Notes for William W. RUSSELL

Notes for William W. RUSSELL Doug & Nancy Russell's Homepage

Notes for William W. RUSSELL

April 29, 1930 - Cadiz Record, Trigg Co., KY
FATHER AND DAUGHTER BURNED TO DEATH
Former Trigg County Man Meets Tragic Death Near Dawson
W.W. Russell and Daughter are Burned to Death in Fire that Destroyed
???Home
W. W. Russell, a former Trigg County citizen and father of Mr. Jess Russell
of Cadiz, lost his life in a fire that destroyed his home near Dawson at an
early hour last Saturday morning.
A daughter, Miss Mary Russell, also perished in the flames that took the
life of the father.
Mr. Russell had spent most of his life in Trigg County. He was a son of the
late Starling Russell but had been away from the county about fifteen
years. He is survived by a brother, Dick Russell of Madisonville and a
sister, Mrs. Marion Wheeler near Trigg Furnace. The wife, who was a sister
of Messrs. William, Mate and Lee Cameron and
who has many other relatives in the county, survives him and also the
following children: Luther and Miss Susie Russell and Mrs. Charles Hicks of
Dawson; Jess Russell of Texas.
The remains of both Mr. Russell and his daughter were brought to Trigg
County and buried Saturday afternoon at Mr. Zion, five miles north of
Cadiz. Short services were held at the grave by Rev. C.D. Owen of Cadiz and
Rev. A.L. Schanzenbacher of Dawson.
Mr. Russell was a good citizen and a devout Christian gentleman and the
tragic end is deeply deplored by his many Trigg County friends. The
daughter was also a most excellent lady.
In speaking of the tragedy that caused the death of Mr. Russell and his
daughter, a special from Dawson of April 26th and published in the
Courier-Journal of Sunday says:
While trying to drag her father, W.W. Russell, 81 year old farmer, from
their burning home near here early today, Miss Mary Russell, 52 years old,
was trapped in the flames and burned to death with him.
Members of the family discovered the flames on the second story of the
residence one mile from here on the Cadiz road about 3 o'clock this
morning. Before the flames gained headway all members of the family were
aroused and got out of the house.
When neighbors gathered and started in the burning structure hoping to
salvage some furniture, Mr. Russell followed them and went back to the
second floor. Miss Russell, clad only in night clothing, heard him shout
down for others to bring up water. She shouted for him to come back and ran
up the stairs. Mr. Russell evidently opened a door admitting air to the
blaze for the entire second floor burst into flames as soon as he shouted
for water. The daughter disappeared into the smoke, presumably to help him
to safety.
Neighbors tried to climb the stairs, but the second floor became a furnace
so quickly that the house had to be vacated. A brother of Miss Russell,
Luther, 89, refused to leave the house and was held by neighbors to prevent
him from going upstairs. Outside they continued to restrain him from
rushing back into the house to rescuer his father and sister. It was not
until daylight, when the flames died down somewhat that the bodies were
found. They were close together and charred.
Mrs. Russell collapsed and was taken to a neighbor's home. Another
daughter, Miss Lucy Russell, was home when the fire broke out. Other
survivors are a daughter, Mrs. Charles Hicks of Dawson Springs and another
son, Alvin , Larned, Kan. Homer Brown, Princeton coroner, Caldwell county,
came to the scene of the fire this morning and conducted an inquest without
impaneling a jury. He held the facts so obvious a jury was not necessary.
The Russell residence was over the line in Caldwell county. The family, prominent in this
section, had been cleaning house Friday, and
it thought fire started in a box of clothing. Under a Dawson date line, the
Hopkinsville New Era says that Mr. Russell
and the daughter rushed up the steps to the second story of the farm home
in an attempt to put out the blaze. A son, Luther Russell, was getting his
mother, who is 72 years of age out of the building and did not notice for a
few minutes where his father and sister were. Suddenly the roof caved in
and shut off entrance by the stairway. The smoke filled the upstairs room
where the father and daughter had gone to
fight the fire. A window was knocked out and terror stricken faces of the
father and daughter were seen. Before the window could be reached in an
attempt to get the two out, the smoke overcame them and the whole roof fell
in and the roaring flames forced further attempts at rescue to cease.
There is a mistake in the age of Luther in this article. He can certainly
not be 89 years of age if his father was only 81. Mr. William Washington
Russell was born March 10, 1848 and married Ann Eliza Cameron on Jan. 29,
1874. Luther was their first child and was born on Nov. 16, 1874. Mary,
the daughter who died in the fire, was born Oct. 1, 1876.
