18 February 2002                                                                   RubyMc@attbi.com

 Joseph Russell b. ca. 1755-70 VA, (#34 on my anhentafel) d. ca. 1811-12 Dearborn Co., IN; m. 3 May 1792 Mason Co., KY to Mary Parish b. VA.  (John Kiger was one of the witnesses to the marriage bond) Resided 1800 Campbell Co., KY.   See Parish page for info on that family.   John Kiger was administrator for the estate of Joseph Russell Sr. Joseph Russell and John Kiger married Parish sisters.)
Sources: Franklin Co., IN court records; Mason Co., KY Marriage Records; Campbell Co., KY tax records; History of Dearborn Co., IN, its people and institutions; Estate of Joseph Russell Jr. in Supreme Court records.  Interesting item in "Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants Vol. III 1775-1800, p.27 states: R-78: John Kiger of Hampshire Co.  280 A on Chesnut Rg. on Allaganey Mt. in said Co.  Surv. Elias Poston.  8 Jan 1779.
Their children:
1.       Moses Russell b. 1792-1809, d. prob. bef. 1837 says infancy which would infer under 14.
2.       Jehu Russell b. 1792-1809, d. bef. 1837
3.       Joseph Russell Jr. b. ca. 1798/9 was a minor/infant (under age 14 in 1812 and over 14 in 1813),  d. intestate ca.
          1828 Franklin Co., IN    [See note below]
4.       William A. (Ales) Russell b. 1807 Campbell Co., KY/Hamilton Co., OH
5.       Martha Russell b. 1792-1809, d. aft. 1837; m. E. Thompson
6.       Elizabeth Russell b. 14 June 1803 Campbell Co., KY, d. aft. 1885; m. Walter E. Kerr [See Note below}
7.       Mary Russell b. 17 May 1801 Campbell Co., KY; d. 29/31 March 1878 Preble Co., OH, bur. Westfield Cem.;
          m. 16 July 1823 by Rev. Clarke in Hamilton Co., OH to Jesse Simonson b. 5 Feb 1800 Essex Co., NJ, d. 14
          June 1881 Preble Co., OH, bur. next to his wife.
         Sources: Hamilton Co., OH History; Preble Co., OH History; Cemetery Records; Hamilton Co., OH
         Marriage Records; Handwritten book by Mary Simonson Major, d/o John Deem Simonson.
         Their children:
         1.     Mary Catherine Simonson
         2.     Elizabeth C. Simonson m. Paul Gans
         3.     Charlotte Simonson
         4.     Ruth A. Simonson
         5.     Robert S. Simonson
         6.     William R. Simonson
         7.     Jesse Russell Simonson (#16 on my Ahnentafel Chart)
         8.     Martha L. Simonson
         9.     John Deem Simonson
        10.    Charles B. Simonson

Note:  You will see that Joseph Russell named children Moses, William and Mary.  If this is the same Joseph in the will of William of Frederick Co., VA, he named his children William and Mary after his parents and Moses after his brother.

 Note:   Joseph Russell Jr. (s/o Joseph Russell and Mary Parish) #3 above:
John Rockefeller was guardian for Joseph Russell Jr.   Not sure what relationship John Rockefeller (or his wife Mary Thrope) had to the Russell family, if any.

COURT RECORDS OF FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA, by Maurice Holmes
Minute Book B - Common Pleas Court
p.36 - Robert Hobbs and Joseph Russell are listed in a case on this page. Nov. 1811.
[note: I included this as I assume this is Joseph Russell and that he was still living as of Nov. 1811]

p.51 - John Rockafeller is appointed the guardian of Joseph Russell an infant under the age of fourteen years the son of Joseph Russell deceased. James Rockafeller is his security. A bond of $50 is posted. April 1812.
[note: Assume then, that Joseph Russell died after Nov. 1811 and before April 1812. Also, that there is a family connection between John and James Rockafeller]

p.130 - Joseph Russell an infant over fourteen and heir of Joseph Russell deceased comes in court and chooses John H. Rockafeller to be his guardian. May 1813.
[note: Assume then that if Joseph (Jr.) was under 14 on April 1812 and over 14 in May of 1813 that he was born after April of 1798 and before May of 1799.]

Will and Probate Record Book B
p.29 - Jesse Simmonson Is appointed administrator of the estate of Joseph Russell deceased. August 1828.
[note: Assume that Joseph (Jr.) died probably shortly before August 1828. Inasmuch as Jesse Simonson, at this time, resided in Preble Co., OH and married in 1823 to a Mary Russell, that there is some type of family reason to bring him into Franklin County, from his home and appoint him administrator.]

