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Born Myrtle Mary Thomas, Jan. 7, 1892 in Missouri (d. 5-15-1949 Sacto., CA)
(Her mother was Sara Townsend b. abt 1870 and her father was _____Thomas)
Myrtle had two sisters and two brothers.
1. Alfred Thomas
2. Albert Thomas
3. sister (name unknown)
4. sister (name unknown)

The story goes like this: She was in love with a young man named Samuel Adams, but they never married. She later married a man named ____Russell, and had a baby (but Samuel Adams was the father) shortly after her marriage to Mr. Russell. She gave the baby the last name of Russell (after her now husband). The baby was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas August 31, 1912 and his name William Theodore Russell. He later had 12 childred and two marriages.

Myrtle Mary (a couple yrs. later) married a Pete Smith. Pete had four children (3 daughters and one son?)
from a previous marriage. Children's names (only two known, Laura Smith and Truman Smith).

Myrtle Mary and Pete Smith had a daughter Lenore. Lenore married very young and died because of pregnancy complications. She is burried on Whidbey Island (Washington, near Seattle).

Although we never found William T. Russell's birth father (or any of his step sisters or brothers), his first wife and his mother were very close. She told the children and her daughter-in-law this story.

William T. Russell "Ted" married Elsie Marie Ducan(when they were both very young)They had 7 children:
Their first child was born in 1934.
1. William T. Russell Jr. b. 1934
2. Jeanine Russell b.1936 d. 1960
3. Terry Russell b.1938
4. Tom Russell b.1940
5. Judy Russell b.1944
6. Dennis Russell b.1945 d.1975
7. Tim Russell b.1947 d. 1966

William T. Russell became restless and went to California to be near his mother. He left his wife and kids behind and just moved on in 1948. Elsie Marie passed away in 1996. She lived most of her days in Kenniwick, WA.

In 1949 Myrtle Mary Died and William T.Russell (now "Russ") was living in California (left his wife and children).
In 1951 he met Etta May (Roberts) Harper. She was alone and pregnant
and working in a tomatoe field. Her husband had abandoned her and their five children to fend for themselves.
Etta had five small children and one on the way and was alone now.

(Chess L Harper (her astranged husband)
was a restless WWII victum and just could not stay home. Etta had 6 children by him. One was me.

Russ and Etta were married in 1954 in CA
Etta and "Russ" had five children:
1. Gregory Alan Russell
2. David William Russell
3. Linda Carol Russell
4. Mary Etta Russell
5. Penny Deane Russell

*I am told that William T. Russell was married three times:
The first time he had to have been a teenager, because he had a wife and three children before he married Marie Ducan. However, his third marriage to Etta, lasted 26 years (until his death in 1980). This family (RUSSELL) branch has always been a BIG mystery for us to solve. If you know anything about this family please e-mail me. Etta has 11 children (all living and well). She is happily married now and lives near the Pacific Ocean.

See Mystery photo under Russell: "Where's My Grandpa?"

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