Gibson Russell

Gibson Russell was born about 1808, possibly in Georgia. There is a Gibson Russell listed as the purchaser residing in Perry County, Ala. On July 28, 1820, in Register of Certificates, Cahaba Land Office, Book 304. Whether this is the Gibson Russell that came to Texas is not certain, but seems likely.

Gibson and Zenobia Crawford married the 10th of January 1836 in Noxubee County, Mississippi. She was the daughter of Jesse and Hannah Crawford and was born on the 20th of July 1818 in Georgia.

In the late 1830’s or early 1840’s the Russells and the Crawfords came to Texas, settling somewhat in the northeast part of the county. Gibson Russell is listed on the 1847 census of Nacogdoches County.

He was living in Cherokee County when the 1850 Federal census was taken on 19, Nov. 1850 with his family, listed as a carpenter. But in 1860 he was back in Nacogdoches County.

Children of Gibson and Zenobia were:

1. Lewis H. Russell, born about 1838-9 in Alabama, who married Martha Ann Grayson on 11 October 1864. Later he married Mrs. Sarah C. Duck.

2. Martha Ann Russell born about 1837 in Alabama, probably in Green County, who married Hillary M. Mills on 5th November 1857. Then had four children: McKenzie, Zenobia, Lewis H. and Hillary. Martha later married William Edward Webber on 18 September 1868. They also had four children: Caroline, Dora, William E., and James Gibson.

3. Mary Jane, born 22 February 1842 in Texas. She married James Franklin Bullock 14 May 1857, Nacogdoches County. He was born about 1826 in Lawrence County, Mississippi. Mary Jane had four daughters: Martha, Emma, Josephine, and Mary Elizabeth, and on son Franklin.

4. Josephine Russell was born about 1845, Texas. She married General Sam Houston Grayson 6 November 1864 in Nacogdoches County.

5. William B. Russell was born about 1848 in Texas. Known as "Bob", is thought to have operated a hotel in Jefferson, Texas.

6. James V. Russell was born 27 March 1850 in Texas. He married Ylanty W. Newman on the 4th of June 1879 and later married Nannie H. Boyette on the 3rd of November 1882.

Zenobia died after 1864. The place of her death or burial place is unknown. Gibson Russell and Mrs. Fannie Moses were married 10 August 1872. She had possibly three children: George W., Joseph and Mary E., by her former husband. In the 1880 Federal census of Nacogdoches, Gibson was living back in Nacogdoches County with his family of a wife, Fannie, Joseph and Mary Moses, and a six-year-old child Joe Ann Russell.

Judging by the land records of Nacogdoches, Gibson Russell was very active in land deals. He was a farmer.

BY: Villa Belle Scogin

Source: Nacogdoches County Families Vol.1 by The Nacogdoches County Genealogical Society

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