Does this tie in with anybody’s research in Ireland? This is what I “know”. Is it possible to research further?
David Russell was born in 1747 in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland.
David Russell married Isabelle Harper. She was born in Pennsylvania, USA and was the daughter of Samuel Harper who was born in County Antrim, Ireland in 1715.
David came from near Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, N. Ireland, and lived Centre (not established until 1800) County, PA. A second cousin, James Russell (b. 1756) later came from the same place and worked on David's farm and in 1795 married David's daughter Jane.
James Harper Russell letter of 1897: This letter was written in 1897 when James Harper Russell was 78 years at the request of his children to document his ancestry.
“2nd cousin of David Russell. He also was from Letterkenny, Ireland. He came and worked on David's farm and in 1795 married David's daughter, Margaret Jane.”
Quote from James Harper Russell letter of 1897:
"He emigrated to America when he was about 33 years old. He was 11 weeks on shipboard coming over. He came over about 1780,"
Another quote from letter:
"Father” (James Russell) “had four brothers and two sisters in Ireland, named as follows: David, Andrew, Caleb, John, Katherine, and Margaret. John never married. One of the girls was married to McPherson, but I am not sure of that."
James Russell's will was signed by him on 8-1-1842. He named children in his will: David, (Robert), Margaret, John, Isabella,, Caleb, Andrew, James and Katherine.
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Naming patterns during the era suggest:
Child Namesake
1st son paternal grandfather
2nd son maternal grandfather
3rd son father
4th son father's oldest brother
1st daughter
maternal grandmother
2nd daughter paternal grandmother
3rd daughter mother
4th daughter mother's oldest sister
David Russell named his sons:
James (David’s father?)
Samuel (definitely Isabelle’s father)
John (common ancestor?)
David (son of David) (my line)
Caleb
This would lead one to believe that his father was James.
James Russell, David’s second cousin, named his sons:
Caleb (James’ father?)
David (definitely Jane’s father)
John (Common ancestor?)
Andrew
James (son of James)
Second cousin status would indicate that both David and James are the great grandsons of a common grandfather. Each named his third son John and that is a common name to both men’s sons.
Perhaps their descendancy would be:
John (as the great grandfather?)
Fathers?
James and Caleb (as possible cousins)
Their sons respectively:
David (b. 1747, Ireland) and James (b. 1756, Ireland)
This might be a possible lead to the family in Ireland before their emigration.
James had four brothers named David, Andrew, Caleb, John. I do not know the order of their birth or the birth order place of James.
If interested, or other information is wanted on these people, my database is located at:
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=jamesfry76