Person:Simon Russell (2)

From James Davis:

"Living near the Russells in Darlington County, S.C. were Cooks, Gardners, and Courtneys, who moved to Montgomery County, AL about the same time as did Simon Russell and they were close neighbors in AL.

"They lived a few miles south of Ramer near Ebenezer Baptist Church (known as New Ebenezer) which was constituted in February of 1836 by Elders John Robertson and William J. Pouncey, pastor. Names on the Constitution: Fielding Hogan (Felin) Mary Hogan Simon Russell Nancy Russell John Gardner Elizabeth Gardner Stephen Gardner

"There was also an Ebenezer Church in Darlington on land donated by Benjamin Mosely in 1791 located south side of north prong of Jeffry's Creek. That church was located near land owned by James Russell (between High Hill Creek and Jeffry's Creek). Benjamin Mosely's name is also found.

"I hope to find more information about the Ebenezer Church in Darlington possibly at the library of Furman University of Greenville, S.C. It was interesting that one of the Russell descendants was buried at Nevada Cemetery in Arkansas, but which had previously been Ebenezer Cemetery.

"In Montgomery County, AL, my gggrandfather, Malachi L. Gardner married Elizabeth Russell January 22, 1829, and Noah Gardner married Margaret Ann Russell (b. Sept. 7, 1812, S.C., d. abt 1880 in AL) on February 5, 1834. Margaret, and probably Elizabeth as well, was the daughter of William and Rhoda Russell from S.C.

"In 1950, my sister, Carilyn Davis, married Jesse T. Russell whose father was Jesse T. Russell, born March 26, 1897. Jesse T. Sr. lived in the same neighborhood as Simon and William Russell and he and Jesse Jr. are buried at Ebenezer Cemetery.

"Because of the friendships of the Russells, Gardners, and probably Cooks as well, it may be that one or more of the early wives, Martha, Elizabeth, and Nancy might have been from one of those families."