TWO PIONEERS GONE

W. D. GROSS PASSED AWAY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING AND W. H. RUSSELL FRIDAY MORNING

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At the ripe old age of 80 years, William H. Russell passed peacefully over on the other side at an early hour last Friday Morning. He had been ailing only about a week, but suffered practically no pain. He slept most of the time, waking occasionally and talking with his people and finally slept the sleep that knows no waking. He had always been a healthy, vigorous man and death to him was the natural dissolution of body and spirit.

The funeral was held at the residence in Herman at 11 o’clock Sunday morning and interment made in the cemetery at that place. Rev. John Patrick, for many years a neighbor of the deceased, officiated at the service.

Wm. H. Russell was born at Greenville, Tenn., on Oct. 8th, 1824, and moved to Washington County, Iowa, with his parents in 1842. He was married to Paulina E. Romig at Brighton in 1852 and of this union four children were born, three dying in infancy, the one son, Levi, is now living at Sanger, Wash. In 1855 Mr. Russell brought the first saw mill into the state of Nebraska and got it up at what is know as shingle point, a little way about the present town of Florence.

He sold the saw mill in 1862 shortly after the death of his first wife and for two years freighted over the plains to Denver and Cheyenne with an old ox team. On Nov. 26, 1865, he was married to Sarah E. Trisler at Florence and for eleven years thereafter farmed in the neighborhood of Calhoun. In 1877 he went into the live stock business in Omaha and in ’88 settled on a farm near Herman, where he lived until some three years ago when he moved into the village of Herman.

Mr. Russell was always a man of clean habits, honest and upright in character, and while he never belonged to a church or secret society of any kind he did not lack for friends. He was kindhearted and jovial and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

E.Z. Russell, present county treasurer, and Miss Lena, who lived with her parents at Herman are the only children by his second wife. Their half-brother, Levi, and wife came all the way from Sanger, Oregon to attend the funeral and will remain two of three weeks visiting old friends in the county.

#2-23 Nov., 1904 - The Pilot - William H. Russell

William H. Russell of Herman died at his home last Friday morning as the result of an attack of la grippe which run into pneumonia. Mr. Russell was born in 1824 in Tennessee and moved with his parents to Washington county, Iowa in 1842, living there till 1856 when he removed to Rockport, Douglas county, Nebraska. In 1888 he moved to Washington county, Nebraska where he has since resided. He leaves a wife and three children. The funeral services were held at the home near Herman, Rev. John Patrick officiating. The interment being made in Blair where a large concourse of friends followed the remains to their last resting place. Mr. Russell’s long residence in Nebraska resulted in his making hosts of friends and acquaintances who extend the family their sympathy in their bereavement. Mr. Russell was a man of sterling character and had performed his full duty as a citizen toward the community in which he resided, and as a pioneer to Nebraska did much toward making Nebraska what she is today.

#3-24 Nov. 1904 - Blair Republican - William H. Russell

Wm. H. Russell, father of County Treasurer Russell, died at his home in Herman last Friday morning, funeral services being held at that place Sunday morning, and interment being made in the Blair cemetery. Deceased was born in Greenville, Tenn. Oct. 28, 1824 and in 1842 moved to Washington county, Iowa where in 1842 he was married to Miss Paulina E. Romig. In 1855 Mr. Russell moved to Douglas county, Nebraska where in 1863 his first wife died, and in 1865 he was married to Miss Sarah E. Trissler at Florence. In 1888 they moved to this county and settled on a farm near Herman where they continued to reside until about three years ago when they moved to Herman. Deceased is survived by a wife and three children, Lena, E. Z., our present county treasurer, and a son by his first wife who lives in Oregon, but who was here to attend the funeral. The Republican joins the many friends of the family in extending sympathy to the bereaved ones.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~