The ancestors and descendants of Abel Russell, revolutionary soldier from Westford, Massachusetts, and Fayette, (Starling Plantation) Maine. Comprising one of the lines of descent from William and Martha Russell, of Cambridge in Massachusetts, who came to America from England about the year 1640

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1585661

REYNOLDS HISTORICAL
GENEALOGY COLLECTION

ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

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3 1833 01426 9549

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2010 with funding from

Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center

http://www.archive.org/details/ancestorsdescendOOruss

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THE

ANCESTORS AND DESCENDANTS

OF 1

ABEL RUSSELL

Revolutionary Soldier from Westtord,

Massachusetts, and Fayette,

(Starling Plantation) Maine

Comprising One of the Lines of Descent

from William and Martha Russell, of

Cambridge in Massachusetts,

who Came to America from

England «bout the

Year 1640 1

eg.

Compiled by

ARTHUR J. RUSSELL
MRS. S. R. CHILD

PRESS OF AUGSBURG PUBLISHING HOUSE

MINNEAPOLIS

1922

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15S5661

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO
FRANK JAMES RUSSELL

AND

RALPH ORDWAY RUSSELL

OF

NEW SHARON, MAINE,

BOYS OF THE TENTH GENERATION

IN AMERICA

THE FIRST MIGRATION

THE emigration of Englishmen to
New England began with the Mayfiower
pilgrims in 1620. It was inconsiderable
until 1630 and then increased greatly. At
the end of ten years more, 1640, it had al-
most ceased. The reason for the cessa-
tion was the opening of the Long Parlia-
ment in England and the cessation of the
religious persecution that had caused the
exodus.

In the time given, about twenty years,
21,000 EngHshmen came to New Eng-
land and multiplied there for a century
and a half in almost complete seclusion
from other influences. Here occurred the
genesis of the ''Yankees,'* as the Indians
pronounced the word "English."

Some slight emigrations from this stock
took place early, but it was not until the

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ABEL RUSSELL

last quarter of the Eighteenth Century
that those swarms of Yankees which have
so spread over the United States and now
into western Canada, began to leave New
England. Millions of living persons,
either born in New England or tracing
their origin to natives of that region, are
descendants of the 21,000 Englishmen
who came over in the twenty years from
1620 to 1640.

The people of New England were an
unmixed race of pure English blood, rep-
resenting a peculiar type of Englishman
of the Seventeenth Century, called Puri-
tan. Among the immigrants were a few
other English elements, but, under the in-
. fluence of the environment, their anti-
Puritan peculiarities began to disappear
and conformity to the Puritan standard
was soon brought about.

The "Ulster County emigration'* did

not begin until about a century later and

V the Southern Irish emigration that has

now so overwhelmed parts of New Eng-

ABEL RUSSELL

land was later still. The Italians and
Jews are comparatively modern contri-
butions. '

THE FIRST GENERATION

Somewhere about the year 1640, when
John Milton was engaged In thinking out
and writing down the first drafts of his
''Areopagitica" or his "Penserosa," and
when a copy of Shakespeare's ''First Fo-
lio" might have been secured for a pound
or so In the second hand bookshops of
that city, William and Martha Russell
with their son, Joseph, set sail for Amer=-
lea, probably from the port of Ipswich on
the east coast. Mr. Russell was a "house-
wright" or carpenter, and Is known to
have been England In 1636 and to have
been in Cambridge In Massachusetts In
1645. He appears to have resided first
at Menotomy (Arlington) In Massachu-
setts. At a later date he Is found at
Cambridge where he and his wife were
members of the Church. It Is believed

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ABEL RUSSELL

that the family came from Ipswich, though
this is not certain, and while relationship
to the celebrated Richard Russell line of
Charlestown, or to the John Russell line
of Woburn, is not clear, some connection
is suggested by. similarity of first names
in the lines.

Like many of the early arrivals, Mr.
Russell did not at once fix upon a per-
manent abiding place, but he is usually
spoken of as ''of Cambridge," and there
died on February 14, 1662, having made
a will twelve days before. His widow,
Martha, married, second. May 24, 1665,
Humphrey Bradshaw, and, third. May 24,
1683, Thomas Hall. She died in 1694.

The children of William and Martha

Russell, all born in Cambridge except the

first two, follow:

Joseph, born in England 1636, mar-
ried, June 23, 1662, Mary Belcher.
Phoebe, died July 8, 1642.

Bexjanhn, married Rebecca .

John, born Sept. 11, 1645, married

EHzabeth Fiske, daughter of David Fiske.

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abel russell

Martha.

Philip, born 1650, married April 19,
1688, Joanna Cutler.
Thomas, died July 21, 1653.

William, born April 28, 1655, mar-
ried Abigail Winship.

Jasox, born Nov. 14, 1658, married
Mary Hubbard.

