I've started a new project (don't tell Alex!).
Yesterday, I scanned the photos from Mildred Dikeman's photo album. Yay grandmother Mildred! She actually identified every photo but two. So, now we know who these fantastic people are.
Or do we? His name is Rufus G. Russell. I did not even know he existed until I started the photo project. So, last night I started poking around in ancestry.com and found out that he is Mom's great grandfather:
Marcia Stoddard (Mack) Ahlefeld > Mildred Dikeman Stoddard > Lillian Adella Russell > Rufus G. Russell.
Rufus was married to Elizabeth, and they lived in New Haven, Connecticut in 1880.
Lillian's brother is Byron G. Russell:
He was a minister in Rockport, Massachusetts in 1877. He was married to Sarah E.
It is so tantalizing to learn a few little facts... but even with these tidbits of information we can now dig a little deeper and find out more about them...
Elizabeth Ann Sanford Russell.
I wonder if this is Rufus's wife Elizabeth? I'm thinking it might be, but I haven't found proof of her other names. I need to find the marriage and death records - places where the parent's information would often be listed. The only identification of the photo was her name.
And does anyone know where this lady fits into the Russell family?
Loly Tirrell Russell wife of Ransom R Russell.
The inscription on the border of the album said Mildred's great-grandmother. Rufus's mother I suppose. Unfortunately I can't tell from the U.S. Census reports from 1850, Prospect CT. The family is listed as:
Ransom Russell, 54
Lola, 48
Edwin, 20
Henry, 19
Caroline, 15
My guess is that Rufus is already out of the house - he would be about 22 at this time. I found Rufus on an 1880 U. S. Census, New Haven, CT ...
R. G Russell, 51
Elizabeth, 55
Oscar Dikeman, 33
Lillian A. Dikeman, 30
So let's do the math. 1880-1850 = 30 years ... Lillian is 30 years old. So it is likely that Rufus Russell is married to Elizabeth by 1850 and probably enjoying fatherhood as well. If we add in the birth dates of Byron was born in 1846, and Lillian born in 1849... well, I believe we have our answer.
It would be good to get the marriage and death records to verify this information. They are probably located in New Haven, or maybe the records are old enough to be in the Connecticut State Archives Library in Hartford.
Do you see why I'm hooked?
