John Russell, p. 456

JOHN RUSSELL. This highly prosperous farmer represents one of the oldest pioneer families of Washington county. His grandfather, Andrew Russell, was born in 1732, in Scotland, and came to America in 1758. He was married in this country to Isabelle Mays, a native of Ireland, and the young couple settled near Oxford, Chester Co., Penn., afterward moving to Canonsburg, this county, where they resided till 1782. Andrew then bought the farm in Chartiers township, which is yet owned by his grandson. He was a blacksmith by trade, having brought his tools from eastern Pennsylvania, and, being the only one for miles around, his services were in constant demand.

Andrew Russell, a son of the pioneer just mentioned, was born January 3, 1777, in Cecil township, this county, and in 1782 was brought by his parents to their new home in Chartiers township, where his youth was passed. In 1800 he was married to Ann McClellan, who was born in 1784, in Mt. Pleasant township, this county, and after marriage began to manage the home farm. He was a Whig, taking an active part in the early political history of the county; he had a brother who served in the war of 1812. In religious faith Andrew Russell was first a Seceder, then joined the United Presbyterian Church of Canonsburg. He died March 2, 1861, in his eighty-fourth year, being followed February 17, 1868, by his wife, who had borne him children as follows: Jane, married to Samuel Lee, and died January 24, 1880; Isabelle, married to William McCall, and died in 1845; James, married in 1844 to Elizabeth McElroy, and died in January, 1890; Ann, living in New Concord, Ohio; Elizabeth, married to Robert Jeffrey, of Mt. Pleasant township, and died January 10, 1878, in her sixty-fifth year; Andrew, married in April, 1839 to Jane Miller, and died in April, 1891; Alexander, married first to Margaret Ann Acheson (deceased), then to Lavina Cockins, and died September 29, 1886, in his sixty-eighth year; Robert, married first to Elizabeth Mc Conaughy (deceased), then to Martha Jane Mc Nary, and died in May, 1887; John, a sketch of whom follows: William (married to Margaret Thompson, who died in 1892), living in Chartiers township, and Nancy, who died in 1849.

John Russell, the subject proper of this sketch, was born in 1821, on the farm in Chartiers township which is his present home. His early education was obtained in the subscription schools which were then sustained by a few families interested in the literary culture of their children. In May, 1866, John Russell was united in marriage with Elizabeth G. Morrison, a native of Chartiers township. She is a daughter of William and Sarah (Munce) Morrison, both of whom were born and reared in Chartiers township, where the father followed farming. He was an ardent member of the Whig party, and both parents were members of the Presbyterian Church. The father died about 1860, in this county, and the mother was laid beside him in March, 1885. To the union of John and Elizabeth G. (Morrison) Russell four children have been born, namely: Lizzie Luella (wife of J. R. Hosick, a theological student at the Allegheny Seminary); Anna J. Mack, a student of the Western Reserve Medical College, Cleveland, Ohio, and Frank (deceased in infancy). Mr. Russell owns the home farm, which has been in the family over one hundred and ten years, and consists of 160 acres, upon which comfortable and commodious buildings are erected. He makes a specialty of raising a high grade of English Shire horses. Mr. Russell has in his possession many antique relics of the past generations, among which may be mentioned an anvil which was brought from Scotland by his grandfather, also a day-book over one hundred and twenty years old. He has a small trunk, or case in trunk shape, that was owned by his father, and is very old; it is 4 x 7 inches, leather covered, and is quite a curiosity. He and his wife are both members of the United Presbyterian Church, at Canonsburg, this county. He was formerly a ruling elder in Chartiers Cross Roads U. P. Church. Mr. Russell died on Monday, January 16, 1893, after only twenty-four hours illness.

Text taken from page 456 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

Transcribed February 1998 by Karen Souhrada of Pittsford, NY as part of the Beers Project.
Published February 1998 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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