Roy Drayton "R. D." Russell, Jr.

Notes:

The San Augustine Tribune
July 15, 1999, page 3

R. D. Russell

R. D. Russell, 75, of Pineland died July 12 at his residence.

[Note: The SSDI shows, apparently in error, his DOD as 1 July 1999)

Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, July 15, 1999 at Starr Funeral Home in Hemphill with burial at Joel Halbert Cemetery in Milam.

A lifelong resident of Sabine County, he was a retired Temple Inland supervisor and a World War II Navy veteran.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Russell of Pineland; sons, Chris Russell of Lufkin and Roy David Russell of Milam; daughters Melinda Russell of Lufkin and Melissa Bradberry of Pineland; brother Julius Nethery of Center, and eight grandchildren.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, June 2011)

Roy married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living
3. Living
4. Living

Notes:

San Augustine Tribune

Thursday, October 20, 2005

San Augustine History 1929 by Harry P. Noble

November 1929

Roy Russell (30), a well-to-do Milam farmer, was stabbed in the lower stomach on the Hemphill courthouse steps by his nephew, Al HOLBERT (Halbert?), and died a few minutes later. According to M.S. MORRIS, an eyewitness, the stabbing grew out of an arguement over a pair of mules. After the stabbing, Ran Russell, a brother to Roy, attacked Holbert, but Holbert made his escape through the crowd. However, Holbert was soon found and arrested but since he had received several deep cuts on the neck and face he was taken to a hospital where he was kept under close guard.

Roy married Vergie Lorena Halbert before 1924. Vergie (daughter of William Washington "Dick" Halbert, Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Smith) was born on 4 Nov 1905 in Sabine County, Texas; died on 18 Sep 1991 in Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Halbert Cemetery (Joel Halbert Cemetery / Fox Hill Cemetery), Milam, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
They appear to have been separated at the time of the 1930 census. Virgie Russell, age 24, is listed as the head of a household consisting of her six year old son, R.D. Russell, Jr., Her widowed mother, Mary Halbert, and 23 year old Kirby Russell, her brother-in-law.

Notes:

His gravestone indicates he was in the Sons of Confederates of Texas.

Name A B Russell
Event Type Death
Event Date 18 Apr 1961
Event Place Houston, Harris, Texas, United States
Gender Male
Marital Status Married
Birth Date 09 Jun 1869
Birthplace Snowhill, Alabama
Father's Name Randall L Russell
Mother's Name Fannie Freeman
Informant Mr. Kirby Russell
Certificate Number 21780
GS Film number 2116713
Digital Folder Number 005145517
Image Number 00504



Citing this Record:
"Texas, Deaths, 1890-1976," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K3HQ-PPH : accessed 10 Jun 2014), A B Russell, 18 Apr 1961; citing certificate number 21780, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2116713.

A. married Anna Dixie McGown on 20 Jan 1892 in Sabine County, Texas. Anna (daughter of George Washington McGown and Ida H. Smith) was born on 26 Dec 1872 in Sabine County, Texas; died on 27 Apr 1921; was buried in Halbert Cemetery (Joel Halbert Cemetery / Fox Hill Cemetery), Milam, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
At the time of the 1910 census, she was listed as the mother of five children, four of whom were still living.

Notes:

Name: W. W. Halbert Sr.
Death Date: 12 Jan 1926
Death Place: Milam, Sabine, Texas
Gender: Male
Race: White
Death Age: 88 years 5 months 25 days
Estimated Birth Date:
Birth Date: 17 Jul 1837
[Other sources show DOB as 25 Sep 1838; or 23 Sept 1839]
Birthplace: Milam, Sabine County, Tex.
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name:
Father's Name: Joel Halbert
Father's Birthplace:
Mother's Name:
Mother's Birthplace:
Occupation: Farmer
Place of Residence:
Cemetery:
Burial Place: Milam, Tex.
Burial Date: 13 Jan 1926
Additional Relatives:
Film Number: 2114060
Digital Film Number: 4165757
Image Number: 3150
Reference Number: cn 3239
Collection: Texas Deaths, 1890-1976

In 1924 he served as a witness to the confederate pension application for Susannah Halbert Mason, along with witnesse W M Fullen. Both signed with their marks.

William married Mary Elizabeth Smith about 1901. Mary (daughter of Rev. Edward Smith and Mary Jane Smith) was born on 9 Jan 1867 in Fairmount Community, Sabine County, Texas; died on 21 Jan 1939 in Milam, Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Halbert Cemetery (Joel Halbert Cemetery / Fox Hill Cemetery), Milam, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name: Mary Halbert
Death Date: 21 Jan 1939
Death Place: Precinct 4, Sabine, Texas
Gender: Female
Race: White
Death Age: 72 years 11 days
Estimated Birth Date:
Birth Date: 09 Jan 1867
Birthplace: Fairmount, Texas
Marital Status: Widowed
Spouse's Name: W.W. Halbert Jr.
Father's Name: Edward Smith
Father's Birthplace: La.
Mother's Name: Mary Jane Smith
Mother's Birthplace: La.
Occupation: Housewife
Place of Residence: Milam, Texas
Cemetery:
Burial Place: Fort Hill, Near Milam, Texas
Burial Date: 21 Jan 1939
Additional Relatives: X
Film Number: 2117863
Digital Film Number: 4030448
Image Number: 553
Reference Number: cn 4477
Collection: Texas Deaths, 1890-1976

Notes:

Married:
The 1910 census indicated they had been married 9 years, and that she was the mother of three children, all of them still living.

