Son of Maryland native Basil Acton and his Kentucky-born wife, Julia Ann Lawrence (or Wilson), Russell was enumerated with his parents and siblings John W., Mary, Henry Wesley, and Mark on the 1870 and 1880 censuses in Ohio County. Another sibling, Geruda (or Gertrude), appears on the earlier census but seems to have died early.
Russell's name is erroneously recorded on census and other records under the variations 'Rannel,' 'Randolph' and 'Rudolph.' When his father registered with the U.S. Army during the Civil War, his given name was recorded as 'Bazzel,' noting he was the property of Artemis Acton.
Russell became a Minister with the Methodist Episcopal Church (possibly the A.M.E. Church, but it is only specified as "Methodist" or "Methodist Episcopal" in available records).
He married Katie McDougal in about 1895. On 12 May 1910 they were enumerated on that year's census at Augusta in Bracken County, Kentucky with their four surviving children, Cora A., Leonard H., Janie M., and Randall Elmer Acton. Katie died later that same year.
He may have returned to Ohio County for a time, based on the following news item:
Rev. Randall Acton (col.) of Hayti**, has gone to Chicago where he contemplates residing. --The Hartford Republican (Hartford, Kentucky); Friday, 12 Apr 1918; pg. 5
If he did go to Chicago, he didn't find it to his liking as by 1920 he and his children were residing at Lexington, Kentucky. By then, his daughter Cora had been married and divorced and had her young son Jesse Henry Wilson in the household, too.
Rev. Acton's son Randall Elmer became a teacher at what became Dotson High School in Princeton, Kentucky. Prior to being hired, he was residing there in 1930, and Rev. Acton was enumerated with him at Princeton on that year's census, listed as a widower.
Between the date of that census and the end of that year, both men married. Rev. Acton returned to Lexington, and was listed in that city's 1931 directory, married to a woman named Virginia. He is listed again in the back of the directory under the category "Clergy" as an active Methodist Minister. He and Virginia continued to be listed in directories together until his death.
Nothing is known of Virginia. She continued to appear in Lexington directories through 1956, but could not be found there on the 1940 census. No death or burial record or obituary could be located for her.
Rev. Acton died at his residence, 363 Chestnut Street, of uremic poisoning. His wife Virginia was the informant on his death certificate and incorrectly listed his first wife's name in place of his mother's name on that document.
**Haiti (misspelled as Hayti in the newspaper), is a community in Ohio County.
###
No death records, notices or burial records could be located for either of Rev. Acton's parents. His brothers have all been identified and have the following Find-a-Grave memorials:
John W. Acton (F/G No. 37883343--interred at Haiti Cemetery)
Henry Wesley Acton (F/G No. 128648879)
Mark Acton (F/G No. 134002033)
Russell's name is erroneously recorded on census and other records under the variations 'Rannel,' 'Randolph' and 'Rudolph.' When his father registered with the U.S. Army during the Civil War, his given name was recorded as 'Bazzel,' noting he was the property of Artemis Acton.
Russell became a Minister with the Methodist Episcopal Church (possibly the A.M.E. Church, but it is only specified as "Methodist" or "Methodist Episcopal" in available records).
He married Katie McDougal in about 1895. On 12 May 1910 they were enumerated on that year's census at Augusta in Bracken County, Kentucky with their four surviving children, Cora A., Leonard H., Janie M., and Randall Elmer Acton. Katie died later that same year.
He may have returned to Ohio County for a time, based on the following news item:
Rev. Randall Acton (col.) of Hayti**, has gone to Chicago where he contemplates residing. --The Hartford Republican (Hartford, Kentucky); Friday, 12 Apr 1918; pg. 5
If he did go to Chicago, he didn't find it to his liking as by 1920 he and his children were residing at Lexington, Kentucky. By then, his daughter Cora had been married and divorced and had her young son Jesse Henry Wilson in the household, too.
Rev. Acton's son Randall Elmer became a teacher at what became Dotson High School in Princeton, Kentucky. Prior to being hired, he was residing there in 1930, and Rev. Acton was enumerated with him at Princeton on that year's census, listed as a widower.
Between the date of that census and the end of that year, both men married. Rev. Acton returned to Lexington, and was listed in that city's 1931 directory, married to a woman named Virginia. He is listed again in the back of the directory under the category "Clergy" as an active Methodist Minister. He and Virginia continued to be listed in directories together until his death.
Nothing is known of Virginia. She continued to appear in Lexington directories through 1956, but could not be found there on the 1940 census. No death or burial record or obituary could be located for her.
Rev. Acton died at his residence, 363 Chestnut Street, of uremic poisoning. His wife Virginia was the informant on his death certificate and incorrectly listed his first wife's name in place of his mother's name on that document.
**Haiti (misspelled as Hayti in the newspaper), is a community in Ohio County.
###
No death records, notices or burial records could be located for either of Rev. Acton's parents. His brothers have all been identified and have the following Find-a-Grave memorials:
John W. Acton (F/G No. 37883343--interred at Haiti Cemetery)
Henry Wesley Acton (F/G No. 128648879)
Mark Acton (F/G No. 134002033)
Son of Maryland native Basil Acton and his Kentucky-born wife, Julia Ann Lawrence (or Wilson), Russell was enumerated with his parents and siblings John W., Mary, Henry Wesley, and Mark on the 1870 and 1880 censuses in Ohio County. Another sibling, Geruda (or Gertrude), appears on the earlier census but seems to have died early.
