Russell Scarritt (1816 - 1870)

Born 5 Apr 1816 in Lyman, Grafton, New Hampshire, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Charlotte Augusta (Gillett) Scarritt — married 12 Apr 1839 in Bond County, Illinois, USA

Husband of Anna Maria (Gillett) Scarritt — married 20 Aug 1868 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Descendants

Died 23 Nov 1870 at age 54 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA

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Biography

Born 5 APR 1816. Lyman, Grafton, New Hampshire. ^[1] Note: tombstone gives full birth date.

Married

Husband Russell Scarritt. Wife Charlotte Augusta Gillett Pease. 12 APR 1839. Bond County, Illinois. ^[2] Note: from the image at familysearch : license April 6, married April 12 by A. Hale, MG.

Husband Russell Scarritt. Wife Anna Maria Gillett. 20 AUG 1868. St. Louis, Missouri. ^[3][4]

Notes

From the Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database, he was listed as a resident of Montgomery Co. when he bought 80 acres in sec 23, T7N, R2W in Montgomery Co. on 520/1836. On 10/4/1836 he bought 3 more parcels of land, totalling 80 acres in sec 21, T7N, R2W in Montgomery Co., and 80 acres in sec 34, T7N, R2W in nearby Bond Co. On that date he was said to be of Macon Co. On 3/20/1837 he purchased another 80 acres in Montgomery Co. in sec 14, T7N, R3W, and on 11/201838 he purchased another 160 acres in Bond Co. in sec 26, T7N, R2W.

From The Globe, (Washington, DC) Friday, June 10, 1836; Issue 309; col C, Abstract from the Journal for the Week Ending This Day, Appointments of Postmasters, includes Russell Scarritt, Hurricane, Montgomery Co, IL.

From the Hist of Madison Co, IL, p. 521: Russell Scarritt, a fourth son [of Nathan Scarritt], became one of the merchant princes of St. Louis.

Not able to find in the 1840 census.

From the Boon's Lick Times (Fayette, MO) of March 6, 1847, p. 3 (ad): "John I. Ellet, Russell Scarritt, Ellet & Scarritt's MAMMOTH Furniture and Upholstery Ware-Rooms, in the Planters' Tobacco Warehouse, up Stairs, (South-west corner of Second Street and Washington Avenue.) St. Louis, Mo. N. B. -- Having the largest Stock, and the most spacious Ware-Rooms in the West, the Proprietors are prepared to furnish entire, Steamboats, Public Houses, Dwellings, and Dealers, in general, with a complete assortment of fine, medium, and common Furniture and Upholstery; also, Carpets, Oil Cloths, Matting, Rugs, Brooms, Baskets, Willow Ware, Velocipede Coaches, Transparent and Venetian Blinds, Work Boxes, Clocks, Portable Desks, Veneers, Spanish Moss, Beds, Bedding, &c., &c.; all very low for Cash, and Cash ONLY, at Wholesale and Retail. Goods made to order at the shortest notice. St. Louis, February 6th, 1847."

From the New York Daily Tribune, January 14, 1851, p. 7: "List of Patents issued from the United States Patent Office, for the week ending January 7, 1851, Reissues: Russell Scarritt of St. Louis, Mo. for improvement in Bedsteads, patented Oct 8, 1850, reissued Jan. 7, 1851." This item was listed in later ads for Scarritt & Mason Furniture as "Scarritt's patent lounge bedsteads".

From the Brooklyn Eagle, Monday, August 2, 1858, p. 2: Disastrous Conflagration -- Loss Above $80,000. -- Between five and seven o'clock yesterday morning, the extensive furniture and upholstery warehouse of Messrs. Scarrit & Mason, on the south side of Washington avenue, between 2d and 3d streets, was destroyed by fire. The building was erected in 1850, at a cost of $20,000. It was owned jointly by the firm, Mr. J.B. Carroll and Dr. J.M. Keage. The latter is insured for $2,000. Mr. Carroll's insurance is also partial, and on their interest of $5,000, the firm have insurance for $2,000 in the State Mutual Insurance Company at Harrisburgh, Pa., and $1,000 in the Commonwealth Insurance Company at the same place. They estimate their stock at $60,000, insured in some fifteen offices, in various cities, for an aggregate of at least $54,900. Of this amount the St. Louis Home Mutual has $3,500, the Mound Mutual $5,000, and the State Mutual $6, 400. The occurence of several fires, of late, on the same alley, in the same vicinity, at about the same hour on Sunday morning, with no readier way of accounting for them than by inferring incendiaries, and another fact soon to be named, strongly suggest that this fire was kindled by design. -- St. Louis Democrat, Monday.

In the 1859 St. Louis Missouri Citizens Directory & Business Mirror was listed Scarritt & Mason furniture dealers at "2d sw c Washington av" (Russell Scarritt & Paris H. Mason). Russell's residence was at 98 Washington. Also working there were Albert G. Gillett, clerk, who resided 299 Pies and Henry H. Curtis who resided 133 n 6th.

