Major William F. Russell
During the Seminole Indian uprising in July of 1849, William was shot, the ball
broke the small bone in his left arm. This attack resulted in the death of his
brother-in-law John
Barker. His home was ransacked, many items taken and
the furniture broken. His and Barkers' cattle were found dead, floating in
the river. Mrs. Russell, Mrs. Barker, Miss Bullock, five white children,
two negro girls, a negro infant and Mrs. Russell's infant were found two days
later in a boat, having had nothing to eat for that time except oysters opened
by a pair of scissors one of the women had taken. One of his daughters,
along with eight negros, who had been in a second boat, was missing for a time
following the outbreak, but was found in New Smyrna having walked up the coast
for four days, surviving on berries and turtle eggs. Major Russell
and his family returned to their homestead by January 1850. Fort Capron
(March 1850-June 1859) was built near his land. He then served as
Inspector of Customs, ran a store and trading post.
Russell was holding 14 slaves, in the 1850 St. Lucie, Florida Slave Schedule, seven females ages 50, 37, 22, 18, 10, 5, and 2; also seven males ages 44, 13, 10, 14, 9, 8 and 5 months. (There were 27 slaves in the county at this time.)
William built a new house about 1875. It floated off it's piling in the 1928
hurricane and now rests on an Ais Indian midden. This is the oldest
standing house in St. Lucie County and is owned by the Padrick family.
Born in
North Carolina in 1805, William is said to have died in Orlando. Russell
family members are believed to be buried at Paine Cemetery aka St. Lucie Cemetery,
located on the Old Dixie Highway, south of what is now the Village of St. Lucie.
Reference:
Pictorial History of Saint Lucie County 1565-1910, by Kyle S. Van Landingham 1988
A Portrait of St. Lucie County, Florida, by Lucille Rieley Rights 1994
East Coast Florida Memoirs, 1837-1886, by Robert Ranson 1926.
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