While researching something else on behalf of a friend
recently, I came across an interesting fact that I had not known before. That
started me thinking on the topic of why people move from one area to another. I’ll
mention the interesting fact later in this post, but I want to put it in the
entire context of the migration of the Russell family from their origin about
1000 years ago until now.
Prior to coming to
the US
As I have posted earlier, the Russell family name began in
Normandy, France in about the year 1000. However, they were only there a short
time. In 1066, the Baron Hugh de Rozel went to England with William the
Conqueror’s army as they defeated the tribes there. After the defeat, the
Russell family settled in the south of England in Dorset. They were there for
4-5 generations, then moved to Strensham in Worcestershire. They remained in
that part of England for several hundred years until the late 1500’s, then
briefly moved to Yorkshire. It was from Yorkshire that Robert Russell migrated
to America, specifically Andover, MA, about 1640. So there were only a few
moves of any consequence in the first 600+ years of the family.
Massachusetts to
New York
It was only a few generations later that the Russell family
began disbursing. Some of them headed north into New Hampshire, but my
great*6-grandfather, Robert Russell (1722-1784) moved to Westchester County, NY
in the mid-1700’s. Records are somewhat sparse from back then, but the Russell
family were farmers and the stop in Westchester County was a brief one as he
later moved to Putnam County, NY and then on to Dutchess County, NY.
Settling in
Dutchess County, then a move to Connecticut
The Russell family stayed in Dutchess County for about 100
years and continued to farm. John Russell (1756-1820) was in the county by
1772, Caleb Russell (1780-) lived his entire life there, and Silas Russell
(1803-1886) lived there until the late 1870’s. All were farmers and according
to census records did not know how to read or write. Walter Russell (1852-1895)
was also born in Dover, Dutchess County, but he decided to better himself and
move on. By 1870 he had moved to Kent, CT, just a few miles to the east of
Dover. By 1880 the family had moved a few miles to the south to New Milford,
CT. There he learned how to be a millwright and not a farmer like his father.
Moving around
Connecticut
My great-grandfather, Louis Russell (1871-1946), was born in
Kent, but grew up in New Milford. He learned how to be a millwright from his
father. He initially worked for the New England Lime and Cement Company, then
trained to be an electrician and began working for the Tucker Electrical
Construction Company.
Here’s where the interesting fact I learned comes into play.
During WWI, Connecticut produced nearly ¾ of the brass munitions used by the
US. There were a number of large brass mills in Waterbury, CT, one of which was
Scovill Manufacturing Company. When Russia entered the war, they wanted to have
access to these same sorts of brass munitions. Czar Nicholas II paid Scovill to
build a new power plant so they could increase their production and sell this
increase to him. The Tucker Electrical Construction Company was selected by
Scovill to build this new power plant. So my great-grandfather moved his family
to Waterbury during the war to help build this new power plant – a move that
was funded by the Russians!
When the plant was finished, my great-grandfather was hired
by Scovill to help run the plant that he had helped build. So on August 26,
1918, the Russell family began working for Scovill – a relationship that lasted
for over 60 years.
My grandfather, Erskine Russell (1894-1970), had been born
in Sherman, CT (just outside of New Milford). He married when the family still
lived in New Milford in 1914, but when the US entered the war he and his wife
moved to Bridgeport, CT where there was work available. My aunt and my father
were born there. But my grandparents’ marriage was not going well and they
separated in 1924. My grandmother remained in Bridgeport, but Erskine moved to
Waterbury where he lived with his father, Louis, and step-mother. Louis got him
a job working in the power plant. Erskine moved out (just a few blocks away)
for a short time in 1928 as he attempted to reconcile with his wife, but that
did not work out, so they divorced and he moved back to his father’s house. He
got married a second time in 1933 and moved across town, but he continued to
work with his father in the power plant.
My father, Vernon Russell (1920-2006) moved around quite a
lot – being born in Bridgeport, then with his mother to Waterbury for a short
time as mentioned above, then back to Bridgeport, then to New Milford, then to
Danbury when his mother remarried a much older man (30 years older). In 1937 he
moved to Waterbury to finish high school, living with his grandfather. After
graduation he also began working for Scovill in 1939 where he worked until
1981.
There was a short break from that work in 1944-1946 when he
was in the Navy in WWII. His grandfather finally retired from Scovill in 1945
and died just a few months later. Freed from the oversight of his father, Erskine
also resigned from Scovill in 1945 and began working for Pinkerton as a
security guard.
Meanwhile, my father returned from the war in 1946, lived
briefly with his sister just mile or so away, then married and moved to the
next town, Wolcott, where he lived until his passing in 2006.
Recent years
People are much more mobile these days. While I worked in CT
for a few years after getting married, I got a job offer and moved to
Pennsylvania in 1975 where I still live. My son was born here, worked in New
Jersey, after graduating from college, for 15 years, then recently moved to Florida,
but staying with the same company.
So – from France to England to Massachusetts to New York to
Connecticut to Pennsylvania to Florida. Many moves and for a variety of
reasons. But we are still all Russells and still all connected.
