Person:William Russell (206)

"The Russell family, once so prominently known in the northwest section, have disappeared. We have mentioned James A. Russell and family elsewhere. His cousin William Russell lived in that section. They married sisters, the Misses Baker, of Hardy County. William was the father of Mrs. James Cover, Mrs. Zepp and one son John. Mr. James A. Russell lived to be an old man. His father was one of the Minute Men, as shown elsewhere. Mr. Russell's gallant son, Stanley, was killed during the early part of the Civil War,-a brave Confederate, well-known to the writer. His sister Mrs. Annie Hack and her brothers, have been previously mentioned." [Source: p. 500, Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and their Descendants, by Thomas Kemp Cartmell, 1909.]

1834, Dec. - He was listed as an "infant child" in his father's Dec. 1834 Will, and Henry Richards was appointed as guardian.

1841 – Petition to General Assembly of Virginia by residents on or near Cedar Creek claiming that the supply of fish in the creek has been cut off in the last 5 or 10 years by the erection and heightening of mill dams, and requesting that the owners be required to build a slope or sluice in such dams so that fish may ascend. The petition was signed by a large number of persons, including many Richards, Orndorff's, Brill's, Vance's, Cooper's, Fry's and also James Russell and William Russell.

1850 - census, Frederick County, Virginia, district 16, p 137, Oct. 7: William Russell, 32, farmer; Rachael Russell, 26; Elizabeth Russell, 64; Annanias Russell, 26; and Mary Russell, 29; all born Virginia. Next door was cousin James A. Russell.

1860 - census Frederick County (PO Mountain Falls): William Russell, 42, farmer, $6000 & $2533; Rachel V. 28, housewifery, $1000 & $250; Betty, 9; John, 7; Magdaline, 4; and James H., 2. All born Virginia.[Note the names used by William and Racheal: Elizabeth and John after his parents and Magdalene and James after her parents.]

1870 - census (30 June) - Capon Township, Hardy County, West Virginia (P.O. Moorefield): William Russell, 50, farmer, born Virginia; Rachael, 48, keeping house, born Virginia; Bettie, 19; John, 17; Maggie W., 14, attending school (James who should have been 12 is missing); and also in household James Malon, 24, farm laborer and two black domestic servants. Nearby was the Wm. C. Baker household. He was 58 and may be Rachael's brother.

1880 - census (23 June) - Capon District, Hardy County, West Virginia: Wm Russell, 61, miller, born Virginia; wife, Rachel, 58, born West Virginia; son John, 27, miller, born Virginia; and daughter Maggie, 24, born Virginia.

1889 - William Russell's burial marker at Gravel Spring Lutheran in Frederick County reads "aged 70 years, 8 months and 26 days". Per findagrave.com, which gives the death date and the computed birthdate. The cemetery is at the intersection of routes 600 (S. Pifer Road) and 603 (Brill Road)