William Russell

As printed in 1881

WILLIAM RUSSELL.

The subject of this sketch is a native of Washington county, Virginia. He was born on the ist day ol March, 1813. Left his native county in childhood, on the removal of his parents to Marion county, Tennessee, and lived there until he attained his majority. He was reared on a farm, and received fair educational advantages. In the autumn of 1838 he came to Ray county, Missouri, and located near Millville. Here he was occupied in farming until 1858, when he removed to Knoxville, and engaged for a number of years in mercantile business there. In the spring of 1868 he removed to Russellville, and has since resided in that place, where he has a residence, store building, and several other lots. Mr. Russell has held various offices of trust in Ray county. He was first elected, in 1846, to the office of constable, and served in that capacity, for six years. He was elected justice of the peace in 1852, and has held the office, almost uninterruptedly for nearly thirty years, and in all his administration has had but two appeals taken from his judgement, and they were affirmed by the higher courts. He has, also, held the office of notary public for the space of seven years, and still has a year or more of his present term to serve. He is a member of the Knoxville Lodge of A. F. & A. M., and has several times been elected by his brethren to offices in the lodge. Mr. Russell was married on the 20th day of October, 1832, to Miss Tansom Burgess, a native of Virginia. They are the parents of eight children: Cynthia A., Elijah B., Sarah E., George W., Matilda T., Missouri C, Mary E., and Emeline C. The last named is dead. Both Mr. and Mrs. Russell, and all the children, but one, are members of the M. E. Church South. Mr. Russell and his estimable lady have been members of that church for more than half a century. Our subject has been all his life very strictly temperate, and moral. The offices he has held for such great length of time bear testimony to the high esteem in which he is held by his fellow men.

As printed in History of Ray County, Mo. (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.