Carroll County GaArchives Biographies.....Russell, Moses R. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Roger Russell russellroger@hotmail.com December 23, 2008, 4:35 pm Author: "Memoirs of Georgia" Source: "Memoirs of Georgia" Vol.I, Published in 1895 by the Southern Historical Association of Atlanta, GA. Moses R. Russell, superintendent of county schools, Carrollton, Carroll County, Ga., son of Harris and Leah (Steed) Russell, was born in Cowetta County, Ga. in 1836. His grandparents, Gabriel and Patsey (Bell) Russell, planters, were born and lived and died in North Carolina. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died at the age of sixty-six years. His wife lived to be ninety-two years of age. Mr. Russell's parents were born in North Carolina, migrated to Georgia in a wagon in 1833, and settled in the woods in Coweta County; occupied a dirt floor log cabin which a brother who had come to Georgia built for them a year or two before. Mr. Russell's mother was the daughter of Sarah H. Steed, born in North Carolina, whose ancestors were among the pioneers of that state. Mr. Russell was reared on a plantation and was educated in a dirt floor log cabin school-house, with its big fire-place and dirt and stick chimney, and its square holes cut through the logs to let the light in. He rather gleefully relates the following incident of his boyhood days: When fourteen years old a brother was married. Until then he had worn only the "regulation" copperas-colored clothes, but his mother, wishing him to make an impressive an appearance as possible on so important an occasion, bought some blue cottonade goods costing about seventy-cents, and made him a suit which excited the admiration of the girls and the envy of his boy schoolmates. When eighteen years of age he left home and went to Alabama, where he remained for twelve years, then returned to Georgia and settled in Carroll County on the farm where he now lives. He taught school several years and then merchandised at Lineville, Ala., about two years, after which he engaged in farming. In 1862 he enlisted in Company D., Capt. Hester, Seventeenth Alabama regiment, Col. Johnson, and was stationed at Mobile about eighteen months. Becoming disabled by sickness, he returned home and sent a substitute. But in 1864 he enlisted in Company D, DeArmand's battalion, with which he remained and helped to fire the last cannon of the war at Silver run, Talladega County, Ala. eight days after Gen. Lee surrender, which killed thirteen Yankees. The Yankees afterward captured the gun and brought it to Georgia, and within a quarter of a mile of where Mr. Russell now lives they loaded it, then piled rails on it, which they set fire to, and when the cannon exploded it shot over the house in which he lives. He has been superintendent of county schools for ten years, a member of the board of education seventeen years, of which he was president five years, and has been county commissioner eleven years; he has been on the executive committee of the State Agricultural society thirteen years, and one of the managers of the state fair six years. In 1857 Mr. Russell was married to Miss Fannie Bell (born in Coweta County), daughter of Sylvanus and Betsey (Stripe) Bell. Her parents were descendants of some of the first Scotch emigrants to North Carolina. Six children were the offspring of this union: Elizabeth, George B., Josephine, Robert L., Marvin E. and Katie. This wife, who was a devout member of the Methodist Church, died April 23, 1873. Mr. Russell celebrated his second marriage with Miss Elizabeth L. Brown, Oct. 7, 1873. Her parents, Franklin and Agnes (Stripe) Brown, were natives of North Carolina, but she was born in Coweta County. By this marriage he had seven children born to him: James H., Lula, Annie, Buena Vista, Frank, Hugh B. and Grover C. Mr. Russell is a member of the I.O.O.F. and in Masonry a royal and select master. Himself and wife are active and influential members of the Methodist Church. The many important and responsible county and state agriculture offices Mr. Russell holds show in what estimation his fellow citizens hold him, while in local social standing himself and family rank among the highest. Note: This story was submitted by Moses R. Russell, son of Harris and Leah Steed Russell. Harris and Leah Steed Russell moved from Randolph County, NC, to Coweta County, GA, in 1833. Moses says in this story that his grandparents were Gabriel Russell (abt. 1760) and Candis "Patsy" Russell Bell of Randolph County, NC. He also says that Gabriel Russell, his grandfather, served in the War of 1812. Moses R. Russell became Superintendant of Public Scools in Carroll County, GA. This document should be proof of the marriage of Gabriel Russell and Candis "Patsy" Russell who later married Richard Bell. Richard Bell was a Revolutionary War Veteran and Candis applied for his Pension. I also have this application and Candis' will naming her children; Harris, Eli, Zebedee, Ansley, Elijah, and Willie (Wylie). Candis was living next door to my g-grandfather, Whitson and Diza Lassiter Russell, in the 1860 census of Randolph County, NC. Living with her was a caregiver, Edith Kelly and a negro slave boy. She chose to live near her step grandchildren rather than her own children after the death of Richard Bell of Montgomery County, NC. Whitson and Diza Russell were apparently looking after her, providing a house and domestic help. Her son, Zebedee, lived just a few miles away and her other son, Eli, lived in Stanly County, NC. The other children were in Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas. Candis died in 1860 abt. 81 years of age. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/carroll/bios/russell974gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 6.1 Kb