Joyce, born Marcli 31, 1660, married
Edmund Rice of Sudbury.

While the writer was working on this
family line, the following query appeared
in the Genealogical Department of the
Boston Transcript:

David Fiske, Watertown, 1636, mar-
ried Sarah Smith, daughter of Edmund
Smith of Wrentham, England. David
(2) Fiske, born 1624, died at Lexington,
Feb. 14, 1710, married first, Lydia Coop-
er, sister of John ( 1 ) Cooper, and
daughter of the second wife of Deacon
Gregory ( 1 ) Stone. She died Nov. 29,
1654. David (2) Fiske married second.
Sept. 6, 1655, Seaborn Wilson, daughter
of Theophilus Wilson of Ipswich. She
died Jan. 12, 1721, at Woburn. Eliza-
beth (3) Fiske was baptized before 1658,
but I am not sure of which wife she was

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ABEL RUSSELL

the daughter. She married John (2)
Russell (William 1).

It was evident by this that a descend-
ant of another branch of the family was
also working on this line. Elizabeth
Fiske was, of 'course, the great-great-
great-great-great-great grandmother of
Frank James Russell and Ralph Ordway
Russell of New Sharon, who make up the
tenth generation of Russell descendants
along this line.

THE SECOND GEXERATIOX

The John Russell who was born at
Cambridge Sept. 11, 1645, died there
March 6, 1733, full of years and honors.
He married Elizabeth Fiske, born 1645,
daughter of David Fiske and (probably)
Lydia Cooper Fiske who died in 1654.

John Russell was at Cambridge Farms
at the organization of the parish in 1693
and was the largest subscriber for the
meeting house. He was one of the ori-
ginal members of the church in 1696. He

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ABEL RUSSELL

was not only a man of wealth but he was
an active and valuable citizen, filling var-
ious offices in church and town. His chil-
dren, born in Lexington, follow:

John, born Nov. 9, 1671, married
Rebecca .

Thonlas, born Sept. 1, 1675.

Martha, born Sept. 1, 1675. Died
young.

Benjamin, born April 2, 1677.

David, born 1679. Married Abigail
(Reed).

Jonathan (1681).

WiLLLAM (1683).

Abigail, born April 18, 1686.

Patience, born 1687, died in 16S8.

Esther, born December 19, 1700.

The senior John Russell w^as a "house-
wright" and resided at 'The Farms."
Both he and his wife were living on Dec.
13, 1731.

the third generation

David Russell was a farmer and lived
at "The Farms" (Harvard) until 1715
when he moved to Concord, Mass., and

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ABEL RUSSELL

thence, about 1720, to Littleton, Mass.,
where he was deacon In the church. H
died before Oct. 29, 1744, and his estate
was divided among his children who ar
named as follows: David, Jr., and John
C L^t^Unenberjg-^'Abigail, Hannah, Amos,
Elizabeth and Esther at Littleton; Jason
and Sarah at Harvard. The elder David
was an early resident of Nashoba (Cam-
bridge) where he bought land of William
Powers in 1715. His wives were, first,

Abigail (Reed); second, Hannah

and third, Mary Clark at Groton.

The children of David Russell were as
follows, the first ten being the children
of the wife, Abigail :

David, died young.

John, born 1702, died 1781. Married
Mercy, who died 1754.
^ Abigail, born Aug. 27, 1704. Mar-
ried Isaac Preston.

Hannah, born June 2, 1708. Mar-
ried Edward Farwell.

Jason, born 1710. Married Mary
.^^ Robbins of Concord.

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ABEL RUSSELL

\ Sarah, bom (1712). Married Wil-
liam Sanderson of Harvard.

Elizabeth, born (1714).

Esther, born (1716).

Amos, born June 6, 1723. Married
Sarah Hildreth Jim^JTrJlJlTdiedyUy
9y 1804.

Martha, born Nov. 9, 1725.

David (son of Hannah) born Sept.
1726.

Oliver (son of Mary) born March
4, 1731-2.

Mary (daughter of Mary) born April
21, 1735.

Thaddeus (son of Mary) born April
2, 1738.

Mrs. Mary Russell late in life married
Samuel Tuttle, Jr., on December 27,
1757.

the fourth generation

Amos Russell of Harvard and Sarah
Hildreth, born in 1726, daughter of Eph-
raim and Mary Hildreth, were married
by Rev. Matthew Scribner on June 25,
1747. The ''History of Westford" by
Rev. Edwin R. Hodgman says, ''A Mr.

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ABEL RUSSELL

Russell (this was undoubtedly Amos Rus-
sell) came from Boston and occupied part
of Mrs. Abigail Fletcher's house." The
children of Amos and Sarah Russell were
as follows :

Amos, Jr., baptized Aug. 28. 1748.
Sarah, baptized April 29, 1750.
Abel, born Sept. 3, 1751, baptized

Sept. 16, 1753; married Sarah Bryan
Frost Nov. 1, 1781. She died T-VprirTT,
1849.

