Greetings Family,
This story seems vaguely familiar to me, but I’ve never seen it in writing until now. I was doing some family history research and googled “William Greenwood Russell” (my 2nd great-grandfather) and quickly found this information on a blog. I have been in touch with the person who posted the blog…H. Craig Russell, a second cousin, in Virginia. I have emailed him some photos and family group sheets of our line, John Thomas (great-grandfather) and John Clifford (grandfather...Calvin Russell's father) which will add to his research and correct a few dates. This is a fascinating story (reminds me of the "Dread Pirate Roberts"!) and after talking to Craig, I think (and hope) it is more likely that young William did find his family in Liverpool, but returned to the boat to work towards a career at sea. Craig heard this story from someone (probably a relative) who lives in St. John, Utah, where the family lived and a number are buried. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this information. You can see photos, read about ships and about his wives (our line is through his second wife Elizabeth Vickery) by googling William Greenwood Russell or going out to the blog by that name. Craig has sent me 3 addresses that are supposedly William's parents' residences in the harbor area of Liverpool. Maybe we'll have time to look them up and see what's there now when we get to Liverpool!!
Sincerely,
Paula Greenwood Barker
(from the blog)
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
WILLIAM GREENWOOD RUSSELL was born June 20, 1812 in Liverpool,
Devonshire, England. He was born William Greenwood, the "Russell" will be explained herein. His parents were William Greenwood 1786-1839 and Ann James 1782-1854. He was the sixth of ten children living near the port of Liverpool where his father was a harbor pilot.
At nine years of age, William stowed away on one of the ships in the harbor that was bound for America. Evidently, William's journey lasted more than a year. Upon his return to Liverpool, he could not find his parents, or so it is said, even though records indicate his family had indeed moved but were still living in Liverpool, not far from the harbor when it is said he returned. We do not if William ever saw his family thereafter.
Anyway, William returned and or stayed with the ship in which he had stowed away, the ship of Captain Russell. The story continues that Captain Russell took William in and that upon his death William inherited the ship and assumed the surname of RUSSELL.
The next record we have of William is that of his marriage to Louisa Jones during March of 1839 in New York City, New York. When William immigrated to America is still unknown as is the name of his ship. However, the children born to him and Louisa were all born in Cleveland, Ohio. There he was registered as a seaman and freighter. Therefore, he sailed the Great Lakes and beyond from Cleveland.
On one of his return trips from England William is said to have met Elizabeth
Vickery who so happened to need employment, so he brought her to his home to assist his wife with the family. However, upon arriving home found that Louisa had died in childbirth along with the child. She is said to have died February 20
th, 1847. She is buried in the Erie Street Cemetery Section 10, Lot 21, Grave 2 in Cleveland, Ohio.
This left William with two young children to raise by himself. Elizabeth agreed to work for William as a housekeeper and nanny for the children. Soon after Louisa's death, William moved the family to Buffalo, New York near Elizabeth's family. They were then married March 18
th, 1848. (An alternate marriage may be 7 July 1847 in the Grace Episcopal Church - we are checking this information)
Mormon missionaries contacted the family in early in 1851 and on April 3rd, 1851, Elizabeth was baptized. William was baptized April 10
th. Elizabeth had been unable to
conceive; however, in less than one year after joining the Church she gave birth to their first child William, July 4
th, 1852.
William and Elizabeth made the decision to join the Mormons in Utah. He sold his interest in the freighting business and headed west. They joined the Isaac Bullock Company in 1852 and made the journey from Council Bluffs, Iowa to Salt Lake City arriving 21 September - 1 3 October 1852. One hundred and seventy five persons were in this company.
They first settled in West Jordon where Brigham Young Russell was born March 29
th 1854. They then moved to
Taylorsville and then to
Shambip, Utah (Clover/St. John).
William then moved to
Kamas where he was the 1st Presiding Elder. Here the family resided for five years. The family now numbered 12 and it was time for another move back to
Shambip. Here they settled near the Warm Springs and established The Russell Ranch. The last of the children were born here and the family numbered 14, which included the two children from William's first marriage.
William died October 23rd, 1872. Elizabeth died March 4
th 1912 and both are buried in the St. John Cemetery located in St. John,
Tooele, Utah.
Unknown to anyone in this family is that William's brother George
Francis's son, Clarendon Greenwood, immigrated to America with his family in 1890 settling in
Williamsport, Pennsylvania. This is the only other Greenwood from his family known to have left England. I have visited
Williamsport, met two of Clarendon's descendants and visited the graves of this family. That in itself is another story.
This is the birthplace of Harry Potter in Edinburgh, Scotland. Supposedly J.K. Rowling began writing the first Potter novel on napkins in the Elephant House restaurant because she couldn't afford to heat her apartment! We didn't look for this place...we just happened to walk past it.
Here's Dad at Platform 9-3/4 at King's Cross Station in London...trying to find the train.
Dad and the Glenfinnan Railway Viaduct (Scottish Highlands), where scenes of the train going to Hogwarts were filmed. Again, we missed the train.
The Dining Hall at Oxford University Christ Church College in England that inspired the Great Hall at Hogwarts. We could smell dinner cooking.
Mom in front of the Head Master's Table in the Dining Hall where Dumbledore, etc., and the sorting hat might have been.