Will and Probate Records Book C
p.450 - Jesse Simonson vs Lewis Raymond administrator and Mary Rockafeller admx. in a bill in chancery. August 1834.

p.496 - Jesse Simonson administrator of the estate of Joseph Russell deceased vs Lewis Raymond administrator Mary Rockafeller admx. of the estate of John Rockafeller deceased in a chancery suit. November 1834.

Probate Order Book I
p.221 - An entry states that Mary Rockafeller and Lewis Raymond had made a partial settlement as adms. of the estate of John H. Rockafeller deceased in Nov. 1830 and in Aug. of 1833 they file a second account current for final settlement of this estate. No heirs are mentioned.
[note: It would probably be very helpful to know the heirs.]

p.406 - Jesse Simonson administrator of the estate Russell Jr. deceased VS Lewis Raymond and Mary Rockefeller administrators of the estate of John H. Rockafeller deceased  in a chancery suit. The entry states that Joseph Russell Sr. the  father of Joseph Jr. died some eighteen or twenty years ago in
Dearborn Co., Ind. leaving amongst his heirs Joseph Jr. to  inherit  his property.  John H. Rockafeller was appointed the guardian of Joseph Jr. and John died In 1827. Most of this entry is concerned with the settlement of John's estate and his connection with Joseph Jr. as gdn.
[note:  It appears that Joseph Jr. was only one of the heirs of  Joseph Sr.   Of course, with the Dearborn Co. records destroyed we may never know who the other heirs were.]

Probate Court Order and Minute Book C
P. 90 Jesse Simonson administrator of the estate of Joseph Russell deceased vs Mary Rockafeller admx.
and Lewis Raymnd adm. of the estate of John Rockafeller deceased in a chancery suit.  Feb. 1836.

p.195 - Jesse Simonson administrator of the estate Russell deceased files his account in court for final of this estate. Nov. 1837

Probate Order Book B
p.189 - Jesse Simonson administrator of the estate of Joseph Russell deceased vs Mary Rockafeller and Lewis Raymond administrators of the estate of John H. Rockafeller deceased in a chan-cery suit. This case  went to the Indiana Supreme Court.
Feb. 1836
[note: Our Law Libraries locally in Spokane, Washington could not help with this or the other Indiana court records - our records not going back far enough]

Probate Order Book 2
p.397 - Jesse Simonson was appointed administrator August 30, 1828 of the estate of Joseph Russell deceased and filed a bond with approved security. The residue of this estate went to the adm. as an heir, W. A. Russell, Walter Keen and E. Thompson equally. November 1837.
[note: It would appear to me that there is a possibility that Joseph Jr. was a brother of W. A. Russell and sisters who married Walter Keen we know that this is actually Walter Kerr – not Keen, E. Thompson and Jesse Russell.]

[note:  Elizabeth Russell (d/o Joseph Russell and Mary Parish) #6 above:  Bernie Cullen, a descendant of Elizabeth Russell provided a copy of this letter - it was written by a daughter of Elizabeth Russell and Walter Kerr:]
"Letter Elizabeth Kerr to Anna Louise Kerr Winkler March 18, 1924 - Transcribed by John B. Cullen III, August 1995.
Letter written in green ink or green writing paper, one folded sheet (four sides), one half sheet (two sides).
Rising Sun Ind
March 18, 1924
'My Dear Neice I was much surprised to get a letter from you but was pleased to hear from you once more.   it is so seldon we hear anything at all from Dearborn co that we appreciate a letter.   But I must tell you that we heard one little scrap of news and that was that you were married but from your letter head and signature that was a mistaken report can it be that it is one of your sisters that is married.    Now about the information you are wanting it is very meager indeed.   grandmother Kerr talked quite a good deal about her Father and Mother living in Ky, and after they moved to ohio, although she was but four years old when they both died, just one day apart, but she never mentioned abut having a grandmother or aunts and uncles nor when nor where they came from when they came to Ky.   That is all blank.   Rose says she and grandmother used to talk and she says grandmothers name before she was married was Mary Parish and her fathers name was Joseph Russel, I have heard her say in fun that she could claim "kin" to Lord Russel of England.  They were of English descent they (Russels were) but there is nothing to tell us if her father was the only one who came here or when or was he married when he came is unknown she was too young to remember.   She was born in Campbell Co Kentucky in 1803 and five years later they moved to near Whitewater Hamilton Co Ohio where her parents died leaving three sons and three daughters her brother Joseph Russel was in the war of 1812 with General Hall and died a prisnor of war her son Charles Kerr was in the Civil War and died at Vicksburg, her son William was in the same war but lived through and was honorably discharged at the close of the war. Now Anna Louise I have done the best I could and have given you all the information I have at hand. In some Encyclopedias there are histories of families given maybe of ht eRussels who knows.    Rose and I are having better health this winter so far than we have had for two years but I never go away from home only across the yard to see a neighbor or two maybe when the weather gets warm I can make some trips abroad.   I hope this may find you people all well.    With best regards to all
Your Aunt
Elizabeth Kerr

The 1880 Dearborn Co., OH Census - Hogan Twp 109/115 Walter Kerr ae. 81; Elizabeth Kerr age. 77.    Elizabeth Kerr states she was b. in KY and both parents b. in VA.

