William S. Russell, p. 1252

WILLIAM S. RUSSELL was born February 12, 1843 in Smith township, this county. He is one of the leading agriculturists of the vicinity, and a lineal descendant of Abraham Russell, who was born in Ireland, and, coming to America soon after the war of the Revolution, was married in this country. He became one of the earliest settlers of Smith township, this county, at a time when the Indians made fearful slaughter among the white pioneers. He was a successful farmer, and served his country in the war of 1812 dying at an advanced age, and leaving the following children, who also lived to advanced ages: William (mentioned below), James and John (twins, the latter of whom died in Allegheny county, Penn.) and Nancy (wife of Jacob Drake, a farmer of Armstrong county, Penn.).

William Russell, eldest son of Abraham Russell, was born in the latter part of the last century, in Smith township, this county, receiving a somewhat imperfect schooling, as the opportunities of those days were very meager and primitive. In 1798 he was married to Nancy Strain, whose parents were early settlers in Smith township, and in about 1800 Mr. and Mrs. Russell, with their infant son, removed to Portage county, Ohio, residing there until the close of the war of 1812, in which William was a soldier. Being dissatisfied with the country, he returned about 1815 to Smith township, and located near the line of Cross Creek township, where he continued to follow farming until his death. In politics he was a Democrat. His wife died several years before her husband, and left the following children: Abraham (deceased in this county at the age of eighty-five; he never married), Sarah (deceased wife of James Fulton, formerly of Cross Creek township, then moved to Hanover township, this county), John S., Samantha (who cared for her father in his old age and died unmarried) and James (deceased in Columbiana county, Ohio).

John S. Russell was born February 14, 1806, in Portage county, Ohio, on the home farm, where he was initiated into the mysteries of agricultural life. On February 12, 1833, he was married to Jane Simpson, who was born September 3, 1815, daughter of James and Ellen (Stewart) Simpson, old and early residents of the township. The children born to this union were as follows: Ellen (living in Burgettstown, Penn., unmarried), Cynthia (unmarried, also residing in Burgettstown), Margaret (wife of James Dunbar, of Smith township), Ophelia (Mrs. Hugh Wilson, of Hanover township, this county), William S. (subject of our sketch), Agnes (an unmarried lady of Burgettstown, Penn.), James C. (an agriculturist of Smith township) and David A. (deceased farmer of Smith township). Mrs. Russell died July 23, 1851, and for his second wife, Mr. Russell married Mary A. Vincent, who was born February 20, 1818, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Rea) Vincent, of Mt. Pleasant township, this county. Two children were born to John S. and Mary (Vincent) Russell: John (who died in youth) and Jane (Mrs. D. W. Smith, of Smith township, this county). After his first marriage Mr. Russell settled on a farm one mile west of Bulger, Smith township, where his life was passed successfully in agricultural pursuits. Year by year his possessions increased, until, by dint of careful management, business sagacity and good financiering, he became among the most extensive wool growers and largest landholders of the township, at the time of his death owning nearly six hundred acres of valuable and productive real estate. In politics he was a Democrat, and in religion a member of the Raccoon Presbyterian Church, which he served as an elder. He died September 15, 1879.

William S. Russell was born on a portion of the farm in Smith township, where he is now living, and was reared to rural life. On April 7, 1870 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary McBride, who was born March 5, 1842, a daughter of John McBride. The following children have blessed this union: Eva J., John M., Holland S., Annie S., Clement K., Cynthia S., Walter S., Luella and Dwight M. William S. and Mary (McBride) Russell settled on the "Old Simpson farm," one mile west of Bulger, where his maternal grandfather resided in early days. He devotes a considerable portion of his time to general agriculture and stock raising, and also conducts a small dairy. He was formerly a Democrat, afterward uniting with the Prohibition party, and in religion he and his wife were consistent members of the Raccoon Presbyterian Church, in which he is an elder.

Text taken from page 1252 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

Transcribed February 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published February 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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