Elijah and Elizabeth Russell

Our 2nd-great-grandfather Elijah was born 3 October 1847 in Macon County, Tennessee as the first child to Silas C. Russell and Lurainie (Laurinda) Cornwall Russell, according to death records and census data. He was the oldest of five children. According to an uncorroborated online family history (graphic to the right), Lurainie (who was Silas’ second cousin) died while Silas was serving in the Civil War. Upon his return, he married Lurainie’s sister, Matilda and had several additional children with her. Elijah grew up in Macon County, spent most of his life there, and eventually died there.  

Elizabeth Kemp

Our 2nd-great-grandmother Elizabeth Kemp was born 30 September 1839 in Tennessee possibly to parents Lemeul (variant Elemeul) Kemp and Amy Taylor, judging from 1850 census data. As of 1850, it’s possible Elizabeth lived in Tishomingo, Mississippi with her family, which actually isn’t that far from southern Tennessee where she probably was born.

Marriage and children

Between 1860 and 1870, Elijah married Elizabeth Kemp. (Unfortunately, most marriage records between 1842 and 1900 were lost in several Macon County courthouse fires.) For the next 20 years, Elijah and Elizabeth stayed in the Macon and Smith County area of northern Tennesse where Elijah worked as a farmer. They had the following children:

1. William B. (about 1868- )
2. Charles C. (Cyrus), our great-grandfather (1872-1949 )
3. Martha F. (1880- )
4. Harvey H. (1886- )

Elizabeth died in 1906, according to unverified information on findagrave.com. Shortly thereafter, Elijah remarried Mary Whitley in 1908, according to Tennessee marriage records. Elijah was still listed as a farmer in census data and he eventually died in 1920 in Macon County. Elizabeth and Elijah are both buried in Silas Russell Cemetery in Red Boiling Springs, Macon County, a cemetery named after Elijah’s father.