[russell8_03_99.FTW]
April 29, 1930 - Cadiz Record, Trigg Co., KY
FATHER AND DAUGHTER BURNED TO DEATH
Former Trigg County Man Meets Tragic Death Near Dawson
W.W. Russell and Daughter are Burned to Death in Fire that Destroyed
???Home
W. W. Russell, a former Trigg County citizen and father of Mr. Jess Russell
of Cadiz, lost his life in a fire that destroyed his home near Dawson at an
early hour last Saturday morning.
A daughter, Miss Mary Russell, also perished in the flames that took the
life of the father.
Mr. Russell had spent most of his life in Trigg County. He was a son of the
late Starling Russell but had been away from the county about fifteen
years. He is survived by a brother, Dick Russell of Madisonville and a
sister, Mrs. Marion Wheeler near Trigg Furnace. The wife, who was a sister
of Messrs. William, Mate and Lee Cameron and
who has many other relatives in the county, survives him and also the
following children: Luther and Miss Susie Russell and Mrs. Charles Hicks of
Dawson; Jess Russell of Texas.
The remains of both Mr. Russell and his daughter were brought to Trigg
County and buried Saturday afternoon at Mr. Zion, five miles north of
Cadiz. Short services were held at the grave by Rev. C.D. Owen of Cadiz and
Rev. A.L. Schanzenbacher of Dawson.
Mr. Russell was a good citizen and a devout Christian gentleman and the
tragic end is deeply deplored by his many Trigg County friends. The
daughter was also a most excellent lady.
In speaking of the tragedy that caused the death of Mr. Russell and his
daughter, a special from Dawson of April 26th and published in the
Courier-Journal of Sunday says:
While trying to drag her father, W.W. Russell, 81 year old farmer, from
their burning home near here early today, Miss Mary Russell, 52 years old,
was trapped in the flames and burned to death with him.
Members of the family discovered the flames on the second story of the
residence one mile from here on the Cadiz road about 3 o'clock this
morning. Before the flames gained headway all members of the family were
aroused and got out of the house.
When neighbors gathered and started in the burning structure hoping to
salvage some furniture, Mr. Russell followed them and went back to the
second floor. Miss Russell, clad only in night clothing, heard him shout
down for others to bring up water. She shouted for him to come back and ran
up the stairs. Mr. Russell evidently opened a door admitting air to the
blaze for the entire second floor burst into flames as soon as he shouted
for water. The daughter disappeared into the smoke, presumably to help him
to safety.
Neighbors tried to climb the stairs, but the second floor became a furnace
so quickly that the house had to be vacated. A brother of Miss Russell,
Luther, 89, refused to leave the house and was held by neighbors to prevent
him from going upstairs. Outside they continued to restrain him from
rushing back into the house to rescuer his father and sister. It was not
until daylight, when the flames died down somewhat that the bodies were
found. They were close together and charred.
Mrs. Russell collapsed and was taken to a neighbor's home. Another
daughter, Miss Lucy Russell, was home when the fire broke out. Other
survivors are a daughter, Mrs. Charles Hicks of Dawson Springs and another
son, Alvin , Larned, Kan. Homer Brown, Princeton coroner, Caldwell county,
came to the scene of the fire this morning and conducted an inquest without
impaneling a jury. He held the facts so obvious a jury was not necessary.
The Russell residence was over the line in Caldwell county. The family, prominent in this
section, had been cleaning house Friday, and
it thought fire started in a box of clothing. Under a Dawson date line, the
Hopkinsville New Era says that Mr. Russell
and the daughter rushed up the steps to the second story of the farm home
in an attempt to put out the blaze. A son, Luther Russell, was getting his
mother, who is 72 years of age out of the building and did not notice for a
few minutes where his father and sister were. Suddenly the roof caved in
and shut off entrance by the stairway. The smoke filled the upstairs room
where the father and daughter had gone to
fight the fire. A window was knocked out and terror stricken faces of the
father and daughter were seen. Before the window could be reached in an
attempt to get the two out, the smoke overcame them and the whole roof fell
in and the roaring flames forced further attempts at rescue to cease.
There is a mistake in the age of Luther in this article. He can certainly
not be 89 years of age if his father was only 81. Mr. William Washington
Russell was born March 10, 1848 and married Ann Eliza Cameron on Jan. 29,
1874. Luther was their first child and was born on Nov. 16, 1874. Mary,
the daughter who died in the fire, was born Oct. 1, 1876.

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