Hannah, died Aug. 10, 1755.

Molly, died July 9, 1758.

There is one event in the life of Amos
Russell, the senior, the touching record
of which was cut on an ancient stone in
the Harvard burying ground.

''Here lies BurM ye Body of Mrs. Dc-
borah Russell, ye Wife of Mr. Amos Rus-
sell, Who Died Sept. ye 14, 1745, Aged
17 years, 11 months, 28 days.

Two years later, June 25, 1747, Amos
Russell and Sarah Hildreth were married.

This first wife of Amos Russell died
when he was 22 years old and she was

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ABEL RUSSELL

18. No word further In explanation is
to be found. The old sorrow has long
since been wiped out, but we find ourselves
retracing it again with sympathetic in-
terest. .

A letter from Florence E. Follette oi
Weston, Vt., who Is a descendant of John
Russell, a brother of Amos Russell, says:
''There is an Amos Russell buried here in
Weston. I wonder if he is your Amos?
He died May 9, 1804, in his 80th year."

This is undoubtedly the senior Amos
Russell, and shows that when Abel Rus-
sell, after the Revolutionary war, went
up into Maine, his father, then or later,
emigrated to Vermont, or lived there late
'In life with relatives, probably with Amos,

ABEL RUSSELL IN THE REVOLUTIOX

So far in the genealogy, we have re-
printed facts and data from the printed
books and records. These data have been

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ABEL RUSSELL

found in '^Descendants of William Russell
of Cambridge/' by Hezekiah Stone Rus-
sell, of Pittsfield, Mass., 1900;" In Paige's
"History of Cambridge" and in the Vital
Records of various Massachusetts towns.
The records of Samuel Smith, as published
in the Vital Records of Littleton, Mass.,
give a very good Russell line and are
useful.

We have now reached a point where
family tradition meets the recorded his-
tory and supplements it vitally. In Abel
Russell we are particularly interested be-
cause he fought in the War of the Revo-
lution and his record is known. He was
born "an Englishman in the colonies" in
Westford, Mass., in 1751, the year in
which Samuel Johnson in London was at
work on his great dictionary and on his
famous "Rambler" papers.

Before taking up the family traditions,
let us study the record of Abel Russell as
it appears in the compilation made by the
state of Massachusetts called "Massachu-

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ABEL RL'SSi:iL

setts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolu-
tionary War. A Compilation from the
Archives, Boston, 1905." We find there
the following facts :

RUSSEL, Abel, Wesrtord. Private,
Capt. Zaccheus Wright's Co., Col.
Brooks' regt. ; company return dated
camp at White Plains. Oct. 31, 1776:
said Russell reported as sick and absent.

RusSEL, Abel. Sergeanc, Capt. Israel
Harris's co., Col. Benj. Siir.onds's (Berk-
shire Co.) regt.; engaged Oct. 12, 1780:
discharged Oct. 19, 17S0: service 11 days,
including four days (SO miles) travel
home; company marched to northern
frontiers by order af Gen. l\^llows on an
alarm; also, same co. and rci^t. : eniJ;aorcd
Oct. 26, 1780; discharged Oct. 2S, 1780:
service, three days; companv marched to
northern frontiers by order of Gen. Fel-
lows on an alarm.

Russell, Abel, Watertown. Private

Capt. Stephen Dana's co., Col. Josiah
Whitney's regt.; arrived at destination
May 14, 1777; service, 2 mos., 2 davs.
including travel (6 days) to camp and
from place of discharge home: Co. raised
to serve at Rhode Island for 2 mos. Roll
dated South Kingston.

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ABEL RUSSELL

Russell, Abel, Westford. Private,
Capt. John Minot's co.. Col. Dike's regt. ;
muster roll for Dec. 1776-Feb. 1777; en-
listed Dec. 18, 1776; regt. raised to serve
until March 1, 1777; also, descriptive list
of men raised to serve in the Continental
Army, agreeable to resolve of April 20,
1778; 8th co., Col. Brooks's regt.; age,
25 yrs. ; stature, 5 ft. 9 in.; residence,
Westford; engaged for town of West-
ford.

This shows clearly that Abel Russel,

or Russell, saw^ service during the war

which he entered as a private and came

out a sergeant; that, when the company

was formed, Qct. 31, 1776, he was "sick

and absent;" but on the following Dec.

18, 1776, he was present and enlisted,

serv^Ing until March 1, 1777. He then,

on May 14, 1777, when the call came,

entered the service again at Watertown

and marched to Rhode Island for two

months. Again in 1780, when alarms of

invasion from the northern frontiers came,

he hurried to the colors twice, ready for

action and was finally discharged from

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ABEL RUSSELL

service on Oct. 28, 1780, or near the year
1781.