Russell's name is erroneously recorded on census and other records under the variations 'Rannel,' 'Randolph' and 'Rudolph.' When his father registered with the U.S. Army during the Civil War, his given name was recorded as 'Bazzel,' noting he was the property of Artemis Acton.
Russell became a Minister with the Methodist Episcopal Church (possibly the A.M.E. Church, but it is only specified as "Methodist" or "Methodist Episcopal" in available records).
He married Katie McDougal in about 1895. On 12 May 1910 they were enumerated on that year's census at Augusta in Bracken County, Kentucky with their four surviving children, Cora A., Leonard H., Janie M., and Randall Elmer Acton. Katie died later that same year.
He may have returned to Ohio County for a time, based on the following news item:
Rev. Randall Acton (col.) of Hayti**, has gone to Chicago where he contemplates residing. --The Hartford Republican (Hartford, Kentucky); Friday, 12 Apr 1918; pg. 5
If he did go to Chicago, he didn't find it to his liking as by 1920 he and his children were residing at Lexington, Kentucky. By then, his daughter Cora had been married and divorced and had her young son Jesse Henry Wilson in the household, too.
Rev. Acton's son Randall Elmer became a teacher at what became Dotson High School in Princeton, Kentucky. Prior to being hired, he was residing there in 1930, and Rev. Acton was enumerated with him at Princeton on that year's census, listed as a widower.
Between the date of that census and the end of that year, both men married. Rev. Acton returned to Lexington, and was listed in that city's 1931 directory, married to a woman named Virginia. He is listed again in the back of the directory under the category "Clergy" as an active Methodist Minister. He and Virginia continued to be listed in directories together until his death.
Nothing is known of Virginia. She continued to appear in Lexington directories through 1956, but could not be found there on the 1940 census. No death or burial record or obituary could be located for her.
Rev. Acton died at his residence, 363 Chestnut Street, of uremic poisoning. His wife Virginia was the informant on his death certificate and incorrectly listed his first wife's name in place of his mother's name on that document.
**Haiti (misspelled as Hayti in the newspaper), is a community in Ohio County.
###
No death records, notices or burial records could be located for either of Rev. Acton's parents. His brothers have all been identified and have the following Find-a-Grave memorials:
John W. Acton (F/G No. 37883343--interred at Haiti Cemetery)
Henry Wesley Acton (F/G No. 128648879)
Mark Acton (F/G No. 134002033)
Russell's name is erroneously recorded on census and other records under the variations 'Rannel,' 'Randolph' and 'Rudolph.' When his father registered with the U.S. Army during the Civil War, his given name was recorded as 'Bazzel,' noting he was the property of Artemis Acton.
Russell became a Minister with the Methodist Episcopal Church (possibly the A.M.E. Church, but it is only specified as "Methodist" or "Methodist Episcopal" in available records).
He married Katie McDougal in about 1895. On 12 May 1910 they were enumerated on that year's census at Augusta in Bracken County, Kentucky with their four surviving children, Cora A., Leonard H., Janie M., and Randall Elmer Acton. Katie died later that same year.
He may have returned to Ohio County for a time, based on the following news item:
Rev. Randall Acton (col.) of Hayti**, has gone to Chicago where he contemplates residing. --The Hartford Republican (Hartford, Kentucky); Friday, 12 Apr 1918; pg. 5
If he did go to Chicago, he didn't find it to his liking as by 1920 he and his children were residing at Lexington, Kentucky. By then, his daughter Cora had been married and divorced and had her young son Jesse Henry Wilson in the household, too.
Rev. Acton's son Randall Elmer became a teacher at what became Dotson High School in Princeton, Kentucky. Prior to being hired, he was residing there in 1930, and Rev. Acton was enumerated with him at Princeton on that year's census, listed as a widower.
Between the date of that census and the end of that year, both men married. Rev. Acton returned to Lexington, and was listed in that city's 1931 directory, married to a woman named Virginia. He is listed again in the back of the directory under the category "Clergy" as an active Methodist Minister. He and Virginia continued to be listed in directories together until his death.
Nothing is known of Virginia. She continued to appear in Lexington directories through 1956, but could not be found there on the 1940 census. No death or burial record or obituary could be located for her.
Rev. Acton died at his residence, 363 Chestnut Street, of uremic poisoning. His wife Virginia was the informant on his death certificate and incorrectly listed his first wife's name in place of his mother's name on that document.
**Haiti (misspelled as Hayti in the newspaper), is a community in Ohio County.
###
No death records, notices or burial records could be located for either of Rev. Acton's parents. His brothers have all been identified and have the following Find-a-Grave memorials:
John W. Acton (F/G No. 37883343--interred at Haiti Cemetery)
Henry Wesley Acton (F/G No. 128648879)
Mark Acton (F/G No. 134002033)
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