William Madison Russell was the third of eleven known children of William Madison Russell Sr. (1780-1842) and Martha Calloway Russell (1785-1841) who married c1800 in presumably Georgia.

William Jr. does not seem to have a grave marker, but family written history says that he is buried in the same cemetery as his parents.

William married Rosilla (often seen as Rosella) Craig (1813-1888) 13 May 1830 at Bedford County, Tennessee. William and Rosilla were the parents of ten known children, namely:

1. Benjamin Franklin Russell (1831-1897)
2. Rebecca S. Russell (1832-1879)
3. Daniel Jasper Russell (1834-1897)
4. William James Russell (1837-1877)
5. Martha Craig Russell Phillips Duncan (1839-1890)
6. Mary Elizabeth Russell Nieder (1841-1918)
7. Thomas Calloway Russell (1843-1864)
8. Christopher Columbus Russell (1845-1895)
9. Flora Margaret Russell Jones (1848-1906)
10. Harvey Cimeon Russell (1851-1919)

Shortly after the 1860 census the family moved to Batesville, Independence County, Arkansas and then on to the section of Missouri at the intersection of Iron, Wayne and Madison counties near the end of the Civil War.

The first five sons (Benjamin, Daniel, William, Thomas and Christopher) all fought in the Civil War. The first four sons were forcibly conscripted into the Confederate Army, but Benjamin, Daniel and Thomas deserted and joined the Union forces. Rosilla received a Civil War pension as her son Thomas was killed in the War, fighting for the Union Army in Arkansas.

Suggested edit: Rosilla received a Civil War pension as her son Thomas was killed in the War, fighting for the Union Army in Arkansas.

*Upon further research, it has been determined that the 2nd Arkansas Cavalry Regiment, which is listed on Thomas's headstone, is a Confederate regiment rather than a Union one.
Contributor: Jessica Sheppard (50481311)

Links to William's parents, wife, all of his ten known children and five of his ten known siblings are included below.