THE STORY OF SARAH BRYAN

On Nov. 1, 1781, Abel Russell married
^'Widow Sarah Frost" at Westfield. In
attempting to trace the "Widow Sarah
Frost" we find in "The Genealogies and
Estates of Charlestown, in the County of
Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massa-
*■ chusetts, 1629-1818, by Thomas Bellows

Wyman, Boston, 1879," the following
entries :

Frost, Oliver. Son of Abraham; mar-
ried Sarah , who married (2) Abel

Russell. * * * Issue — Oliver and John,
guardianship, ae. 11 and 10, to Nchemiah
Rand, at Dublin, N. H., 1785, 1790.

Bryan, John, married Elizabeth Tre-
worgla, who was of Chelmsford. * '•" *
Issue, (1.) Elizabeth, born March 22,
1752; died, Aug. 12, 1753, aged 1 year,
5 mos. (2.) Sarah, born June 26, 1755.

Widow Elizabeth was In valuation
1771, No. 42. Sells, with Penny heirs,
to Thomas Wood, 5^2 pew under stairs,
E. corner of house, (other J/2 is E. Kent's,

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ABEL RUSSELL

late of W. Smith) 1771. Claimed for
loss, 1775. Sells to S. Penny, house plot.
20 feet on Main St., 30 feet rear, adj.
Makepeace, late of John Penny; 1787,
rec. 1791.

The "Penny heirs" phrase in the above
is explained by the fact that Elizabeth,
wife of John Bryan, was the widow of
Hercules Treworgia (Trueworthy) mar-
iner. Her maiden name was Penney, or
Penny. Her daughter, Sarah Bryan
Frost Russell, lived to a great age, and
died in 1852 in New Sharon, Maine,
where her grave is now to be found.

The traditions in the Russell family
of this branch came down through
the mouth of Sarah Bryan Russell, wife
of Abel Russell, the Revolutionary sol-
dier. She claimed that she was the
daughter '*of an English sea-captain, who
was weathy and proud" and who did not
wish his daughter to work with her hands.
In the home in Charlestown lived two ne-
gro servants who were spoken of at one
time as "Cuff and Dinah." At another

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ABEL RUSSELL

time "Cuff" is called "Pomp." Sarah
Bryan first married Oliver Frost, who,
she said, while he was sick, "was poisoned
by a Tory doctor."

At the time of the Battle of Bunker
Hill and the burning of Charlestown,
Sarah Bryan Frost was obliged hurriedly
to leave that place with her baby son, then
ten days old, In her arms, the nurse hav-
^ ing the older boy In a wheelbarrow with

the few belongings that could be taken.
In their hurried flight, a bullet pierced
the sleeve of Sarah Bryan Frost's dress,
[ but without harming her. Among the

] clothing rescued In the barrow were "two

I silk dresses that would stand alone;" and

I for many years in the old home In Fay-

j ette was a pincushion covered by a piece

J of silk from one of these dresses.

Previous to the Battle of Bunker Hill,
Captain Bryan Is said to have gone to sea
taking Pomp, his servant, with him. As
he never returned, It was conjectured that
his ship was sunk or captured.

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ABEL RUSSELL

Sarah Bryan Frost now went to Bll-
lerica to live with her mother and, as she
had lost all her property In the Charles-
town fire, and was in straitened circum-
stances, she engaged in nursing, while her
mother took care of the children. Later
she was at Chelmsford. She never re-
visited Charlestown, but she is reported
to have said that, had she done so, she
could have gone directly to the spot
where the house stood.

One day in the year 1780 or 1781, as
Sarah Bryan Frost was walking along the
highway, she was startled by the appear-
ance of a soldier on horseback. The horse
was unmanageable and was giving the
rider great trouble. As he bolted and cir-
cled about, the rider called out to the
young widow, who had stopped to watch
the contest between man and beast, and
asked her if she would pick him a switch
from a bush. This she did and managed
to hand it to him.

This rider was Abel Russell, young

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I ABEL RUSSELL

i farmer and Revolutionary soldier, doubt-

' less now a martial figure from his long

i and varied service In the war. It Is hard-

; ly necessary to add that the acquaintance

i struck up so romantically by the roadside
resulted In marriage. This, the records

j show, took place at Westford, Mass., on

i November 1, 1781. Mrs. Frost Is put

j down as of Chelmsford. The ceremony

{ was performed by the Rev. Matthew

i Scrlbner.

