Person:John Russell (197)

Confusion of John and Elizabeth Russells

There are at least three John and Elizabeth Russell's, possibly others.

• John Russell and Elizabeth Fiske m. by 1671 of Lexington.
• John Russell and Elizabeth Palmer m. 1682 of Woburn.
• John Russell and Elizabeth Pattin of Killingly.

This has caused most of the secondary literature to provide either inaccurate or incomplete coverage of these families. For example, Hudson (who may be the best of these sources) gives this John a daughter bp. 1712, which is 42 years after their first child. He also leaves out some children and has no indication of which John Russell moved to Killingly. Unfortunately, researching them is greatly hindered by an apparent lack of probate files for pertinent people (particularly this John Russell).

This has required a survey of deeds. They are abstracted below, attempting to separate them as best as can be recognized. Some that do not make relationships explicit are grouped based on association and on proximity suggesting common inheritance. It appears that the John Russell of Killingly is the son of Joseph Russell and Mary Belcher. It also appears this John had a son Jonathan, whom Hudson lists on p. 2:600 with no parents identified.

John Russell and Elizabeth Fiske

These deeds are attributed because of a connection with mother Martha, a mention of wife Elizabeth in Lexington, occupation housewright, or connection to the Fisk family. (One deed labels Jonathan a son of John, and then a subsequent deed in 1718 with Jonathan is assumed to be the same two, since only one Jonathan is known of old enough in 1718 to sell land. It is unclear whether the Elizabeth in that deed is the wife of John or Jonathan.)

Vol. 15, p. 510 25 Apr 1687: Martha Hall of Cambridge for severall Considerations thereunto me moving give to my Son John Russell of same town a parcel of 44 acres and assure to my son John Russell 16 acres which I gave my son Benjamin liberty to sell to John which he did for £18 reserving egress for myself.

vol. 15, p. 510 13 Apr 1691: An agreement between Martha Russell and John Russell: John Russell son of William Russell late of Cambridge agrees to manage affairs for my mother Martha Russell, and Martha Russell widow and Executo'r of last will of William Russell of Cambridge Dece'd and left in Trust by my husband to bring up four Small Children and not being able to Do it of my Selfe, have hired my Son John Russell to live with me to manage my husbandry and agree to give him one half of my farm called Jacksons farm for £10.

Vol. 13, p. 794 5 Mar 1704/05: David Ffiske of Cambridge [with Seaborn my now married wife], John Russell of the same town Carpenter, and Jonathan Russell, son of John Russell for £18 convey to John Munroe of same town a parcel of 14 acres "in the ffarmes" [Lexington].

Vol. 34, p. 187 26 Mar 1718: John Russel Housewright and Jonathan Russel husbandman both of Lexington for £43-10-0 convey to Samuel Lock a parcel of 20 acres and a parcel of 7 acres. Signed by John Russel, Jonathan Russel, Elizabeth Russel.

Vol. 34, p. 232 23 Apr 1715: John Russell Sen'r of Lexington [with Elizabeth my now married wife] for £2 conveys to John Mason of Lexington a parcel of 3/4 acres in Lexington.

Vol. 21, p. 316 28 Sep 1719: John Russel [and Elizabeth Russel the wife of the s'd John Russel] and William Russel both of Lexington Carpenter for £61 convey to Joseph Brown of Lexington Cordwainer a parcel of 8+ acres.

Vol. 24, p. 131 22 Jan 1721/22: John Russel of Lexington Housewright and Elizabeth my now married wife for £55 convey to Benj'a Muzzey 11 acres in Lexington bounded by Benj'a Muzzey, David Fisk and his son Ebenezer, and heirs of William Dickson.

Vol. 30, p. 44 19 Aug 1729: John Russel of Lexington Housewright with Elizabeth my now married wife for £40 conveys to Benjamin Muzzy Jun'r of same town Cooper six acres in Lexington.

Vol. 34,p. 260 10 Dec 1731: John Russel of Lexington Housewright [with Elizabeth my wife] for £12 conveys to William Holmes of the same town a parcel in Lexington 3 acres bounded by Jason Russel, William Munroe, and James Russel.

John Russell and Elizabeth Palmer

The Woburn Family had three John Russells in a row: John Russell and Elizabeth ---, John Russell and Sarah Champney, then John Russell and Elizabeth Palmer. This shows deeds for all three generations.

Vol. 7, p 339 20 8 [Oct] 1680: Elizabeth Russel aged 66, testifies that her husband John Russel deceased gave to her son John Russel upon his Mariage one half of his hous[e] and land [Half of house, half of adjoining land, half of garden, two acres separated by highway and three aces in Maple Meadow and three acres in [settle?] meadow and 11 acres in a place called the treasury.

Vol. 13, p. 363 1 May 1685: Sarah Russell of Woburn Widow and Relict of John Russell late of Woburn also my Loveing Son John Russell as manifesting his consent for £7 conveys to Ensign James Convers of the same town yeoman parcel in Woburn about 54 acres.

