John Russell and his descendents

janet@janetvalade.com

Early Years

Nathan Russell was probably born about 1753, but no documented trace of him has been found before 1779. Some trees on Ancestry.com state that he was born in Pennsylvania, some say Sommerset, but a search of documents in Pennsylvania has found no evidence for this. His parents have not been identified.

Nathan Russell is probably related to John Russell, based on their settling in the same region of Missouri. John may be a sibling or a cousin to Nathan. However, the relationship is based on circumstantial evidence, not yet proven.

Marriage and Children

No record of Nathan's first marriage has been found. The date of the wedding would be about 1786, or earlier, based on the ages of his children.

Some trees on Ancestry.com name Jane Bledsoe as his wife. However, other records show a marriage in Lafayette County, Missouri between Nathan's daughter Jane and Willis Bledsoe, which would make Jane Bledsoe Nathan's daughter, not his wife. A record of a marriage between Willis Bledsoe and Jane Dailey could be Jane Russell if she was previously married to a man named Dailey.¹ One Ancestry.com tree states that the estate file for Jane's sister, Elizabeth, shows her sister, Jane, with the last name of Dealy. In addition, Willis Bledsoe is an equal legatee in Nathan's probate files and Jane's name does not appear in Nathan's probate file. Thus, it seems more likely that Jane Bledsoe is the name of Nathan's daughter and his wife's name is unknown. Possibly her first name is Jane, since their first daughter is named Jane, but her last name is unknown.

Nathan's probate files contain documents showing the distribution of his inheritance to his children, including documents signed by the children.² The probate files show Elizabeth as his widow, who is his second wife and not the mother of his children.

Nathan and his wife had seven children:

1. Nathan, born 7 Jan 1789 in Cabin Creek, Rowan, North Carolina.^3,4
   1. married Mary about 1816 in Missouri.
2. Philip, born about 1790 in North Carolina.
3. William, born about 1793 in North Carolina.⁵
   1. married Sarah White 26 Oct 1826 in Jefferson Co, Missouri.⁶
4. Jane, born about 1795 in Cabin Creek, Rowan, North Carolina.
5. Elizabeth, born about 1798 in Cabin Creek, Rowan, North Carolina.
6. Joseph, born 31 Dec 1800 in North Carolina.⁷
   1. married Elizabeth Gray 17 May 1821 in Boone Co, Missouri.⁸
7. Levi, born about 1804 in North Carolina.⁹
   1. married Nancy Bledsoe 18 Oct 1827 in Jackson Co, Missouri.¹⁰

The list of children and their ages are estimated from probate documents and from census information.

Nathan married Elizabeth Guinn 25 May 1826 in Lafayette County, Missouri.¹¹

In Virginia

Nathan is found on the personal property tax list in Washington County, Virginia, in 1784 only, but he is not listed in this location in 1785.¹² He is found in the same area as John Russell, who is probably a relative. It's possible that Nathan was visiting John from North Carolina at this time.

In North Carolina

Nathan is first seen in North Carolina in 1779 when he obtained land from Whitlock Arnold. The warrant shows Nathan obtaining 300 acres on 3 May 1779 located in Rowan County "On the waters of Cabbin Creek".¹³

Nathan is documented in Rowan County, North Carolina in the 1790 US Census.¹⁴ At that time, his household consisted of:

• 1 male 16 and over
• 2 males under 16
• 3 females

The male over 16 would be Nathan. In the 1800 census, he is listed as over 45, so he would be at least 35 in this census. One of the females would be his wife. It's reasonable to assume that the remaining members of the household are two duaghters and two sons. This is probably Nathan Jr, Philip, Sarah, and Jane.

Nathan lived on Cabin Creek in Rowan County, North Carolina. He ordered 300 acres of land surveyed in 1791, land that was originally on a warrant obtained by Whitlock Arnold. In 1797, Whitlock Arnold assign 100 acres of the land to Nathan.¹⁵ In 1805 Nathan entered the land on his own warrant, filing the original 1791 survey with his application, and obtained a patent for the 300 acres on 21 April 1807.¹⁶ Nathan was listed on the Rowan County, North Caroline 1800 tax list for the Bald Mountain District with 300 acres and one Poll tax.¹⁷

In 1800, Nathan is still located in the same area. He is found in the US Census in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina.¹⁸ His household in 1800 consisted of:

• 1 male 45 and over
• 1 female 26 to 44
• 1 female 16 to 25
• 2 male 10-15
• 1 female 10-15
• 3 males under 10
• 2 females under 10

On 2 Jan 1808, Nathan sold two plots of land. He sold 260 acress on Cabin Creek to George Gross for $300 silver.¹⁹ He also sold 40 acres to John Aderton for $20 silver.²⁰ These two plots account for the entire 300 acres of land that he purchased.

In Missouri

Some time between 1808 when he sold his land in North Carolina and 1821, Nathan relocated to Missouri. The 1821 Boone County Tax list shows Nathan Russell Sr. with 160 acres.²¹ His sons, Nathan Jr and William, are also listed on the tax roles. Patterson Russell, son of John Russell, a possibly related family, is also on this tax list.

Boone County is fairly central in Missouri. At some point, Nathan moved west in Missouri, because he married his second wife in 1826 in Lafayette County, Mo, which is close to the western border of Missouri.²² In 1828, Nathan died in Jackson County, which is central on the western border of Missouri.

Death

Nathan Russell died in 1828 in Jackson County, Missouri.²³ Nathan Jr was the administrator of his estate. His widow was Elizabeth, his second wife. His probate file contains a list of all his property and all his debts. After the debts were paid, each legatee received $28.50. Legatees who signed a receipt for their inheritance wwere his sons Nathan, Levi, Joseph, and William, his daughter Elizabeth, and Willis Bledsoe.

His grave has not been found.