[note: Charlotte and Ruth are names, to date, unknown in our family. Curious to know if any early relatives may carry that name.]

[note:
Lincoln Co., KY 1790 Tax List - Joseph Russell
Campbell Co., KY 1797-98; 1800-01-02-03-05 Tax List - Joseph Russell
Campbell Co., KY formed 1795 from Mason Co., KY
Mason Co., KY formed 1789 from Bourbon Co., KY
Franklin Co., IN formed 1811 from Dearborn Co., IN]

[note: I would like to know if the Deem family is somehow related to the family.  There were some "Deem" families in Preble Co., OH.  There was a John Deem in the 9-1-1800 KY Census in Campbell Co., KY at the same time as our Joseph Russell.  He last appeared on the tax lists until 1809. It is possible that they were just good family friends.]

[note: In Franklin Co., IN there is A. W. (Alexander) Russell who appears in the Franklin Co., IN Court records. Katherine Leash Noble m. 17 Sept 1828 to A. W. Russell in Campbell Co., KY.    In the Franklin Co., IN Court records of 1833 Benjamin L. Noble was adm. of estate of James Noble and also mentioned are Richard L. Noble, Philip and Rebecca Sweetser, Alexander and Catherine Russell, and James Noble a non-resident of IN.    How, if at all, does this family relate to my Joseph Russell family?]

[note: How does the following family tie in to my Russell family?  I believe the following info on the children came from the Russell Register and yet, when I obtained the will, it does not mention all of the children shown below:
William Russell, resided Cedar Creek, Frederick Co., VA; will dated 9 May 1777 and proved Sept. 1777; m. ?Mary Alexander?
Their children:
             1.     Moses Russell b. ca. 1756 of Kygerville, Gallia Co., OH – from VA (Our Joseph named a son Moses
                     Russell)
             2.     Susannah m. bef. 1777 ___ Desponet
             3.     James Russell b. ca. 1750 Frederick Co., VA and Fayette Co., PA – settled Butler Co., OH by 1807.
                  (Near Preble Co., OH where our Mary lived)
             4.     William Russell Jr. b. ca. 1764
             5.     Joseph Russell b. ca. 1756 (Of age to be our Joseph Russell)
             6.     John Russell
             7.     Alexander Russell b. ca. 1750 (There was an Alexander Russell near our Joseph)
             8.     Benjamin Russell b. ca. 1750]

[note:  A researcher mentioned that "Lucile Rupley Weil (Believed to be a descendant of Joseph and Mary [Parish] Russell, is known to have written a book named 'Russell's, Then and Now'."   If anyone has information on where I can obtain a copy of this book, please let me know.]

William Russell, of unknown origin, purchased land near Mountain Falls, Cedar Creek, Frederick County, Virginia, and was a voter in that county 24 July 1758. His wife is said to have been Mary Alexander of Philadelphia. William's will was dated 9 May 1777 and probated in Frederick County 2 September 1777.   He named wife Mary, children Moses, Susannah Desponet, James, William, Joseph. [Frederick County Wills, 1:364].
Children of William and Mary (Alexander) Russell, all presumably born at Mountain Falls:
1.     John Russell
2.     William Russell Jr. b. ca. 1764
3.     Joseph Russell b. ca. 1756
4.     Moses Russell b. ca. 1760
5.     Alexander Russell b. ca. 1750
6.     Benjamin Russell b. ca. 1750
7.     Susanna Russell m. ___ Desponet before 1777.

[note: Additional research is required to confirm the above data concerning William, his marrige, and the identites of his children.]