He was an elder in the Presbytery of Alton (Illinois) in 1846.

From The Congregationalist, (Boston, MA) Thursday, May 17, 1888; pg. 2; Issue 20; col B: "In contrast with this too common spirit is the example of the late Russell Scarritt. He had subscribed $5000 towards the payment of a church debt. By a fire he sustained a loss of $5000 in his business. But when his subscription was mentioned he said: "That wasn't the $5000 I intended to give the church, but that with which I hoped to build me a house." He gave the money as he promised and continued to live in his old house."

From the Brooklyn Eagle, Tuesday, July 13, 1880, front page: in a column of legal notices printed by the office of the secretary of state of New York, was a notice of the incorporation of the trustees of the church erection fund of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the USA, and it listed their names, including Russell Scarritt and Winthrop S. Gilman. These men had been designated as trustees by a committee which met in Philadelphia in May 1870, but they were not incorporated until May 14, 1880.

From the Chicago Daily Tribune of Dec 20, 1892, p. 3: A large fire in St. Louis started in the Udell & Crunden Woodenware company. The Scarritt Furniture company was adjoining this on the south, and lost $15,000 principally in plush goods. A list of insurance estimates for the company totalled $16,000 through multiple insurance companies.

From the Chicago Daily Tribune of Jan 1, 1902, p. 21: A chart of major losses due to fire for the year 1901 included "Nov 27 -- Scarritt-Comstock furniture warehouse, St. Louis, Mo., $200,000."

In 1887, Rev. Jotham A. Scarritt wrote a letter to his cousin, Mrs. Nellie Gunn, telling her what he could of the family. This was quoted extensively in Ralph Pearson's manuscript for a proposed 3rd volume to The Scarritt Clan. He wrote, "The next grown child is Russell. He spent most of his life in St. Louis, was a furniture dealer, fairly successful, and a prominent Presbyterian. Died and was buried in the same city, has three sons all living with small families. The oldest Sanford and the youngest Charles, are together in the same business and city as their father was. The other son is a Presbyterian minister. I do not know where he is at present."

From the New York Evangelist of Jan 12, 1871, p. 6, from APS Online via Proquest, is an article describing a sermon preached on Dec. 25th of last year in the First Presbyterian church of St. Louis by the Rev. Dr. H. A. Nelson to commemorate the late Russell Scarritt. A short excerpt: "My very first knowledge of Mr. Scarritt was derived from his letters, of which he had occasion to write me several officially before I ever saw him. The style of those letters had so impressed me, that on coming to St. Louis, and meeting him, I was surprised to find that he had not enjoyed the advantages of a collegiate education. I have, since then, had quite a large amount of corres-pondence with him, and I sincerely say that I have had no other corres-pondent who has seemed to me to write more able or interesting letters." And, "Mr. Scarritt's greatest achievement, in his opinion, was the rescuing of this church from financial difficulty and peril. He was the acknowledged leader in the eight years' struggle to free it from debt. His example of a truly Christian life exerted a wholesome influence on all who knew him."

Census

1845 Alton, Madison, Illinois. ^[5]

1 male 20-30

1 male <10

1 female 20-30

2 females 40-50

1850 St. Louis, Missouri. ^[6]

Russell Scarritt M 34 New Hempshire dealer in furniture

Charlotte Scarritt F 30 Connecticut

Sanford G Scarritt M 8 Illinois schl

William R Scarritt M 4 Illinois

Charlott Gillett F 60 Connecticut

Anna M Gillett F 28 Connecticut

Albert H Gillett M 30 Connecticut dealer in furniture

Henrietta Kroas F 15 Germany

1860 St. Louis, Missouri. ^[7]

R Scarritt Male 43 New Hampshire furniture dealer

Charlotte Scarritt Female 44 Connecticut

S E Scarritt Male 18 Illinois clerk

Wm R Scarritt Male 13 Illinois

Chas H Scarritt Male 5 Missouri

Charlotte Jillett Female 74 Connecticut

Anna N Jillett Female 35 Connecticut

Mary Finney Female 20 Ireland domestic

1870 St. Louis, Missouri. ^[8]

R Scarret Male 50 New Hampshire furniture dealer $75,000/$75,000

Anna M Scarret Female 46 Maine

C Hale Scarret Male 15 Missouri school

Lousia Myers Female 24 Prussia servant

W H Scarret Male 24 Missouri student

Died 23 NOV 1870. Kansas City, Missouri. ^[9][10][11]

Probate

Note: Probate file is available in the form of digital images online at http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/stlprobateimages.asp?id=9441&party=SCARRITT,%20RUSSELL&case=09468&date=1870&reel=C%2033829.

