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Archiver > MEWALDO > 2002-07 > 1025965861


From: "RC Brooks" <>
Subject: Re: Thomas Russell, Mary Patterson, Belfast, Maine-3/06/1808
Date: Sat, 6 Jul 2002 10:33:47 -0400
References: <MFMBM001NLnlyg35sQt000157ea@mfmbm001.myfamilycorp.local>


<< Thomas Russell and Mary Patterson were married in Belfast, Maine on
March 6,1808 and had a son, Nelson, born 4/23/1809. I am looking for any
sort of documentation of this. Also if there were any other children.
Nelson, or all of them, moved to Wilton N.H.. These Russells were possibly
related to the Mason N.H. Russells, descendants of William Russell (1606) of
Cambridge, Ma.>>

The marriage is included in the published vital records of Belfast as
occurring: "Mar. --, 1808." There are eleven Russell marriages recorded in
Belfast prior to 1 Jan 1892; but the next one after Thomas was Benjamin
Russell Jr of Monroe in 1844.

_The Bangor Historical Magazine_, vol 2., no. X (April 1887), p.201,
indicates that the marriage was performed by Rev Alfred Johnson and also
does not list the day of marriage.

Nelson Russell's birth was not recorded at Belfast.

Joseph Williamson's _History of the City of Belfast. . . ._ (1877) does not
mention Thomas Russell.

The only "early" Russell family appears to have been Samuel Russell. There
is a church record of the death of Jeremiah, youngest son of Samuel Russell
on 30 Oct 1802 age 14 months. Samuel Russell is vaguely mentioned twice in
Williamson's history, (1) 10 Feb 1801 One of 12 principals named in the
charter of 'The Belfast Bridge Company' organized for "building and
maintaining a bridge over the river at the upper ferrying-place, one mile
from the mouth of said river."; and (2) 29 June 1804: "Transcript of a Road
accepted this day. Beginnining at a beach stump on the Road leading fron
Samuel Russell's to Cochran's mills on Lot No. 39, Second Division, running
the most direct course to the bridge at the Ripples (so called). Voted to
discontinue the old road."

Note: The 2nd Div of Lots were up the river from the original, 1st
Division. The site of the old "upper bridge" (rebuilt many times) is still
marked by rocks and old rotted pilings. It lay upstream about a quarter
milevfrom the present US-1/Rt.-3 bridge.

In the 1800 census for Belfast, the only Russell family enumerated is that
of Samuel.
Males: 2 aged 26 to 45, 1 aged 16 to 25
Females: 1 aged 16 to 25, 1 under age 10.
This census also had a column titled "From whence emigrated." in which was
entered "Peterborough." My experience has been that the entry in "From
whence emigrated" represents the head of household's birthplace. This would
be Peterborough NH which has a couple of excellent histories including
genealogical notices on most of the early families.

There are no Russell families in the Belfast 1810 census.

Bob Brooks

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