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! THE MIGRATION TO MAINE

j Tradition Is now vague. We know that

r the two Frost boys, Oliver and John,

{ were under guardianship to Nehemlah

i Rand, of Dublin, N. H., whose wife was

i a sister of their father. We know that

: in the spring of 1782, probably, possibly

I one or two years later, Abel and Sarah

I Russell packed "all their earthly posses-

t sions on the old white horse" and started

I out for the wilderness of Maine. The

• records in Augusta state that land was

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AHEL RUSSELL

bought by Abel Russell In 1784. What
would we not give for a written account
of this difficult trip where there were few
roads and trails, and of their settling upon
and clearing the land of the old farm on
Moose Hill, in Fayette. Maine was
then wilderness. Indians abounded and
it was found necessary to dispute the own-
ership of the family pig with the bears of
the neighborhood. But in this contest of
wits, the white man soon won out, for
the original Yankees were now fast
swarming over this section of country,
taking up farms, clearing the land and
cutting so-called roads through the wil-
derness.

Moose Hill is a few miles from Liver-
more, which at that time was a small set-
tlement. It is near what is now known
as the Twelve Corners. The road up
the hill to the old farm is described in the
old deeds as "The Russell Road" and is
still sometimes so called. It starts near
the abandoned cemetery and stops today

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ABEL RUSSELL

at the site of the old Russell house which
has been torn down and replaced by a
modern structure. But the site of the old
house may be still clearly seen, and the
basement of the old shed with its great
stones In the wall remains nearby. Many
of the well burned and blackened bricks
of the old chimney are still there. One
of these has been secured and will be built
into the house of Mrs. Nellie Russell
Chapman in Farmington, Maine.

Sarah Bryan Russell believed in witches

and If the butter would not come, or if

an animal fell sick, she was confident that

\ these things were the result of witchcraft,

; The traditional pictures of her in her last

\ days are of a little old woman smoking

i her pipe In the chimney corner. During

I the first winters in Maine the men were

] not properly shod to contend with the

I cold, and a row of large chips stood by

' the fireplace to warm. The boys would

j cut.wood for a time and then run In to

get a hot chip to stand on. When this

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ABEL RUSSELL

chip grew cold, a hot one took Its place.
Here at Moose Hill in the Census of
1790, the first census taken by the United
States, we find the name of "Abal RuseT'
at Starling Plantation which was the first
name given that portion of Fayette. The
family is reported as having "2 males over
16, 3 males under 16 and 3 females."
The two males over 16 must have been
Abel Russell and Oliver Frost. The
three males under 16 were John Frost,
Abel Russell, Jr., and Isaac Russell who
was born April -15, 1789, just in time to
get into the census.

Starling Plantation was first settled in
1779 on 7,000 acres granted by the State
of Massachusetts "to Robert Paige and
associates.**

Abel Russell is said to have died be-
fore Isaac's marriage in 1822. He must
have died before congress passed the Rev-
olutionary pension law as his name does
not appear as a pensioner. Tradition has
it that he was poisoned by drinking by

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ABEL RUSSELL

mistake a cupful of lye that his wife had
set aside for the purpose of making bread.

THE FIFTH GENERATION

The children of Abel Russell and of
Sarah Bryan Frost Russell, all born at
Starling Plantation, (Fayette) Maine,
were as follows :

Betsv, "who married a Farrington/'

Sally, "who married a Sweat.''

Abel, Jr.

Isaac, born Apr. 15, 1789, died Oct.
3, 1862. Married Jan. 24, 1822, Tem-
perance Fuller, born August 12, 1793 ;
died Dec. 2Z, 1878.

Leonard, married Fannie Lovejoy.

Rebecca, married Samuel Prescott
and died childless.

LoviNA, married Joseph Fogg.

the sixth generation

The children of Dr. Leonard Russell

and Fannie Lovejoy were as follows :

Martha, married Calvin Prescott.
Harriet, married a Lovejoy.
Fannie, married Henry Wyman.

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ABEL RL'SSKLL

Ann Maria, married a Tuttle. :
Ellen, married an Emerson.
Frank.

This Dr. Frank Russell married and
left two daughters, but no sons. Dr. Rus-
sell died In Showhegan and his wife moved
to Maiden, Mass., and died there. Both
Martha and Harriet lived in Maiden.
Ellen Emerson printed a book of "Poems"
which I saw during my childhood In my
home at Hallowell, Me.

Lovlna Russell, b. Sept. 19, 1797, d.
June 3, 1878, married Joseph Fogg, b.
June 19, 1797, d. Aug. 17, 1842, on
Sept. 4, 1820. Their children were:

Sarah E., born June 30, 1821; mar-
ried Perley Fisk.

Fannie Temperance, horn Feb. 20,
1823; married Simeon Hersey.

Ruth Ann, born Sept. 1, 1827; died
young.

LoviNA, married Peasley Morrill ( 1 )
and Weymouth, (2).

Dana B., married Charlotte Packard.

Dana P. Morrill is the son of Peasley
and Lovina Russell Morrill and Fred P.

