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Five youngest daughers of Andrew and Martha Brooks Russell |
Andrew and Peggy Russell Family about 1900.
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Picture and info from: Ella Grunden Gilson & Billie Grunden
Louisa C.Bell, Russell, Sooter, Coffelt
Louisa was the daughter of Elisha Bell and Martha Burge. She was born 18 Dec.
1821 in Rutherford Co. Tennessee and died 14 Mar 1920 in Gravette, Benton
Co. Arkansas. She is buried
in the Cofflet Cemetery, Benton Co. Arkansas next to her third husband
Wyatt Coffelt.
There has always been a question about Native
American ancestry in the Bell line, but I think this photo clears that up!
She married Elijah Russell born about 1820 in Alabama (Original
Samuel/Josephine Russell’s son). They moved to Missouri and there had 6 children.
By 1863 they had moved to Centerton, Benton Co. Arkansas as had his
brother Samuel, Samuel’s wife Mary Melvina Polly Bell (aunt to Louisa C.
Bell) and it was here, during that “deplorable affair” of 1861-1865
that Elijah was killed.
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Family history says that Bushwhackers rode up to
their place and shot him in the back, right where his suspenders crossed.
“Killed him dead”. They
then burned the house down, and as they were leaving Louisa stood there
and yelled “Hurrah for the
South”. Quite a gutsy lady!
The suspenders, with the bullet hole were handed down but are now
feared lost. What a great
find that would be. 12 years after Elijah died she married
Berry Sooter, son of Asher Fly Sooter and Nancy Elizabeth Emaline Russell.
Her children were all grown and gone and Berry didn’t have any
children with her. After he
died, she married Wyatt Coffelt and raised his children from his 1st
wife. He was a Reverend and
spent much of his time in Indian Territory, Oklahoma preaching to Indians.
After Wyatt died, Louisa moved in with her daughter, Isabel and Randolph
Galyean in Dickson, Benton Co. Arkansas.
At age 99, she fell sick and the doctor prescribed some medication.
Louisa thought, “ If one pill made would make me feel better than the whole bottle would make
me well.” The over-dose killed
her. |
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Sheriff Andrew Russell (far left) and deputies with seized
whisky barrels. |
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Detail of desk from above photo. |
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