Hester Lorena (Knowles) Russell (abt. 1886)

Born about Jan 1886 in Florida

Ancestors

Wife of Samuel Joseph Atwell — married 30 Aug 1902 in Key West, Monroe County, Florida

Wife of Harry Willard Russell — married 8 Mar 1912 in Key West, Monroe County, Florida

Biography

Hester was born circa January 1886 in Key West, Florida.^[1] She was probably the daughter of Julius Cephas Knowles and Georgiana Ingraham.

She married first Samuel Joseph Atwell on 30 August 1902 in Key West in a ceremony performed by Rev. John Beers.^[2] The witnesses were Dillion Thompson and Agnes Bodden. They apparently divorced by 1912, when Hester remarried.

She married second Harry Willard Russell on 8 March 1912 in Key West.^[3]

Hester's fate remains unknown. She apparently did not survive her father, who died in 1932.^[4] Many on-line trees identify her as the Hester A. Russell who died in 1922. However, that woman was the daughter of John and Margaret (Sawyer) Albury and the widow of Adolphus Russell.^[5]

Parentage

So far, no direct evidence has been found that names Hester's parents. However, two facts do suggest that she was probably the daughter of Julius C. Knowles and his first wife Georgiana Ingraham.

First, a sister Linda Knowles lived in the household of Hester and her husband Samuel Atwell in 1910.^[6] Her age and relatively unusual first name match her with the daughter Linda, or Athalinda, who lived in Julius Knowles' household in both 1900 and 1910 (in the latter case, she was enumerated twice in the same census).^[7]

Second, Hester's first marriage was witnessed by Agnes Bodden. If Hester was indeed the daughter of Julius, then Agnes would have been her step-sister.

Sources

1. ↑ 1900 U.S. Census, Monroe County, Florida, population schedule, Key West Ward 3, enumeration district 100, stamped page 55A, sheet 14, dwelling 233, family 278, Whalter Griffin household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://interactive.ancestry.com/7602/004120049_00441/34148909?backurl=http://person.ancestry.com/tree/37835005/person/29579003728/facts/citation/155139872563/edit/record : accessed November 2015); citing National Archives microfilm T623, roll 174.
2. ↑ Monroe County Marriage Licenses 5: 450, Samuel J. Atwell and Hester Knowles, 30 August 1902; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89KN-Y3?i=535&cat=341167 : accessed November 2015).
3. ↑ Monroe County Index to Marriage Licenses, 1826–1945, A–R, Grooms, Harry W. Russell and Hester Knowles, 8 March 1912; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9KN-TFWS?i=519&cat=341167 : accessed November 2015).
4. ↑ Julius Knowles' Find A Grave memorial includes a copy of his obituary. It states that he was survived by his son Frank Knowles and daughter, Mrs. W. L. Walters, who was likely his daughter Linda. Donna Jean Robinson, "Julius C. Knowles," Memorial no. 141464395, posted 17 January 2015; memorial without photograph, Find A Grave (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=141464395 : accessed November 2015).
5. ↑ "Florida Deaths, 1877–1939," Hester A Russell, 17 August 1922, Monroe County; database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FP9C-C7J : accessed November 2015).
6. ↑ 1910 U.S. Census, Monroe County, Florida, population schedule, Key West Ward 6, enumeration district 129, stamped page 217, sheet 7A, dwelling 116, family 121, Samuel Atwell household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://interactive.ancestry.com/7884/31111_4327451-01122/180186323?backurl=http://person.ancestry.com/tree/37835005/person/29579003728/facts/citation/155140987377/edit/record : accessed November 2015); citing National Archives microfilm T624, roll 165.
7. ↑ 1900 U.S. Census, Monroe County, Florida, population schedule, Key West Ward 5, enumeration district 105, stamped page 145A, sheet 10, dwelling 194, family 201, Julius Knowles household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://interactive.ancestry.com/7602/004120049_00623/34157179?backurl=http://person.ancestry.com/tree/37835005/person/29580939925/facts/citation/155140992772/edit/record : accessed November 2015); citing National Archives microfilm T623, roll 174. 1910 U.S. Census, Monroe County, Florida, population schedule, Key West Ward 5, enumeration district 127, stamped page 195, sheet 7B, dwelling 132, family 142, Julius Knowles household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://interactive.ancestry.com/7884/31111_4327451-01079/3057165?backurl=http://person.ancestry.com/tree/37835005/person/29580939925/facts/citation/155141052870/edit/record#?imageId=31111_4327451-01079 : accessed November 2015); citing National Archives microfilm T624, roll 165.