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ABEL RUSSELL

Fogg is the son of Dana Fogg and Char-
lotte P. Fogg.

Of the Betsy Russell line, we learn
from Leonard Russell Farrington of
Kents Hill, Maine, the only surviving
grandson, that Martin Farrington was
born in 1786, married Betsy Russell in
1807 and died in 1854. Betsy Russell
F^arrington died in 1857. Their children
follow :

Abel Russell Farrington
Lewis Farrington
Louisa Farrington
Leonard W. Farrington
Sarah Bryan Farrington
Polly Farrington

Leonard W. Farrington married Betsy

Walton. Their son, Leonard Russell

P'arrington, was born Aug. 6, 1846. He

still lives on Kent's Hill within sight of

the original farm. The children of L. R.

Farrington and Nancy Smith Farrington

are Winnifred C, born Oct. 13, 1875,

and Vinton A., born Dec. 14, 1876, died

March 24, 1917.

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ABEL RUSSELL

The only descendants who bear the
name of Russell now have come down
through the Isaac Russell branch. Isaac
Russell was born on April 15, 1789, and
served in the War of 1812. He worked
on the old farm till the war broke out,
when, of his two cows, one was sold to
purchase his musket. With this weapon
he made his way to Wiscasset, Me., and
went into camp there. As the war was
fought largely on the sea, he was not, so
far as can be ascertained, under lire. This
old flint-lock gun is now in the possession
of Arthur J. Russell of Minneapolis and
hangs, with its bayonet in place, on the
walls of his library.

A >L\YFLO\VER CONNECTION

Temperance Fuller, Isaac Russell's
wife, was the tenth child of Francis and
Hannah (Cobb) Fuller of Readfield, now
Manchester, Maine. Francis Fuller was
the son of John and Temperance (Gor-
ham) Fuller, Barnstable. And as, ac-

30

ABEL RUSSELL

cording to the Fuller Genealogy, the Full-
er descendants of this line may claim
Mayflower ancestry, this line is given
here. The Fuller Genealogy, by William
Hyslop Fuller, Palmer, Mass., says:

"According to H. W. Brainard, all de-
scendants of John Fuller and Temperance
(Gorham) Fuller are Mayflower de-
scendants. Temperance Gorham descend-
ed from Captain John Gorham whose
wife was Desire Howland, daughter of
the Pilgrim, John Howland." John
Rowland's wife was Elizabeth Tilley,
who also came in the Mayflower.

The children of Francis and Hannah

(Cobb) Fuller were as follows:

Hannah, born Aug. 14, 1773. Mar-
ried Peter Haines.

Mary, born May I, 1775.
Sarah, born Jan. 22, 1778.
Francis, born Aug. 16, 1780.
Edward, born Jan. 22, 1782.
David C, born Dec. 8, 1785.
James B., born Dec. 29, 1786.
Gorham, born Sept. 23, 1788.
William, born Nov. 23, 1791.

31

ABEL RUSSELL

Temperance, born Aug. 12, 1793.
Married Isaac Russell Jan. 24, 1822.
Died Dec. 23, 1878.

Ebex, born Feb. IS, 1795..

We now return to the children of Isaac
Russell and Temperance (Fuller) Rus-
sell. They were all born at Fayette, on
the old Moose Hill farm. The family
emigrated to New Sharon, Maine, about
the year 1839.

Joseph F., born Jan. 22, 1823; died
Feb. 19, 1878. Married Mary H. Has-
kell, of Livermore, Jan. 4, 1849.

Leonard W., born Aug. 3, 1824; died
Aug. 3, 1842.

Eben F., born Aug. 3, 1824. Married
Sarah J. Reed, born June 25, 1826.

Mary Ann F", born July 30, 1826.
Married Thos. C. Marsh.

Rebecca Marilla, born Jan., 1828;
died Dec. 1907.

Francis F., born Aug. 5, 1829.

Abel H.. born Aug. 5. 1829; died Dec.
19, 1907. Married Adeline J. Marvell:
died Nov. 7, 1889.

Isaac X., married Mary Bailey.

Eliza F., born Dec, 1833.

Hiram F., born Oct. 22, 1837. Mar-

32

^

i

]

fefrl;^&=:^i:3sS^fJ?liS3fe•ii:S:Sa^^-;l;j^;^^

">.''i

l'-^--

ABEL RUSSELL

rled Caroline Saft'ord and Bernlce A. De
Merrltt.

Joseph F. Russell, of Hallowell, Me.,

who married Mary Haines Haskell, of

Livermore, a granddaughter of Peter

Haines and Hannah Fuller, had three

children as follows :

Alice NFarv, born Oct. 29, 1851; died
April 29, 1857.

Arthur Joseph, born Mar. 14, 1861.

Emi\l\ Mary, born July 18, 1863.

