The Descendants of John Heywood of Concord, Massachusetts

Page 589

JAMES WILLIAM RUSSELL, of Winchester, was born in Somerville, Mass., October 18, 1844, a son of William Adams and Harriet (Hill) Russell. He comes from good old Massachusetts stock, being descended from early settlers of Middlesex County.

William Russell, the founder of this branch of the Russell Family of New England, d. in Cambridge, February 14, 1661. By his wife Martha he had ten children. Joseph Russell was b. in England in 1636, and came with his parents to America about the middle of the seventeenth century. He m. in 1662 Mary Belcher, daughter of Jeremiah Belcher, of Ipswich. Walter Russell, their sixth child, was b. in 1676 and d. in 1748. His first wife was Mary, daughter of Nathaniel Patten; his second, whom he m. in 1796, Elizabeth Winship. Joseph Russell, b. in 1703, son of Walter, removed in 1730 to what is now Somerville, and d. there in 1776. He m. in 1724 Mary Robbins. Their son Walter Russell, b. about 1737, d. in 1782. His first wife, Mary Wyman, d. in 1759-60. He m. December 17, 1761, Hannah Adams, by whom he had seven children. James Russell, son of Walter and his wife Hannah, was b. in 1763; d. in 1846 at Arlington, formerly called "Menotomy." He m. Rebecca Adams. Their fourth child, William Adams Russell, b. May 14, 1790, d. in 1856. On Jun e16, 1810, he m. Kezia Teel, of Charlestown.

William Adams Russell, the father of James W. Russell, was b. May 2, 1811, in Somerville. He lived for many years in Medford, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits, paying especial attention to market gardening. he d. June 22, 1892. He m. June 24, 1838, Harriet Hill, who was b. at West Cambridge, now Arlington, June 11, 1807, a daughter of David and Betsey (Adams) Hill. Her father was a lineal descendant in the sixth generation of Abraham Hill, an early settler of Charlestown. Abraham Hill came from England to Massachusetts in 1636, and located in that part of Charlestown that is now Malden, residing there until his death in February, 1669-70. His son, Abraham Hill, b. in 1643, m. in 1666 Hannah Stone, and settled in Malden. Abraham Hill, b. in 1670, son of Abraham, m. Sarah Long. Their son, Zechariah Hill (b. in 1708, d. March 11, 1768), m. in February, 1731-2, Rebecca Cutter, daughter of John and Lydia (Harrington) Cutter, grand-daughter of william and Rebecca (Rolfe) Cutter, great-grand-daughter of Richard Cutter, who probably came to New England with his mother, Elizabeth Cutter, a widow. John Hill, b. in January, 1738-9, son of Zechariah, m. in 1765 Dorcas Bowes, and resided in Menotomy until his death, by accident, in 1798. David Hill, who was baptized August 22, 1773, m. September 13, 1797, Betsey Adams, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Gardner) Adams. Her father was a descendant in the fifth generation of John Adams, who settled at Cambridge about 1650. The line was: John, Joseph, William, John. John Adams was a wheelwright in Menotomy prior to 1678. Joseph Adams, son of John by his wife Ann, m. February 21, 1687-8, Margaret Eames, b. in Sudbury, July 8, 1666, a daughter of Thomas Eames. Her fahter's house at Framingham was destroyed by Indians February 1, 1675-6, his wife and some of his children killed, and Margaret, then a child, was taken captive and carried to Canada. Joseph Adams was a man of prominence in Cambridge, serving as Selectman in 1729, 1731, 1732, 1737, and 1738. He d. October 18, 1774, at the age of eighty-six years. His first wife, Rebecca Cutter, d. in 1718. His second wife, Rachel, survived him. William Adams, b. about 1725, d. September 10, 1787. he was Ensigh of a train-band in 1771, and Captain of a company in Colonel Thatcher's regiment, which, at the request of General Washington, marched to Dorchester Heights on March 4, 1776. In 1779 he was Selectman of Cambridge. On June 14, 1750, he m. Sarah Hill, a daughter of Zechariah Hill. John Adams m. November 18, 1777, in Charlestown, Elizabeth Gardner. They were the parents of Betsey Adams, above mentioned. The children of William Adams and Harriet Hill Russell were six in number, as follows: Harriet jane, b. March 30, 1839; Mary Elizabeth, b. April 25, 1840; George Hill, b. October 1, 1843; James W., the subject of this sketch; Edward, b. April 10, 1848; and David. The eldest three children reside on the ancestral homestead in Medford. Edward m., first, Mary E. Hodge, who d. August 17, 1892, and second, April 28, 1897, Minnie Louisa Mulligan, who was b. in Winchester, March 30, 1871. His children by his first wife are: Harriet Hill, b. March 25, 1879; Betsey Adams, b. January 5, 1881 (Tufts, '02); Clara Rebecca, b. August 4, 1882 (Tufts, '04); Gracie May, b. June 29, 1885, who d. October 21, 1886; and Ethel Jane, b. September 21, 1888. Edward's children by his second wife are: Martha Louise, b. March 30, 1898; and Esther, b. June 17, 1901. David Russell m. Mrs. Agnes Congdon, of Meredith, N.H.

James W. Russell obtained a practical education in the public schools of Winchester and Medford. Since attaining manhood he has carried on market gardening on an extensive scale in Winchester, where he owns twenty-five acres of the old Russell homestead. He has met with encouraging success in his chosen calling. He has built a fine residence in Wincester. He is a man of good financial ability, and one of the directors of the Winchester National Bank. he is an attendant of the Unitarian church, and in politics a Republican.

On November 5, 1874, Mr. Russell married Ella Lephe Symmes, daughter of Marshall and Abbie (Stowell) Symmes, of Winchester. Mr. and Mrs. Russell have four children, namely: Alice Symmes, born September 15, 1875, was graduated from Smith College with the class of 1899; Fred Adams, born March 16, 1877, fitted for college in Winchester, was graduated from Harvard in1899, and is now in business in Boston; James W., Jr., born September 19, 1878, who was graduated at Amherst College in 1899, and is now in business with his father; Bertha Louise, the youngest child, born February 7, 1884, is a graduate of the Winchester High School, and has fitted for Smith College.