Events
Date of Baptism: 28 June 1613.
Place of Baptism: Rowley Regis, Staffordshire.
Date of Burial: 18 November 1657.
Place of Burial: Rowley Regis, Staffordshire.
Relationships
Father: John Russell.
Mother: Joan Chambers alias Ireland.
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Anne.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
William Russell
Mary Russell (baptized 16 February 1639/40 in Rowley Regis - buried 18 November 1657 in Rowley Regis)
Anne Russell (baptized 15 December 1641 in Rowley Regis - buried 1641/2 in Rowley Regis)
Sarah Russell (baptized 12 March 1642/3 in Rowley Regis) married Thomas Foley in about 1661.
Thomas Russell (baptized 17 August 1645 in Rowley Regis)
John Russell (baptized 23 June 1649 in Rowley Regis - buried 1651 in Rowley Regis)
Anne Russell (baptized 23 June 1649 in Rowley Regis)
Elizabeth Russell (baptized 12 December 1654 in Rowley Regis - buried 18 December 1654 in Rowley Regis)
Evidence
William’s will:
In the name of God, Amen, I William Russell of Rowley Regis in the Countie of Staff’ yeoman being sick and weake in Bodie and seeing daielie how uncertaine the time of the present life is being in very good and perfect memorie. Praysed be Allmightie God doe make this my last Will and Testament. The first daie of November one Thousand Six hundred Fiftie Seaven in manner and forme following: Inprimis I heartilie commend my soule in the hands of my Creator trusting of everlasting happinesse by the merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ And my bodie to the earth in hope and assured of a ioyfull resurrection before my Savious Jesus Christ: And first concerning the disposeing of my temporall estate and goods: Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne Thomas Russell All that part of the howse wherein I now dwell from the entry townewards and the old barne and the Stable and the rest of the now Buildeings adioyning to it together with the litle garden and one Close or pasture called the nether Leasow and the litle Close and hemplock[?] adioyning to the upper end of it And it is my will That my eldest sone William Russelle doe free and quit him from annuitie yssuing out of the whole Farme or from any part thereof. And also one Close of Land in Rowley Feild latelie inclosed and one meadowe called Grangers meadowe. He paying his mother yerelie Fortie shillings a yere dureing the Terme of her Life out of the sd Grangers meadowe. To have and to hold to him and his heires forever All the said premisses before menc’oned. And also I give unto him Threescore pounds of Lawfull monie of England to be paid to him by my Executor when he comes to the Age of Sixteen yeares: Item I give [& bequeath] unto my wife Anne Russell. One hundred and Twentie pounds of Lawefull monie of England to be payd unto her by my Executor within the space of one yeare next after my decease. And also I give unto her part of my household goods to the vallue of Twentie pounds: It’m I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Russell one hundred and Twentie pound of Lawefull monie of England to be payd by my Executor within the space of one yeare next after my decease and part of my howsehould good tot he vallue of Twentie markes at my decease. Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarae Russell one hundred pounds of Lawefull monie of England to be paid by my Executor within the space of two yeare next after my decease and my Executor to find her meat and drinke and Cloathing and All other necessaries for the Space of two yeares next after my decease: And I give unto her part of my howsehold goods to the vallue of Twentie markes at my decease/ Item I give unto my daughter Anne Russell one hundred pounds of Laweful monie of England to be paid unto her by my Executor when she cometh to be eighteene yeares of age. And my Executor to find her meate and drinke and Clothing and All other necessaries untill she be eighteene yeares of Age or els to give her mother soe much to maintaine her as they two shall agree on And also I give to my daughter Anne part of my howsehold goods to the vallue of Twentie markes when she is eighteene yeeres of Age. And if any of my three daughters doe dye before the time expressed in my will for her or them to receive her or their porc’on or porc’ons. That then it shall goe to her or them Liveing of my daughters or daughter. Item I give unto my Brother Thomas Russell twentie pounds of Lawefull monie of England to be paid to him by my Executor within the space of one halfe yeare next after my decease Also I give and bequeath unto him All my part of the Lease of Faytings Farme, he to enter on it at the decease of margery his Wife, and the same to have dureing the Terme of his naturall Life if the Lease soe long last. And after his decease I give unto his Foure Children Daniel Elizabeth, Anne, and Judat eight pounds a yeare out of the said Faytings Lease soe long as the Lease lasteth. that is to say yearelie Fortie Shillings a peece. And if my Brother Thomas Russell doe happen to die before margery his wife, Then I doe give to his Foure children before named the forenamed Fortie Shillings a peece yerelie dureing the Terme of the aforesd Faytings Lease: And also I give unto my Brother Thomas Russell dureing the Terme of his naturall Life the wind mill in Rowley Feild provided allwayes that he doe keepe it in good and sufficient repaire for stones and all other materialls thereunto belonging, which if he doe not keepe in good repaire it is my will That then my Executor shall have the sd mill in his owne possession and pay unto my Brother Thomas seaven pounds a yeare dureing the terme of his Life. Item I doe give to my Brother Christopher Russell All the monie he oweth me, and I doe give unto him Twentie Shillings of Lawefull monie of England To be paid by my Executor And if it soe be that my Brother Thomas Russell doe pay into my heire Fowre hundred and Fowre score pounds for the redeemeing of my Dwelling howse and nether Leasowe, the Upper Leasowe paddock and Finch Croft. Then I doe give unto my sonne Thomas Russell for his part of the buildings and Gardens and nether Leasowe before named the summe of two hundred pounds And I doe give my sonne William Russell the other two hundred and Fowre score pounds Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne William Russell All the howseinge and Barning and eight Closes of ground with the garden and Shopp and All other Thapp’rtnanc’s thereunto belonging: And the wind mill in Rowley Feild and All the rest of my Lands that are not before given and bequeathed and All the rest and residue of my goodes Chattles and Cattle not heretofore given and bequeathed my debts and legacies being first paid and discharged, by my sonne William Russell, and I honestlie brought to me out of the same I doe give unto my sonne William Russell. And I doe ordeine to be my full and sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament Anne Russell my wife and William Russell my sonne And I doe give and bequeath to the poore of Rowley Five pounds forever And the interest to be distributed to the poore yearelie at the oversight of the minister and Churchwardens on St Thomas Day. And I doe intreate my Brother Richard Russell and my Brother in Lawe Thomas Willets to be overseers of this my last Will and Testament to see it well and truelie performed and I trust they will. And I give them for their paines Fortie Shillings a peece. William Russell. Witnesse hereunto Thomas Willets. William Bott. John Bridgwater
[Proved 7 February 1657/8]
Commentary
William’s parentage:
The 1636 will of John Russell, which names his son William and other children, and William’s will above, which names some of his brothers, make clear that William was the son of John Russell.
John Russell names his wife Joan in his will. In her 1615 will, Alice Chambers alias Darby named her daughter Joan and Joan’s husband John Russell.
References
Transcriptions of the registers of Rowley Regis on FreeReg.org.uk.
Will of John Willetts of Rowley Regis. Proved 1636 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
Will of William Russell of Rowley Regis. Proved 1657/8 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.