The only grandchild of this branch is
Alice Russell of 1717 Irving Ave. South,
Minneapolis, born December 21, 1909,
daughter of A. J. Russell and Mary
Warner Russell of Rockford, NFmn.

The only child of Abel Hildreth Rus-
sell and Adeline J. Marvell Russell of
New Sharon, married April 29, 1860, is
Mary Ellen Russell, now Mrs. Eugene
Chapman of New Sharon, b. x\ug. 9,
1861.

Mary Ann Russell, who married
Thomas C. Marsh, had three children,
Elizabeth F., Herbert and Helen R.

33

ABEL RUSSELL

The only descendants of Abel Russell
who will in the future, bear the name of
Russell are of the Eben Russell branch.
Eben F. Russell, born August 3, 1824,
married Sarah J. Reed on May 23, 1846.
Their children follow :

THE EIGHTH GENERATION

Leonard W., b. June 11, 1847. Died
Feb. 29 1920.

Charles S.* b. April 10, 1848. Died
Aug. 6, 1912.

LouELLA J., b. March 14, 1851.

William E., b. Aug. 21, 1852. Died
Feb. 7, 1904.

Annie F.,"b. Nov. 21, 1854.

Ellen G., b. Feb. 8, 1857. Died Nov.
23 1857

JFrank a., b. Oct. 7, 1861.

Caroline S., b. Jan. 29, 1864.

Charles Shaw Russell married Sarah

Palmer Crowell on May 8, 1870. Their

children are:

Grace May, b. May 21, 1871.
Charles Herbert, b. April 29, 1873.
Ernest Eben, b. July 5, 1875.
Alice Vesta, b. May 18, 1878.
Carrie Lula, b. March 17, 1881.

34

ABEL RUSSELL

Hiram Ozni, b. April 18, 1884.
Perley Oscar, b. April 4, 1887.
Chauxcey Elbert, b. April 3, 1892.
Harriet Ernestine, b. Feb. 6, 1897.

Leonard White Russell and Arvilla

Louisa Caswell were married on May 29,

1870. Their children are:

George Albert, b. April 25, 1873.
Edward Leonard, b. Tan. 10, 1876.
Died Feb. 8, 1907.

George Albert Russell and Nellie Clara

Neal were married on June 18, 1904.

Their children are :

Avis Arvilla, b. Sept. 21, 1910.
Irma Nellie, b.-May 15, 1912.

the ninth generation

Frank Arthur Russell and Clara ^^ln-
nie Hanson were married on March 15,
1884. Their children are:

Edward Everett, b. Dec. 9, 1884.
Archie Hanson, b. Nov. 3, 1886.
Clara BELLE,^Oct. 7, 1888!
Sadie Jessie, b. May 3, 1890.
Villa Leila, b. Feb. 26, 1892.
Lutie Etta, b. Feb. 17, 1900.
Frank Ordway, b. July 22, 1901.

35_ __

1585661

ri*^>v;rr.{

ABEL RUSSELL

Edward Everett Russell and i\nnie
Olive Tarr were married on Nov. 22,
1916. She died on Aug. 21, 1921. They
had one child, Muriel. Dr. Russell mar-
ried Ruby Wood in 1921. They live in
Farmington, Maine.

THE TENTH GENERATION

Archie Hanson Russell and Helen Mae
Moore were married on Aug. 31, 1908.
They live in New Sharon, Maine. Their
children are:

Dorothy Clare, b. April 8, 1909.
Helen Leonora b. Jan. 22, 1911.
VnTAN, b. Nov. 5, 1912.
Frank James, b. April 17, 1915.
Marjory, b. Oct. 29, 1917.
Sarah Jane, b. Oct. 17, 1920.

Frank Ordway Russell and Phyllis
Hazel Williamson were married on Oct.
23, 1920. They live in New Sharon,
Maine. Issue :

Ralph Ordway, b. Jan. 19, 1921.

Edith Clara, b. Oct. 2, 1922.

Charles Herbert Russell (son of

36

ABEL RUSSELL

Charles S. ) and Lillian Pevear Coliin
were married on Jan. 8, 1919. Address,
Newton Center, Mass.

Ernest Eben Russell and Sarah Ann
Thomas were married on Oct. 14, 1900.
Address, Portland, Me.

Perley Oscar Russell and Ida Florence
Taylor were married on July 3, 1914.
Address, Bangor, Maine.

Lester Tolman and Villa Leila Russell
have one daughter born June 29, 1922.

Ernest H. Follett and Belle C. Russell
were married Nov.. 7, 1908. They have
two daughters, Clara Elizabeth and Car-
rie.

Chester Emerson Crowell and Sadie
Jessie Russell were married March 30,
1912. They have one son, Frank Emer-
son and twin daughters, Annie Wllma and
Minnie Thelma.