Vol. 14, p. 654 25 Jul 1694: John Russell of Woburn cordwainer [also Elisabeth my wife] for 30 shillings convey to Samuell Wyman of the same town husbandman a parcel of land in Woburn about 3 3/4 acres.

Vol. 22, p. 22 31 Jan 1721/22: Jonathan Tyng Esq'r, John Brooks Husbandman, & Jn'o Russell Cordwainer all of Woburn for £11 convey to Timothy Snow of the same town Joyner three parcels of "swamp" in Woburn, one from each seller.

Vol. 39, p. 712 22 Sep 1738: Edward Winn Cooper, Ebenezer Flagg and John Russell Cordwainer, and Thomas Lippenwell Saddlemaker of Woburn for £6-13-0 convey to Zedediah Wyman of Woburn "Taylor" several rights to land in Woburn bounding Wyman, namely those of Edward Winn's, Matthew Smith's Edward [Iron?]'s, Michael Lippenwell's, John Russell Senior's and John Russell Junior's all deceased.

John Russell and Elizabeth Pattin

[According to NEHGR, this John Russell is the son of Benjamin Russell, b. 1686, and m. 1710 Elizabeth Pattin, moving to Killingly about 1718. Without further research, it is not clear there is any relationship to the Joseph Russell in these deeds (is it Person:Joseph Russell (51) or Person:Joseph Russell (67)?)

Vol. 27, p. 361 26 Oct 1727: Nathaniel Pattin of Killingsley in the County of Windham in the Colon of Connecticut housewright for £140 convey to Samuel Whittemore Jun'r and Joseph Russell both of Cambridge all interest in estate formerly my Hon'd Grandfather Nathaniel Pattin Sen'r or my Hon'd Father Nath'l Pattin late of Cambridge deceased lying in Cambridge or Charlestown.

Vol. 25, p. 167 16 Oct 1725: John Russel of Killingley in the county of New London and Colloney of Connettecut husband man and Elizabeth my wife for divers causes have quitclaimed unto Joseph Russel of Cambridge Husbandman all interest in our honoured Father Nathaniel Pattin Senior Late of Cambridge Deceased.

Unclear

This is probably the son of John Russell and Elizabeth Fiske, b. 1671, who should be the next oldest John, and hence Junior. It seems unlikely to be the son of Joseph Russell and Mary Belcher, b. 1683.

Vol. 18, p. 456 10 Jul 1706: John Russell Jun'r of Cambridge Carpenter for £12-10-0 convey to John Lawrence of same town two parcels in Cambridge, one 5 1/2 acres, the other 15 acres.

The naming of the parents identify this as the son of Joseph Russell and Mary Belcher, b. 1683. No wife is identified, but this is worrisome because of his location in Lexington at this time, and his occupation as housewright make it hard to distinguish him from the John Russell who married Elizabeth Fisk.

Vol. 25, p. 232 10 Jan 1725[/26 - 12th year of reign, so before 20 Oct 1726]: John Russel of Lexington housewright for £5 quitclaim unto brother Walter Russel of Cambridge all interest in Estate of our hon'd father Mr Joseph Russel sometime since or of our hon'd mother Mrs Mary Russel.

1. ↑ Baldwin, Thomas W. Vital Records of Cambridge, Massachusetts, to the Year of 1850. (Boston: Wright & Potter Printing Co., 1914-15)
   Vol. 1, p. 616.

   RUSSELL, John, s. of W[illia]m and Martha, [born] Jan. 11, 1645.
   [Note: compare to other sources which say September instead of January (7th month versus 11th month). It seems unlikely that a single digit is misread as two, so either month and date switched (which should give 7 Jan 1645/46?) or a transcription error (repeating date as month number (11 Jan 1645/46). We have online access to town copy, not original, but it clearly says 7th month, so published transcription appears incorrect.]

2. ↑ Lexington, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Record of births, marriages, and deaths to January 1, 1898. (Boston, Massachusetts: Wright and Potter Printing, 1898)
   p. 198.

   Russell.
   John, [died] Mar. 6, 1733.

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Paige, Lucius Robinson. History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1630-1877: With a Genealogical Register. (Boston, Massachusetts: H. O. Houghton, 1877)
   p. 646-647.

   John Russell [#5], s/o William m. Elizabeth, b. 11 Sep 1645, d/o David Fiske. Housewright. Resided at the Farms (i.e., Cambridge Farms, or Lexington). He and wife living 1731.

4. ↑ Hudson, Charles, and Lexington Historical Society (Massachusetts). History of the town of Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1868. (Boston, Massachusetts, United States: Houghton Mifflin, 1913)
   vol. 2, p. 592.

   John Russell [#4], s/o William Russell [#1] and Martha ---, b. Cambridge 11 Sep 1645, d. 6 Mar 1733, m. Elizabeth Fiske. At Cambridge Farms [became Lexington] at organization of parish in 1692.

5. ↑ Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital (and Some Town) Records, 1632-1905. (Genealogical Society of Utah: Microfilm of records at city hall, 1998)
   Vol. 1, p. 491.

   [J]ohn son of W'm & Martha Russell, born 11 7 1645.
   [Note: In old-styles dates, the seventh month is September. More info may be found here.]