Author Topic: David Russell, b. 1747, Letterkenny, County Donegal – Some Speculations  (Read 4695 times)

Offline Freeson

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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.

~~~~~~~~

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

Offline rathmore

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Re: David Russell, b. 1747, Letterkenny, County Donegal – Some Speculations
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 13 July 14 11:57 BST (UK) »
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~donegal

then come down the page and click on Conwal Parish

Russell listed on the Tithe Applotment book conwal parish 1834 townlands Ballyboe and Sallaghagrane

lots of information on this site, also this site can help you.

Offline Freeson

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Re: David Russell, b. 1747, Letterkenny, County Donegal – Some Speculations
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 13 July 14 15:02 BST (UK) »
Excellent!  Thank you.

This provides an avenue to follow.

Carnigal or Carmigal have been mentioned with David's name, but I thought they were misrepresentations of Donegal.  Perhaps they were misrepresentations of Conwal.

Offline rathmore

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Re: David Russell, b. 1747, Letterkenny, County Donegal – Some Speculations
« Reply #3 on: Monday 14 July 14 11:02 BST (UK) »
there is a Cornagill in letterkenny


Offline joemc

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Re: David Russell, b. 1747, Letterkenny, County Donegal – Some Speculations
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 27 July 14 20:51 BST (UK) »
Hi,

Not sure if this is a help but I am related to a Russell line from the Letterkenny area, I can trace back to a James Russell(abt. 1765)his son David Russell(abt.1793) married a Rebecca Russell, daughter of a John Russell, 18th Jan 1850 Conwal Parish(Letterkenny) this branch lived in the townland of Letterleague, Conwal

Regards
McCorkell, Clarke, Williams, Craig, Baird, Peoples, MacDonald, Wray and associated families, Counties Donegal and Londonderry, Ireland and America

Offline Freeson

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Re: David Russell, b. 1747, Letterkenny, County Donegal – Some Speculations
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 27 July 14 21:35 BST (UK) »
This is very interesting. 

All I have on "my" David is that he was born in/near Letterkenny, County Donegal in 1747.  I first find documentation of him during the Revolutionary War.  I don't have any information about his parents; although a 2nd cousin named James Russell, b 1756 came to America and worked on David's farm after the war.  I do not know the parents of James, but his children are named very closely after his siblings.  His siblings were named in a letter that James' son wrote (see above).

I would be very interested in looking at your Russells.  Mine can be found at
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=jamesfry76

Regards,

Jim

Offline joemc

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Re: David Russell, b. 1747, Letterkenny, County Donegal – Some Speculations
« Reply #6 on: Monday 28 July 14 00:26 BST (UK) »
Hi Jim,

sorry I don't have much more information on my Russell's than what I have already given you.

Difficult to make connections from these early dates, the name Caleb Russell is interesting as Caleb is a rare first name in Ireland, I see you mention Carnigal, which as rathmore  pointed out is probably Cornagill. I think you have already made the connection to Caleb Russell who registered a Freehold at Cornagill in 1761. Cornagill being a townland in the parish of Aghanunshin, near Letterkenny. a John Russell applied for another Freehold Cornagill in 1829, there was also a Russell family living at nearby Kiltoy townland. Both these Russell families are probably descended from John Russell who appears in the Hearth money rolls for the parish of Aghanunshin in 1663. As you will be aware records from this time period in Ireland are few so i'm unsure how else you could proceed with this. Maybe if you were in contact with a direct male descendant of your David Russell a yDNA comparison to other potential Russell descendants from the Letterkenny area may yield some results.



Regards
Joe

McCorkell, Clarke, Williams, Craig, Baird, Peoples, MacDonald, Wray and associated families, Counties Donegal and Londonderry, Ireland and America

Offline Freeson

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Re: David Russell, b. 1747, Letterkenny, County Donegal – Some Speculations
« Reply #7 on: Monday 28 July 14 01:15 BST (UK) »
Thanks Joe,

I will certainly research as much as I can in this direction.  I need to contact a cousin in Ohio who is a direct male descendant.  I believe he may have done a dna test already.

Thanks again,

Jim