[p. 520] a well-known citizen of North Beaver Township, resides on a farm of ninety-six acres about twelve miles southwest of New Castle, on the Small's Ferry road. He has lived in this township the greater part of his life, takes rank among its foremost citizens, and has a host of friends and acquaintances throughout the community.
Mr. Russell was born in Ohio July 4, 1834, and is a son of Johnson and Margaret (Kyle) Russell. He was but ten years of age when he lost his mother by death, and was reared by his maternal grandfather, William Kyle. The latter came from Ireland, where Mrs. Russell was born, and in 1817 located in North Beaver Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. Alexander continued with his grandfather from March, 1844, until 1856, when he went out to make his own way in the world. He worked by the month for about a year, after which he rented farms in Lawrence County, and across the line in Ohio, at different times, until 1865. In that year he purchased a farm of 100 acres, on a part of which the town of Bessemer is located, and continued to reside there until 1893, when he moved to his present farm. He owns forty-three acres of this farm and his wife fifty-three acres, and the house in which they live was erected by her father in 1874. It was struck by lightning in 1876 and, although it did not burn, it was badly damaged.
Mr. Russell was first married in 1857 to Miss Margaret Johnson, daughter of David Johnson, who died leaving five children, as follows: Margaret Elizabeth, who died at the age of twenty-six years; Serepta Jane, married James Smith and died at the age of twenty-six years, leaving two children, Edward and Harry, the former of whom married a Miss Murphy of Pittsburg and has a daughter, Margaret Jane, and the latter, residing at Philadelphia, married and also has a child; Mary Ellen, the third daughter, married Harvey Leslie and died at the age of twenty-five years, leaving two children, Essie and John; Ida, the only one of the family now living, married Levi Flickinger and has five children: Edward, John, Mabel, Margaret and Robert; and Eva Belle, who died at the age of nineteen years, was the wife of John Kerr, and left two children, Elsie and Jessie.
Mr. Russell was married (second) in 1888 to Miss Margaret McCance, who was born on the farm on which she now lives and is a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Elder) McCance. Her father was also born on a part of this farm and was a son of James McCance, who came from Ireland at a very early day. He located upon the home farm in North Beaver Township, cleared and cultivated it, and also followed blacksmithing at the same time, for many years. Her parents and her grandparents all lived on this place at the time of their respective deaths. The father died in August, 1893, and the mother in April, 1894. Joseph and Mary McCance were parents of seven children, four of whom are now living, namely: Margaret (Russell); Easter (Phlew); James and Hunter. Mr. and Mrs. Russell have one son, Wylie Kennedy, who married Mary Swisher, daughter of Philip L. Swisher, and Mr. and Mrs. Wylie K. Russell have one child, Margaret Ellen. Mr. and Mrs. Russell are devout members of the Bethel United Presbyterian Church.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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