William M. Russell was born to George Russell, Jr. and Rhoda Reavis. He married Nancy Reavis, his first cousin, on 12 May 1816 in Rutherford Co., North Carolina. They had nine children.
He and Nancy were originally buried in Prairie Hollow Cemetery near Roach, MO. but were re-interred by Union Electric Company along with many other members of the Russell family in the Old Roach Cemetery when Bagnell Dam was built and Lake of the Ozarks was created; this construction flooded many old cemeteries. A photograph of his tombstone exists in the collection of Joan Bradley. It is an upright stone which reads: "William M. Russell, Born Nov 22, 1794, Died Feb 19, 1858, 63 yrs, 2 mo., 27 days. He was an orderly member of United Baptist Church 30 years and died in strong faith."
William M. Russell was a Justice of Peace, and he performed the marriage ceremony of his daughter, Rhoda Amanda Russell, to Bennett Jackson Clinton, Sr. Bennett Jackson Clinton was the brother of Willis Alfred Clinton who was married to Polly Brown, sister of Lewis Sinclair Brown and the oldest daughter of William Brown and Caty Trover. Polly and Alfred Clinton were the first Browns to move to Camden County, Missouri, arriving around 1838.
1850 US Census
Name: William Russell
Age: 55
Birth Year: abt 1795
Birthplace: North Carolina
Home in 1850: District 13, Camden, Missouri
Gender: Male
Family Number: 93
Household Members:
Name Age
William Russell 55
Nancy Russell 51
Harriet Russell 17
Susan Russell 15
John W Clayton 36
Sarah Clayton 25
Parents: George Russell (1768–1850) and Rhoda (Reavis) Russell (1769–1851)
Spouse: Nancy (Reavis) Russell (1798-?) (m. 1816)
Siblings: Sarah Elizabeth (Russell) Neely (1799–1850), John Russell (1803–1883), and Benjamin F. Russell (1832–1883)
Children: Mark M Russell (1811–1886), Rhoda Amanda (Russell) Clinton (1821–1892), and Susan Catherine (Russell) Coleman (1836–1934)
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Featured National Park champion connections: William is 15 degrees from Theodore Roosevelt, 20 degrees from Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, 15 degrees from George Catlin, 13 degrees from Marjory Douglas, 20 degrees from Sueko Embrey, 16 degrees from George Grinnell, 22 degrees from Anton Kröller, 16 degrees from Stephen Mather, 22 degrees from Kara McKean, 14 degrees from John Muir, 16 degrees from Victoria Hanover and 21 degrees from Charles Young on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
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Categories: Old Roach Cemetery, Roach, Missouri