William Jarvis Russell

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Biographical Sketches

• Biographical sketch, pp. 165-166. Biographical Directory of the Texan Conventions and Congresses, 1832-1845, 1942.
• RUSSELL, WILLIAM JARVIS (1802-1881). Death date 11/17/1881. Handbook of Texas Online.
• Relatives: William Jarvis Russell (1802-1881) of La Grange - father; William H. Russell (1838-1882) of Brownsville - son. William H. Russell (1838-1882) of Brownsville - father; William Jarvis Russell (1865-1917) of Brownsville - son. William Jarvis Russell (1802-1881) of La Grange - grandfather; William Jarvis Russell (1865-1917) of Brownsville - grandson. Texas Historical Commission, Historic Marker Application: Russell-Cocke House, pp. 7, 9, crediting Texas Historical Commission. "William H. Russell, was born 1838 in Brazoria County, son of Captain William Jarvis Russell . . . William H. Russell's son, William Jarvis Russell, named after his grandfather, was born in Fayette County in 1864. At the age of five he moved to Brownsville with his parents and in 1877 resided in this house . . . W.J. Russell served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives for the Twenty-third and Twenty-sixth, Twenty-seventh, and Twenty-eighth sessions." Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).

Military Service Notes

• Texas Army, Texas Revolution. "On June 22, 1832, Russell was appointed lieutenant in command of the schooner Brazoria and ordered to bombard the Mexicans from the Brazos River. At the battle of Velasco Russell is said to have fired the first shot of the Texas Revolution, on June 26, 1832 . . . Russell joined Capt. James W. Fannin's company of Brazoria Guards in October 1835 and took part in the capture of Goliad on October 9, 1835 (see GOLIAD CAMPAIGN OF 1835), and the siege of Bexar. He was on detached duty at the time of the battle of San Jacinto and was discharged from the army in July 1836." Handbook of Texas Online.

Other Resources

• Census of 1860, Rutersville, Fayette County, listing William J. Russell (age 58, born in NC) and William H. Russell (age 21). Donated Material.
• Obituary, Galveston Weekly News, published 11/10/1881, reporting obituaries in San Antonio papers for William J. Russell. Donated Material.
• Obituary, Galveston Weekly News, published 11/17/1881, p. 8. Donated Material.
• William Jarvis Russell, birth date 1/3/1802, death date 11/5/1881, burial in City Cemetery #1, San Antonio, Bexar County. Find a Grave.
• Included in "Table II, Constitutional Unionists (Identified from newspapers) with Biographical Data," list of leaders of the Texas Constitutional Union Party in 1860. The party was formed in January of 1860. "The Constitutional Union Party in Texas," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 82, Number 3, January 1979, pp. 238, 256-262, crediting Texas State Historical Association. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). Table II, Constitutional Unionists

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