Overton Henderson Russell Sr. (1886 - 1965)

Born 28 Apr 1886 in Streeter, Summers County, West Virginia, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Bessie Mae (Harvey) Russell — married 3 Jun 1912 in Summers County West Virginia by Rev. Allen M. McKinney

Descendants

Died 31 Aug 1965 at age 79 in Marfrance, Greenbrier County West Virginia, USA

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Biography

Overton Henderson Russell 4/28/1886-8/31/1965

Overton (Obe) Henderson Russell was the third of five children born to William Henry Russell and Nancy (Harvey) Russell on April 28, 1886 in Streeter, Summers County, WV. His siblings were Susan Amana R. who married Augustus Pack, Mary Emma Katharine R. who married Richard Pack, Henry Frederick R. who married Anna Pack, and Grace Elizabeth R. who married Hartley Dunbar. Obe's life occupation was timberman, woodsman, and farmer. He was an excellent fiddle player and banjo player, and when he was younger he often played for square dances. He loved to "seng" and hunt and always had at least one "coon" hound. He was also an excellent swimmer and diver, and often swam with his sons in the "Big Blue Hole" in Little Bluestone Creek and in the "Old Mill Hole" on Pinch Creek which was over the hill from Clifford and Mona Fox's house. Although his father was well educated in England, Obe could read only a little.

He lived for a while in the Thomas Place on White Oak Creek at Jumping Branch in Summers County where most of his children were born. He then moved to the Brammer place at Streeter near the mouth of Little Bluestone around 1933. Obe and George Brammer had a moonshine still and sold their brew. After getting caught by police, Obe then moved to White Oak Mountain on the Lonnie Harvey Farm in Raleigh County near Shady Springs. In about 1935 he moved to Bragg in Raleigh County. He built his first house (log house) on Meador Branch at New, Raleigh County. Because the children had too far to walk to school, Obe then constructed a "slab" house approximately one-half mile north of Cloverdale Road (Raleigh County Route 27/10). When he was about 75 years old he moved to Marfrance in Greenbrier County where he later died on August 31, 1965. He loved the woods and died there while pulling a log home for firewood. He is buried with his wife in Wallace Memorial Cemetery along US 60 at Rupert in Greenbrier County.

Obe met and married Bessie May Harvey of Summers County. She was born at Jumping Branch in Summers County on May 24, 1898, and died in Quinwood, Greenbrier County on March 23, 1981. Her mother was Mary Alice Harvey, her maternal grandfather was Jasper Newton Harvey, and her maternal grandmother was Arnetta Julina Ferguson. Her father was William A. Bennett. Her siblings were Jennie H. who married Charlie Ratliff, James H. who married Kathleen ______ from Richwood and William H.

Obe and Bessie's children are Hezzie May R. who married Charette S. Crawford, Mary Catherine R. who married Basil Hubert Richmond, Armanda Belle R. who married William Yancey then Robert Allen, John Howard R. who married Maxine Elizabeth Fox then Merlie Bailey, William Allen R. who married Mercedes Ellen Fox, Norma Texas R. who married Herbert Carl Bennett, Holbert Simon R. who married Billie Jean Redden, Vera Juanita R. who married George Howard Mize, Jr. then Elmer Kliewer, Arnold Huling R. who married Deanna Lee Dimola, Patricia Ruth R. who married Ray Whittaker, Ora Nadine R. who married Joseph Bragg then Bernard Baker then Bob Coleman, Lois Radine R. who died while young, Dicye Faye R. who married Charles Edward Miller, Icye Gaye R. who married Larry Capuano, Bessie Hilda R. who married James Pritt, and Myrtle Louise R. who married Alvin Paul Bennett. A total of 85 grandchildren were the offspring of this family.

Parents:

• William Henry Russell (1846 - 1925)
• Nancy Catherine Harvey Russell (1853 - 1929)

Spouse:

• Bessie May Harvey Russell (1898 - 1981)

Children:

• Hezzie Mae Russell Crawford (1913 - 1990)*
• Nancy Catherine Russell Richmond (1917 - 1988)*
• John Howard Russell (1919 - 1999)*
• William Allen Russell (1921 - 1969)*
• Norma Texas Russell Bennett (1922 - 1990)*
• Henry Russell (1924 - 1925)*
• Overton Russell (1926 - 1926)*
• Hobart Simon Russell (1927 - 1983)*
• Vera Juanita Russell Kliewer (1928 - 2012)*
• Arnold Huling Russell (1930 - 2002)*
• Ora Nadine Russell Bragg Baker Coleman (1934 - 1983)*
• Icye Gaye Russell Capuano (1935 - 1990)*
• Bessie Hilda Russell Pritt (1938 - 2015)*
• Myrtle Louise Russell Bennett (1940 - 2000)*

Sources

WV MARRIAGE REGISTER - O H Russell 26 yrs and Bessie May Harvey 16 yrs on June 3 1912 in Summers County West Virginia by Rev. Allen M. McKinney

WV DEATH REGISTER - Name: Overton Henderson/Russell Sex: Male Death Date: 31 Aug 1965 Death Place: Marfrance, W. Va. Age at Death: 79y Marital Status: M Occupation: Retired Lumberman Residence: Greenbrier County, West Virginia Mother: Nancy Katherine/Harvey Father: William Henry/Russell

• Find A Grave: Memorial #102206646
• Burial: Wallace Memorial Cemetery - Crawley, Greenbrier County West Virginia