Hmmmmmm!!!  Now I have a copy of the actual will which follows. There is no Alexander or Benjamin mentioned so I will appreciate anything anyone may have to substantiate these children being sons of William Russell and Mary (Alexander?) Russell:

     In the name of God Amen    I William Russell of Frederick County in the Colony of Virginia being very sick and weak in body but of perfect Mind and Memory thanks be given unto God calling to mind themortality of my body & knowing that is is appointed for all men once to die do make & ordain this my last will & Testament That is to say principally & first of all I give & recommend my Soul into the hand of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in Christian decent burial at the discresion of my Executors nothing doubting but all the General esurrection I shall receive the same again by the might power of God. And as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it at pleased God to bless me in this life, I give Dimise & dispose of the same in the following manner & form.
     First I give & bequeath to Mary my beloved wife A good sufficient Maintenance during her natural Life with my Son Moses to whome I have given A portion of my estate Equivilent to the troble & expence he may be ____. Maintenance or if she shall chuse A seperate Maintenance ___ that he shall provide for her A good sufficient neat warm Dwelling House on A convenient part of the plantation that I shall bequeath unto him & shall lay in for her A sufficient quantity of provision. Viz Fifteen Bushels of wheat & five bushels of rye & five bushels of Indian corn, and one hundred pounds of beef and one hundred and fifty pounds of pork he is also to keep her A ___ & to supply her with A horse & sallde when she shall have occasion to ride & to furnish her with a bed & bedcloaths & decent wearing apparel & such other Household goods as she shall stand in need of and I likewise allow her to have the Negro wench Agg during her life It is to be observed that the quantity of provisions mentioned above is to be given to her yearly & every year during her Life but if their be an overplus she may not sell nor give it away from Moses. Also I give & bequeath to my beloved Daughter Susanna Disponet the sum of five shillings. Also I give & bequeath to my beloved Son James One hundred acres of land it being at this present surveyed & deeds of lease & release written for the same describing the situation & lines thereof it being the land whereon he now liveth situated on duck(?) run together with the fulling mill and all the appertenances thereof to him his heirs and assigns forever Also I give to my beloved Son William A horse worth twenty pounds.  Also I give & bequeath to my Beloved son Joseph his Heirs & assigns forever that tract of Land known by the name of dyers place together with all the appertenance thereof. Also I give bequeath to my beloved son Moses his Heirs & assigns forever all that tract of land whereon I now dwel (except the hundred acres above mentioned given to my son James) and all the appurtenances thereof & likewise all my personal estate good chattles & stock provided nevertheless that he maintain his Mother as above directed which he is punctually to perform yielding & paying everything as there above directed to his Mother & he is not to sell the plantation while she live without her consent  He is likewise to pay all the legacees mentioned in this my last will & testament  I also allow him to have the Negro wench Agg On the disease of his Mother provided that he pay the sum of eight pounds to my Son James Eight pounds to Son William Eight pounds to Son Joseph & Eight pounds to Daughter Susanna Disponet.  But if Moses should die without Children I allow all the moveable goods & chattles Bequeated to him to be eqully divided among my surviving Children (except those necessaries above mentioned with which he is to furnish his Mother which things I allow her to dispose of at her death as she pleases if Moses should die without issue) And if Moses die without Issue I allow his Estate of Land which I bequeath to him to ___ to my son Joseph his Heirs and assigns forever provided that he maintain his mother after the same desent & sufficient manner as was above ____ to Moses, and also that he pay the sum of thirty three pounds to my Son James thirty three pounds to William & thirty three pounds to Susanna Disponet to them or each of their Heirs & also that he keep the Negro wench Agg at his Mothers death provided he pay the sum of ten pounds to each of my surviving Children or Heirs.  I likewise constitute make & ordain my well beloved wife Mary and my beloved son Joseph Executors of this my last will & Testament. And I do utterly disalow ___ & disannul all & every other Testaments Will, Legacies & Executors by me in anywise before named Willed & bequeathed Ratafiing & conforming this & no other to be my last Will & testament - In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this twenty ninth day of may in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy seven.

[Note:  Joseph was Executor of this will in 1777 so it would appear he was still in Frederick Co., VA at this time.]

It is my hope that these records may shed some light on the connection, if any, to the Joseph Russell in the will above to our Joseph Russell - hopefully they are one and the same.

p.135
JOSEPH RUSSELL, assignee of William Russell; 17 Dec. 1772 - 11 Nov 1773; 39 a. near Duck Run, a br. of Cedar Crk; adj. his (Wm) own land, Michael Poker, Adam Shriver.  CC - Michael Poker & Joseph Russell.  Surv. Richard Rigg.

3 May 1777 - I request a deed may issue to my son Joseph Russell.
William (X) Russell

WILLIAM RUSSELL, no warnt, survd 1 Mar 1749; 297 a. whereon he lives on brs of Ceder Crk; adj. John Dyer, Adam Hunter, wste land where Robert Marney lives.  CC - Henry Fry & John Dyar.  Surv. John Baylis.

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