Born in 1551 John Russsell was son of Sir Thomas Russell and his wife, Frances Cholmley [1] and was brought up in the household of Francis Russell, Earl of Bedford becoming close to the Earl's son, William. It is possible that, like William, John was educated at Oxford University. He was returned to Parliament as member for Droitwich in 1572. [2]
John seems to have of combative nature, early after his father's death in 1574 embroiled in a serious dispute with Henry Berkeley, who had married John's step-mother, Margaret Lygon, regarding Margaret's dower lands. [2]
In 1575 John married Elizabeth Sheldon, daughter of Ralph Sheldon of Beoley [1] in Worcestershire and his wife, Anne Throckmorton. At the time of the marriage his father settled Strensham on him. [3] She bore him 2 sons and a daughter but the marriage was not a success supposedly because John was a firm Protestant and his wife and her father were devout Roman Catholics. By 1578 John had excluded the children from the succession to his estates conveying his property to his friend the Earl of Bedford. In 1583 formal deeds of separation were drawn up but the disharmony between John and his father-in-law became violent with armed clashes and attacks on each other's houses. Despite all the trouble he was again returned to Parliament for Worcestershire in 1584. The matter appears to have been settled by 1585 when John restored his children to their inheritance after having been given leave of absence from Parliament to attend to his "great business". [2]
John wrote his will on the 24th of April 1587, adding a codicil on the the 13th of December. Since he was knighted in 1587 while in the Low Countries serving under the Earl of Leicester it seems that he wrote it before he left and added the codicil when he returned. [4]
John died at Strensham in 1593 and is said to have been buried in the parish church of St John the Baptist. No reference to Sir John is made in the list of monuments to the Russells in the church. [3]
His will was proved on the 31st of July 1589. [5]
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Categories: Strensham, Worcestershire | Members of Parliament, Droitwich | Members of Parliament, England 1572 | Members of Parliament, Worcestershire | Members of Parliament, England 1584 | Members of Parliament, England 1586 | Members of Parliament, England 1589 | Sheriffs of Worcestershire | St John the Baptist Church, Strensham, Worcestershire