and author. Grandson of Rush Sr., brother of Rush III.
  • Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr., (b. 1952), United States District Court judge for the Eastern District of Missouri, 2008–present; former justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri, 1992–2008, chief justice, 2001–2003. He also served as Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney, 1979–1982. Son of Stephen Sr., cousin to David and Rush III and grandson of Rush Sr.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Our Limbaugh Ancestors".
  2. ^ "Out of the past 7/31/05". Southeast Missouri. Cape Girardeau, MO. July 31, 2005.
  3. ^ "Anniversaries in 1949 of Events Recorded in The Missourian Files". Southeast Missouri. Cape Girardeau, MO. January 29, 1949.
  4. ^ "Official Manual of the State of Missouri 1899-1900". Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  5. ^ "House Report 110-10 – Rush Hudson Limbaugh Sr., United States Courthouse". February 12, 2007. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
  6. ^ Dennis K. Boman (2012). The Original Rush Limbaugh: Lawyer, Legislator, and Civil Libertarian. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press. ISBN 978-0-8262-1980-0.
  7. ^ a b "History of the Prosecutor's Office". Retrieved October 26, 2014.
  8. ^ "Anne Limbaugh obituary". September 22, 2017. Retrieved September 22, 2017.