Russ Family
Jackson County, Florida
Genealogybecame a passion of my
mother's when she was in her thirties and forties.Though the task was made
somewhat simpler by the fact that our ancestors hadall been in Marianna for so
many generations, she decided to delve back muchfurther than that and trace
their roots as far back as she could.
Ihave a large box of her
genealogy papers that I've never even delved into; itjust seems too
overwhelming. But in one of her scrapbooks, I found this briefwrite-up of the
Russ family history. It's not very comprehensive, but it givesa brief summation
of the Florida line of the family. Merritt Dekle
Typed
by:
The
name of Russ is derived from the word“Rous” meaning “ yes” and is said to have
been first used with reference to thehair or complexions of its original
bearers. It was originally a baptismal nameand was later taken by the sons of
those so called as their patronymic.
The
name is found as ancient English andearly American records in the forms of
Rous, Rouse, Rus, Ruse, Russe, Rushe,Rush, Rust, Rush, and Russ.
Families
of this name were to be found atearly dates in the English Counties of
Cambridge, Lincoln, Somerset, Surry,Essex, North Hampton, Oxford, Salford, and
Wilts, as well as in the city andvicinity of London and in Several parts of
Ireland. They were for the mostpart, of the landed gentry and yeomanry of Great
Britain.
Our
lines as best we know is as follows:
ReingoldeRuss-of
Cranford, County Suffolk, England. died c
1458.
Son:
SirThomas Russ- of
Saffolk, at Chapmans c 1490-1565
Knighted
June 1, 1522 at Coronation of QueenAnne Bullen or Boleyn, second wife of
Harry V111., Married 1510 AnneSymond of Suffolk, daughter of John Symond.
Had3 Sons:
our line_
ThomasRuss. Born C 1538- MarriedPriscilla Clovile
Eastace, of Essex. Among children of this marriage was :
JohnRuss 1, Immigrant
ancestor. Born c 1612, came to America 1635 withbrother Thomas, Died
March 4, 1691/2. age 80, Andover, Mass. Married Margaretbefore coming to the
American Colonies.
5Sons, 2 Daughters:
Among
those were:
JohnRuss 11 , born June
24, 1641, Newbury Mass. Died c 1715.- MarriedAug.28,1663, Deborah Osgood,
daughter of Christopher & Margory (Fowler )Osgood. Had many children among
which was :
John
Russ 111 , born March 1671-Died July
1,1717.St. ThomasParish, Berkley Co., S.C..
Married
May 6,1695. To Hannah Ross. John was aweaver by trade and owned land.
Had4 Sons, 1 Daughters:
JohnRuss IV, Born 1707-
1789- Married Mary Wood, had 5 sons. Born SouthCarolina.
ThomasRuss, born 1747,
Bladen Co. N.C- D- Brunswick Co. N.C. . Married c 1770 toHannah Bell, daughter
of John & Feoby Bell of Brunswick Co., N.C.
Had5 sons, all moved to Florida
by 1824. First Russes in Fla. Thomas, James Bell,(Floie & Julia Crigler’s
ancestor) -
Joseph
William our ancestor? Some relation,Robert Masters.
As
it was said the five Russ Brothers came toFlorida in the 1820’s. Thomas was
probably the first.
JosephWilliam Russ, son
of Thomas & Hannah:
Bornc 1780. in
N.C.- D- 1849 in Jackson County Fla.
MarriedSarah
Anna Lewis In 1810. Daughter of William Henry & Rachel Lewis, S.C.
AnnaRuss Died
before 1820 in N.C. and Joseph married Mrs. Eliz. Attaway of JacksonCo., Fla.
Josephwas active in County
affairs. He was appointed associate judge of County Courtof Jackson County. in
1825.
Childrenof Joseph & Anna
Lewis Russ.
WilliamHenry, Joseph
Washington OurLine.
Childrenof Joseph & Eliz.
Russ, Second Wife:
Mary
E. Morris, Henry Humphreys, Margaret Bell,lived with Joseph Washington until
her death as a minor.
JosephWashington Russ-
Great Grandfather- B-1813 Brunswick Co. N.C.- D-1883Jackson Co., Fla. Married
Mary Williams Beman. - Green Co., Ga.
-Daughter of Henry D. &Caroline Frances (Myrick) Beman. Buried in St. Lukes
Cemetery, Marianna, Fla.-Joseph & wife Mary was buried in Russ Cemetery on
Russ St. moved to St.Lukes when land was developed on Russ St.
Joseph
W. served in the army during Fla.Indian wars, enlisted Dec. 14, 1835.
Discharged Jan. 1836. Description. at timeof enlistment- 5 ft.10 in. Light
complexion, blue eyes, black hair. Member ofBean’s Co., Florida Volunteers.
Children:
Anna
Beman b.1849, Married Moses Guyton 111.
Caroline Frances B. 1852- MarriedJohn Milton, son of Gov. John Milton & his
second wife Caroline Howse.(Nell Milton Robb’s line) John Milton was father of
Nell Milton’s father.
JosephWashington Jr. my
Grandfather- Land owner and merchant- 1866-1930.
Built
the beautiful Russ Home on Lafayette& Russ St. in the late 1800’s.
Remodeled c 1900. Lived there 5 years withmother Mary Beman. After her death
married Bettie Erwin Philips- 1899, daughterof Col. Frank E. Philips &
Margaret Nickels.
1Child. Frances Philips Russ -
Born July 13, 1900. Died Nov. 3, 1989 inMarianna, Fl. Married George Clark
Dickerson, July 1920. Son of Mary Bishop & John Funston Dickerson,Collin
Co., Texas - Died July 9, 1938. :Los Angeles, California.
Children:
BettieRuss Dickerson, b. July 11,
1921 d. Nov. 7, 1994.
Marriedson of Mathew L. &
Marie Smith Dekle -.Clifton M. Dekle - b. Oct.12,1921 d.Nov. 14, 1974, Marianna
Fla.
Children:
Clifton
Merritt Dekle Jr, b. 14Jun 1952, Atlanta, GA
Margaret
Philips Dekle b. 6 April 1949, WinterPark, FL
GeorgeClark Dickerson Jr. b.
Aug. 7,1926. d. Dec.17, 1997 In Jacksonville Fla.
MarriedKatherine (Maiden name
withheld)
Three Children.
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Web Pages by
Betty James Smith
11 July 2000
Web Pages Revised by
James L. Edenfield
5 Aug 2006