Notes:

In 1870, he was listed at home with his parents and siblings, and not with (first wife?) Priscilla Jane Evans.

In 1880, he was remarried to an Ida, and living in Sabine County, Texas. The 1900 Sabien County census shows Ida as widowed, and living with son Drayton, one of her three living children. George was shown in the household--logical if Ida was a widow.

However the McGown cemetery has a double tombstone for George McGown (#27357164)and Ida McGown (# 27357205). The headstone, engraved with the words "Father" and "Mother" show that George was born 1852, and died in 1897. Ida was shown with a date of birth of 1850 (later than her birthdate per the 1900 census of Nov 1844) and date of death as 1905.

Are these discrepencies the result of errors on either/or the census and grave markers? Or could their have been two George and Ida McGown families, approximately the same age, in Sabine County.


(Research):

Census Listings:

1880 Census
Texas, Sabine County
Enumerated 22 Jun 1880
Page 9 SD 1 ED 85 Stamped 228A
85-86
McGown, Sam H W M 22 Farmer Tx Miss Tx
McGown, Mary E W F 21 Wf Keeping House Ark Miss Miss
McGown, Mary E Jr W F 2 Dtr Tx
86-87
McGown, George W M W 30 Farmer Tx Miss Tenn
McGown, Ida H W F 30 Wf Keeping House Ga -- --
McGown, Anna D W F 7 Dtr Tx
McGown, Ida G W F 4 Dt Tx
McGown, Idell H Jr W M 10 Son Farm Laborer Tx
Parish, Kit B M 8 Servant Tx

George married Ida H. Smith before 1872. Ida was born in Nov 1844 in Georgia; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Research):

Census Listings:

1900 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Pr. 8
Enumerated 5 Jun 1900
SD 8 ED 72 Sheet 5B
71-71
McGown, Ida H Head W F Nov 1844 55 Wd 3/3 Ga Sc Ga Farmer
McGown, Drayton P Son W M July 1883 16 S Tx Tx Ga Farm Laborer

Notes:

He was the son of John Halbert and Susannah Higgins.

"Came to Texas about 1838, and settled at Milam. Joel rec'd a 2nd Class Headright for establishing citizenship in the Republic of Texas." (White and Toole)

(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Sabine District
Enumerated 8 Nov 1850
Stamped 324
208-208
Joel Halbert 40 M Farmer 3000 Tenn
Tabitha Halbert 36 F Tenn
Louisa Halbert 16 F Ala
Martha Halbert 14 F Ala
Washington Halbert 11 M Tx
Amanda Halbert 9 F Tx
Susan Halbert 6 F Tx
Rebecca Halbert 4 F Tx

Joel married Tabitha Elizabeth Cox on 25 Feb 1828. Tabitha was born about 1814 in Tennessee; died about 1851. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Grandson of Benjamin Garlington and Caroline Cynthia Vick of Newton County, Texas.

SABINE COUNTY REPORTER
June 1, 2005
Fairmount Cemetery marker dedication set

"Edward Smith served as a postmaster in Fairmount. He was also an ordained minister serving area churches for 31 years, including a tenure at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church located not far from Fairmount Cemetery."

SABINE COUNTY REPORTER
January 18, 2006
All Things Historical by Bob Bowman

Edward Smith deserves his own place in history. Born in Vernon Parish, LA, in 1845 he moved to Newton County, Texas with his parents as a small boy. When he reached 18, he enlisted in the Confederate Army to fight in the Civil War. When federal naval forces approached the Texas coast, Smith and others in his company pushed through the East Texas swamps to reinforce Lieutenant Dick Dowling and his Texas forces at Sabine Pass. With only 40 men, they helped beat back an invasion by federal troops. The battle, the only one ever fought on East Texas soil, saw Smith, Dowling and fellow soldiers outnumbered 100 to one. Despite overwhelming odds, the Texans had no deaths or injuries while the federal force of 27 ships had about 400 mend injured, captured or killed. The Texans were so fierce that the battle lasted only 45 minutes. Following the end of the Civil War, Edward Smith came home to Fairmount, served as its postmaster for 25 years, and became a Baptist preacher. He and his wife and many of their 13 children are buried in the Fairmount cemetery. So are his parents and his wife's mother. His descendants have another story of his bravery. Edward and his dogs were cornered by a bear in the woods near his home. Edward scrambled up a tree and when the bear started climbing after him, Edward whipped otu his pocketknife and slashed the bear's head and paws, while to dogs nipped at the bear's heels. After the dogs started to chase the bear, Edward was able to climb down and run home.

Edward married Mary Jane Smith about 1865 in Sabine County, Texas. Mary (daughter of Obediah Jackson Smith and Elizabeth Chapman) was born on 17 Jun 1847 in Louisiana; died on 11 Nov 1926; was buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Yellowpine, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Also shown as born in Alabama.

Notes:

Married:
On the 1870 Sabine County, Texas census, Edward and Mary Jane Smith also had unnamed 1 month old twins.