Will dated "Thursday, twentieth day of August 1868 after my marriage this day to the within named Anna M. Gillett, now my beloved wife, Anna M. Scarritt". Witnesses Paris H. Mason and H. H. Curtis. Mentions a pre-nuptual agreement dated the day before. Bequests to son Charles Hale Scarritt (including his gold watch), son William Russell Scarritt (including his large bible and 5 volumes of "Irvings Life of Washington"), son Sanford Gillett Scarritt (including his right to a patent dated 7 Jan 1851), and his wife Anna M. (including his church pews in the First Presbyterian Church). Anna was to get 1/5th and the rest divided evenly among the 3 sons. He wanted whatever was left at Anna's decease to then be divided equally amongst the 3 sons, unless they had already received $20,000 each from his estate and his life insurance policy, in which case he wanted what was left of Anna's to go to the First Presbyterian Church of St. Louis. And on the same conditions of the prior amount of his children's inheritance, he wanted whatever he might receive from his father's estate or his mother's estate to be given to "my beloved sister Mary Jane Lucky, wife of Rev. Wm T. Lucky, California, or to her children". He appointed his brother in law, Henry H. Curtis and his son Sanford G. Scarritt as executors, and Curtis to be guardian to his minor son Charles Hale Scarritt. He signed his will. It was proved on 29 Nov 1870. Sanford declined executorship.

Inventory included real estate in St. Louis, Freemont County, Iowa, Chisago County, Minnesota, Shelby County, Tennessee, Linn County, Missouri, Chippewa County, Wisconsin, Gentry County, Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Ft. Dodge, Iowa, Carroll County, Missouri, and near Pekins, Illinois. No dollar value was given.

Distribution dated 12 June 1873 did not seem to include real estate or the insurance policy. Widow Anna got $3087.14, and each of the sons $4055.53. Anna, Wm Russell, and Sanford all signed receipt of their share as did Charles' guardian.

Buried Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/88849663/russell-scarritt

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S12 aged 10-15 in the 1830 census, aged 43 in 1860 census, and aged 50 in 1870 census
2. ↑ Source: #S1 online at https://bond.illinoisgenweb.org/marriagess.htm A:134 her name was Charlotte A. Pease
3. ↑ Source: #S1 13:420
4. ↑ Source: #S7 New York Evangelist of Aug 27, 1868, p. 5 from APS Online via Proquest "Marriages - Scarritt - Gillett -- On Thursday, Aug. 20th, by Rev. Albert Hale of Springfield, Ill., Mr. Russell Scarritt, of the firm of Scarritt, Curtis & Mason, to Miss Anna M. Gillett, both of St. Louis, Mo. No cards."
5. ↑ Source: #S12 state census, listed in Upper Alton, Madison Co, page 46, line 6
6. ↑ Source: #S12 5th ward, p. 286-7, taken Aug 27th
7. ↑ Source: #S12 p. 336, 8th ward, taken July 10th
8. ↑ Source: #S12 p. 187, sht 373, ward 8, taken Aug 6th
9. ↑ Source: #S3 4:48 of St. Louis City Death Records 1850-1908 online at ancestry
10. ↑ Source: #S7 New York Evangelist of Dec 1, 1870, p. 4 from APS Online via Proquest Note: page is torn and brackets indicate the missing print, with some words within the brackets apparent from the context "Death of Elder Russell Scarritt -- We are exceedingly pained to hear of the death of this most excellent man. The intelligence reaches us at too late an hour to permit more than the announcement of the sad event, this week. The Presbyterian eldership has few such men to lose, and the mourning for him in the First church of St. Louis, where he has so long borne office, indeed throughout that whole community, will be deep and sincere. His ability and zeal in the several courts of the Church is well known throughout the Church. He held the pen of a ready and pertinent writer, and his very last contribution to the public press was probably his reference to the proceedings of the late meeting of the Synod of Missouri in The Evangelist of Nov. 10, in the course of which he especially commended the work of the Rev. A. G. Ruliffson in behalf of Western Memorial Church Erection. Mr. Scarritt was born in New Hampshire in 1816, and two years later his parents removed to Illinois, where his childhood and [the] earlier years of his adult life was passed. [He re]moved to St. Louis in 1846. He died a [ ]hant and joyful witness for the faith [by whi]ch he had lived. On his death-bed, as [ ]s of the suffering body waned, the [ ]al vision became clear and intensified. His cry, uttered in entire submission and agonized waiting, was 'Tarry not long, O Lord.' The funeral occurred at the First church of St. Louis on Nov. 23d."
11. ↑ Source: #S7 NY Tribune, Dec. 5, 1870, p. 5 "Scarritt - In St. Louis, Saturday evening, Nov. 19, Russell Scarritt, aged 54 years"

• Source: S12 census record
• Source: S3 death certificate or record
• Source: S5 tombstone inscription
• Source: S7 newspaper
• Source: S1 marriage record