John Russell and his descendents

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Patterson Y² Russell (John¹) was born about 1800 in Washington County, Virginia. He died 1840 in Benton County, Missouri. He married 15 Apr 1824 in Boone County, Missouri, Sarah Hirsh who was born about 1802 in Kentucky and died in 1858 in California. She was the daughter of George Hirsh.

Early Years

Patterson Y. Russell was born about 1800 in Washington County, Virginia. Probate records for his father, John, include a list of John's children in birth order. The estimates of birth years for Patterson and his siblings were based on the order of birth, a few census records, and property and land tax records showing the years in which John's older sons appear on the tax lists.¹ His parents were:

• John Russell, b about 1756 , d 1821 in Missouri.
• Barsheba.

Patterson is John's youngest child, a relationship supported by the evidence. A son, Patterson, is listed in John's probate record, a name that is not very common.² In fact, Patterson is the administrator of John's estate. In addition, Patterson appears in the 1817 Missouri Territorial census at the same time as his father, John, his brother, Henry, and his sister, Barsheba.³

Marriage and Children

Patterson married Sarah Hirsh on 15 Apr 1824 in Boone County, Missouri.⁴ Sarah's father may be George Hirsh, who is found in the 1830 US census in Boone County, Missouri.⁵. In this census, George is in his 60's, so he is probably Sarah's father, rather than her brother. No other Hirsh is found in Boone County at this time. George is still in Boone County in 1840.⁶

Sarah Russell is found in the 1850 census as a widow with the following six children in her household:⁷

1. William, born about 1825 in Missouri.
2. Caroline Virginia, born 5 Feb 1828 in Boone, Missouri.⁸ ( Family Group Sheet (pdf) )
   1. married Christopher Columbus Owen 7 Nov 1850 in Benton County, Missouri.⁹
3. John, born about 1831 in Missouri.
4. Nancy, born about 1834 in Missouri.
5. James, born about 1836 in Missouri.
6. Sarah, born about 1839 in Missouri.

Caroline is the only one of the children who has been identified in additional records, beyond this 1850 census record. Carloline married Christopher Columbus Owen, who was a prominent man.¹⁰ He was a captain in the civil war, prominent in establishing the town of Protem, and a Missouri state legislator. Thus, Captain Owen's life, including his marriage to Caroline, is well documented.

In Virginia

Patterson was born and raised in Washington County, Virginia, on the north fork of the Holston River.¹¹ In 1815, the part of Washington County where they lived was included in the newly created Scott County. Patterson was probably documented for the first time in the 1816 Virginia personal property tax list.¹² This list shows John Russell with 2 tithables, Joseph Russell with one, and Henry Russell with one. The second male documented for John is probably Patterson. Patterson's older brothers, James and John, were on ths list earlier and then were no longer on the list, meaning they had probably moved away. Joseph and Henry are shown separately on this list. Patterson would be the only son left, and he would be 16 which is the age at which he would be taxed.

By 1817, Patterson, with his father and brother, Henry, had moved to Missouri.

In Missouri

Patterson is found on the 1817 Missouri territorial census in Femme Osage Township, St. Charles County, Missouri.¹³ Femme Osage is on the eastern side of Missouri, about 50 miles from the eastern border. Femme Osage is the town where Daniel Boone spent the last years of his life and died in 1820. Patterson's father, his brother, Henry, and his sister, Barsheba, are also found in Femme Osage in this census.

Patterson is found in Boone County, Missouri, as the executor of his father's estate.¹⁴ In order to be the executor, he must have been 21 years old at the time of his father's death, Aug 1821. Boone County is about 100 miles east of St. Charles County. Patterson is also documented on a jury in Boone County in 1821.¹⁵

Because the 1820 census for Missouri is lost, it's not possible to know whether Patterson was in Boone County earlier than 1821. However, a history of Boone County suggests that he was there before 1820.¹⁶ The following description of the location is provided in the book:

East and southeast of Rocheport, in what is known as "Terrapin Neck,"

The wording in the book is a little unclear. It says, "Up to 1820 the following, among others, had settled near Rocheport and thrall's Prairie", but because the names are listed in batches, it's not completely clear that the 1820 applies to all the paragraphs listing names. In any case, whether it was before 1820 or in 1820 or shortly after, Patterson is clearly listed as one of the early settlers. George Hersh, probably Sarah's father, is also listed in the same area.

Patterson is found on the 1821 Boone County, Missouri, tax list.¹⁷ On this list, the number of unmarried males 21-50 years old that he owes taxes for is one. He is shown to have 160 acres, valued at $200. He is listed with one city lot and one dwelling. He has 3 horses and 5 cattle. The aggregated value of his taxable property is $408.00. The amount of his tax is $2.02.

On 15 Nov 1823, Patterson purchased 80 acres of land in Boone County from Abraham Woods.¹⁸ In 1824, Patterson married Sarah Hirsh in Boone County. They were married by Elijah Foley, a relative of Abraham Foley, the husband of Patterson's sister Barsheba.¹⁹ Abraham's father is named Elijah, as is a brother, both of whom were Baptist ministers.

In the 1830 US census, Patterson is found back in St. Charles County.²⁰ He is very close to his brother, Henry, on the same census page with only one name between them, George Allen. At this time, he has one male 5-9 and one female under five in his household. This could be William, born in 1825, and Caroline, born in 1828.

At some time between 1830 and 1840, Patterson relocated to Benton County, Missouri, according to a biographical sketch of C. C. Owen, Patterson's son-in-law.²¹ According to the article, "When young they became residents of Missouri and were there married, later becoming residents of Benton County, where Mr. Russel died in 1840, having been a farmer by occupation." Benton County is somewhat west of Boone County.

Death

Although no death record has been found for Patterson, there is supporting evidence that he died in 1840. In the 1840 US census, Sarah is listed as the head of a household, which would not be the case if Patterson were alive.²² The most reasonable explanation is that Patterson died before the census was taken in 1840. At that time, Sarah's household consisted of:

• 1 female 30-39
• 1 male 20-29
• 1 male 15-19
• 1 female 15-19
• 1 male 10-14
• 1 female 10-14
• 1 female 5-9
• 1 male under 5
• 2 female under 5

The ages of the household members do not exactly match Sarah's children. Actually, there are more household members than you would expect. One explanation might be people who are helping Sarah, after Patterson's death. If a younger couple with one small female dhild were staying with Sarah, it would explain the extra household members. All the younger household members, except one female under 5, and one male 15-19, would be Sarah's children. The male in his 20s, the female 15-19, and one female under 5 could another family who was staying with Sarah

In the 1850 census, Sarah was still living in Benton County, Missouri.²³ There were six children in her household.

According to the C. C. Owen bio-sketch, Sarah died in 1858 in California.²⁴ This has not been varified in any other source.

Neither Patterson's nor Sarah's grave has been found.