Rhoda Alice (Bean) Russell (1846 - 1916)

Born 2 Aug 1846 in Jay, Franklin, Maine, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Hiram Frank Russell — married 11 Dec 1882 (to 2 Nov 1903) in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died 12 Apr 1916 at age 69 in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Marjorie Luce [send private message]

Biography

Alice (Bean) Russell is a member of Clan MacBean.

Rhoda Alice Bean was born on 2 August 1846 in Jay, Maine, the daughter of Dudley Bean and Elvira Douglas.^[1][2] She grew up in her family home on the Jay Intervale (now Route 140) on the Androscoggin River.

Alice, as she was known, gave birth to an illegitimate daughter, Winnifred, at her home in Jay on 7 May 1873.^[3] It is unknown who Winnifred's father is. Winnifred remained at the home of Alice's parents in Jay, but Alice moved away. In 1880 she was living with her sister in Brunswick.^[4] Later she moved to Massachusetts where she married Frank Russell on 11 December 1882 in Malden, Massachusetts.^[5][6]

Alice and Frank lived in Everett after their marriage, and they had a son, Harrison Francis Russell, born there on 18 November 1885.^[7] Frank died in Everett on 2 November 1903.^[8][6] A few years later, on 22 September 1908, their son Harry died at Everett.^[9]

After her husband's death Alice struggled to make a living in Everett. She filed an application for a widow's pension due to her husband's service in the Civil War. At this point it was discovered that Frank had not been legally divorced from his first wife. The clerk at the time of the application stated that it was likely just an error from the court at the time of the divorce, but it meant that Alice was denied the pension.^[6] Alice died from uterine cancer at the hospital in Malden on 12 April 1916.^[10] She was buried next to her husband and son at the Shawsheen Cemetery in Bedford.^[11]

Research Note

The 1850 census seems to incorrectly identify her as a male named Rodney E Bean. He is listed on the 1850 census as being about 3 years of age, so depending upon when that census were completed in 1850, he was born in either 1846 or 1847. He does not appear on the 1860 census. Since Rhoda would have been the same age at that time and is not listed on the 1850 census, it is concluded that there was an error in both the name and sex of the child of Dudley and Elvira Douglas Bean. Rodney is also not mentioned in a family bible while Rhoda is.

Sources

1. ↑ Vital Records, 1847-1871, Mr. Dudley and Mrs. Elvira J. Douglas Bean, Record of Births and Deaths in their family, p. 43; online images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/309150 : accessed 22 April 2022) > digital film 7763761 > image 431 of 747; imaged from FHL microfilm 11037.
2. ↑ "Maine Births and Christenings, 1739-1900," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F443-T9H : 10 February 2018), Rhoda A. Bean, 02 Aug 1846; citing JAY,FRANKLIN,MAINE; FHL microfilm 11,037.
3. ↑ Winniefred Ella Russell Birth Record (MS, 1873); privately held by E. Despres, Canton, Maine, 2021. Handwritten record of her birth with clipping of her hair, found in family chest that was built in 1829.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF3J-KLT : accessed 11 February 2020), Alice K Bean in household of Samuel H Leighton, Brunswick, Cumberland, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district ED 25, sheet 98A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,477.
5. ↑ Marriage: "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NW1K-1JJ : 24 May 2018), Frank Russell and Alice Bean, 11 Dec 1882; citing Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,432,995.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Deposition of Claimant, 20 April 1904, Alice R. Russell, widow's pension application no. 794,566 (Rejected); service of Hiram F. Russell (Pvt., Co, K, 6th Ma. Inf., Civil War), Case Files of Approved Pension Applications ..., 1861-1934; Civil War and Later Pension Files; Record Group 15: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
7. ↑ "Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FX4Z-T4C : accessed 11 February 2020), Harry Francis Russell, 18 Nov 1885, Everett, Massachusetts; citing reference ID #, Massachusetts Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,428,208.
8. ↑ "Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915, 1921-1924," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NWFW-HSV : accessed 1 April 2021), Hiram F. Russell, 02 Nov 1903; citing Everett, Massachusetts, v 18 cn 521, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2,057,991.
9. ↑ "Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NWYX-TRC : accessed 11 February 2020), Harrison F Russell, 22 Sep 1908; citing Everett,,Massachusetts, 43, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2,257,003.
10. ↑ "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KB8Q-THR : 13 March 2018), Alice Rhoda Russell, 12 Apr 1916; citing Death, Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States, certificate number 185, page 155, State Archives, Boston.
11. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/136215384 : accessed 01 April 2021), memorial page for Rhoda Alice Bean Russell (2 Aug 1846–12 Apr 1916), Find a Grave Memorial no. 136215384, citing Shawsheen Cemetery, Bedford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by samnhowes (contributor 47597020).

See also:

• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6JP-6L7 : accessed 11 February 2020), Rodney E Bean in household of Dudley Bean, Jay, Franklin, Maine, United States; citing family 46, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDHR-8KQ : accessed 11 February 2020), Rhoda A Bean in entry for Dudly Bean, 1860.
• "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6DF-27R : accessed 11 February 2020), Alice Bean in entry for Dudley Bean, 1870.
• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9TS-3GC : accessed 11 February 2020), Alice Russell in household of Hiram F Russell, Everett city Ward 3, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 748, sheet 1B, family 19, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,658.
• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2VZ-XG5 : accessed 11 February 2020), Alice R Russell, Everett Ward 3, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 809, sheet 15B, family 353, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 597; FHL microfilm 1,374,610.
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 16 April 2018, 23:48), entry for Rhoda Alice Bean(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:M64T-2CT); contributed by various users.
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 28 June 2019, 01:33), entry for Rodney E Bean(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LCPT-M1N); contributed by various users.