Victor Ernest Tupper and Harriet
Ernestine Russell were married June 30,
1920. They have one son, Reginald
Shaw,

37

ABEL RUSSELL

Arthur L. Young and Grace May Rus-
sell were married Nov. 12, 1914. They
have one daughter, Emily Sarah.

Going back to the children of Eben and
Sarah Russell, the families of the daugh-
ters are as follows :

Louella Josephine Russell married
Samuel W. Gordon on April 27, 1873.
They have six children, Harold M., Ber-
tha M., Mabel W., Bessie D., Nellie G.,
and Angle. G.

Annie Florence Russell married Moses
Crowell on April 5, 1874. They have
two children, Arthur Clinton and Chester ^
Emerson.

ORIGIN OF THE FAMILY

The Russell family In England came
originally from Normandy in France
where it is first found under the name Dc
Rozel. The "Roz" was an ancient name
for *'castle" and the "el" Is the old French
"eau" or "water." The name seems" to
signify "The castle by the water." There

38

ABEL RUSSELL

are several coats of arms among the Rus-
sell families of England, but it is impos-
sible now to tell which coat of arms is
appropriate to the descendants of William
and Martha Russell of Cambridge in
Massachusetts.

The perpetuation of the Russell name,
of this line of descent in which we are
particularly interested, now depends upon
the descendants of Eben and Sarah Rus-
sell of New Sharon, Maine. Hope is ex-
pressed that they will become interested
in their ancestry, will teach it to their
children and will show them the import-
ance of keeping it pure. These children
may claim Mayflower descent through
their Fuller line and may claim member-
ship in all patriotic orders such as the
Sons of the Revolution and the Daush-
ters of the i\merican Revolution, through
the patriotic efforts of their ancestor,
Abel Russell of Westford, Mass., and
Fayette, Maine.

On October 9, 1922, Mr. and Mrs.

39

(?**•

ABEL RUSSELL

Eugene Chapman (Nellie Russell) of
New Sharon, Me., Miss Emma M. Rus-
sell of Hallowell, Me., and A. J. Russell,
of Minneapolis, Minnesota, visited the
old Russell farm on Moose Hill in Fay-
ette, Me. This place was then owned by
C. E. Stuart, who was using it for market
gardening. It was called "The Limber-
lost."

The grave of Abel Russell, who fought
in the Revolutionary war and bought the
land here in 1784, could not be found.
Athough there is no positive proof, it was
thought by those living in the vicinity that
his body lies in the old cemetery on the
farm owned by U. O. Moulton. The so-
called "Russell Road" runs up the hill in
a northerly direction from the Moulton
place and now comes to an end at the old
Russell farmhouse site. Formerly it con-
tinued on towards Chesterville nearly
parallel with the "Ridge Road" to the
east.

If the old grave of Abel Russell is not

40

ABEL RUSSELL

found, it is hoped sometime to place a
j tablet on a boulder, perhaps at the corner

ly of the Russell Road, carrying an inscrip-

tion something like this:

Someivhcre in This Vicinity Near

This ''Russell Road"

Repose the Ashes

of
ABEL RUSSELL

Revolutionary Soldier from
IFestford, Mass.
In fVhose Memory This Tablet Is
Placed by His Grateful Descendants

W i

Note. — It would have been difficult to trsce the
early generations of the family, from 1640 to 1750,
had it not been for the invaluable assistance of
Alice Webber Child (Mrs. S. R. Child) genea-
logist and member of the State Historical Society
of Minnesota. No trail was too hard for her to
follow and every difficulty was finally resolved by
her indefatigable labor and ingenuity.

41

Bird's Eye View of the Line

WILLIAM RUSSELL, d. Feb. 14, 1662
MARTHA

JOHN RUSSELL, b. Sept. 11,
ELIZABETH FISKE

1645; d.

March 6,

1733

\

t

DAVID RUSSELL, b. 167
ABIGAIL (REED)

9; d. Oc

t. 29, 1744

i

AMOS RUSSELL, b. June 6,
SARAH HILDRETH

1723; d.

May 9,

804

ABFL RUSSELL, b. Sept. 3,
SARAH BRYAN FROST

1751

ISAAC RUSSELL, b. April i
TEMPERANCE FULLER

', 1789;

d. Oct. 3,

1862

!

EBEN F. RUSSELL,
SARAH J. REED

b. Aug.

3. 1S24

1
1
FIL-^NK A. RUSSELL,
CL.ARA M. HANSON

b. Oct.

7, 1861

ARCHIE R RUSSELL FRANK O. RUSSELL

b. Nov. 3, 1886 b. July 22, 1901

HELEN M. MOORE PHYLLIS H. WILLIAMSON

FRANK JAMES RUSSELL RALPH ORDWAY RUSSELL
b. Apr. 17, 1915 b. Jan. 19, 1921

42

Family Records

'I

2^1-9