Mary Ann (Mollie) Russell
  b: 11/Apr/1870 - Gentry Co., MO
  d: 20/Nov/1910 - Alturas, Modoc Co., CA

Father: Lewis Russell
Mother: Mary Ann Perkins

Spouse:  Oscar Osborn - b: 23/Sep/1865 - Henry Co., IA
 d: 5/Apr/1954 - Walla Walla Co., WA - bur: Milton-Freewater IOOF Cem., Umatilla Co., OR
 m: 24/Jul/1893 - Albany, Gentry Co., MO

Child-1: Roy Donald - b: 21/Dec/1894 - d: 29/Mar/1895
          2: Lloyd Maurice - b: 2/Feb/1896 - d: 30/May/1896
          3: Lewis - b: 10/Mar/1898 - d: 11/Apr/1898
          4: Alice Faye - b: 8/Oct/1899 - d: 14/Feb/1900 - Gentry Co., MO
          5: Basil Willard - b: 13/Jun/1901 - KS
                                    d: Dec/1974 - Tacoma, Pierce Co., WA - bur: Mountain View Memorial Park
                                   m: Clara F. *****
          6: Glenn Cliff - b: 21/Apr/1904 - Fall River, Greenwood Co., KS
                                 d: 1/Aug/1974 - Snohomish Co., WA
                                m: Lucy Irene Culbertson - 23/Nov/1923 - Lewiston, Nez Perce Co., ID

Biographical Details:

The youngest child of Lewis and Mary Ann Perkins Russell was Mary Ann, known familiarly as "Mollie".  She was born in Gentry County, Missouri, on April 11, 1870.  Her mother died in 1871, so it is probable that she was cared for as a child by her older sisters, particularly Delilah and Levina, who remained unmarried until 1887 and 1903, respectively.  Mary Ann was a charter member of the Island City Christian Church.  Oscar Osborn and Mary Ann Russell were married on July 24, 1893, in the town of Albany in Gentry County, Missouri, by Probate Judge, Jasper Cox.  The marriage license affirms that Oscar was a resident of Republic County, Kansas, and according to the population schedule of the 1895 Kansas State Census, it would seem that shortly after their marriage they settled in Elk Creek Township in Rupublic County.  (Geographically, Elk Creek Township is located at the eastern edge of Republic County and adjoins Clifton Township in Washington County.)  Concomitantly, there is no evidence that Oscar ever lived in or even visited Gentry County before his marriage and, thus, nothing is known concerning details of how or when Oscar and Mollie became acquainted; however, Mollie had an aunt and uncle, Samuel and Elizabeth Russell Nixon, who were early settlers of neighboring Washington County.  In addition, it is known that some of their children, i.e., Mollie's first cousins, also lived in Elk Creek Township.  Therefore, it would seem a plausible presumption that Oscar knew Mollie's relatives and that the couple met through them.  Tragically, the first four children of Oscar and Mollie Osborn died as infants.  Of course, this must have been very difficult and discouraging and it is likely that they relied on their extended families for support and comfort.  Indeed, according to a letter written by Rebecca Russell Hamm, Mollie was apparently with her family in Gentry County when her daughter, Alice Faye, died in February of 1900.  Moreover, additional comments in the letter indicate that at this time the Osborn family was moving from one farm to another.  Subsequently, the population schedule of the 1900 US Census for Nemaha County, Kansas, affirms that Oscar and Mary A. Osborn were then resident in Wetmore Township, but had no living children.  As a matter of geography, Nemaha County is located about eighty-five miles east of Republic County and, moreover, the village of Wetmore is located in the far southeastern corner.  Accordingly, it is likely that their third son, Basil Willard, who did survive to adulthood, was born in this locality in 1901.  Even so, reliable family tradition indicates that their youngest son, Glenn Cliff, was born in or near the town of Fall River, Kansas, in 1904.  This is affirmed circumstantially by the population schedule of the 1905 Kansas State Census for Greenwood County, which includes Oscar, Mollie and their two small sons, Basil and Glen.  Geographically, Fall River is located at the extreme southern edge of Greenwood County just north of the common boundary with Elk County.  This location is in the Flint Hill region in the southeastern part of the State of Kansas and is approximately one hundred and fifty miles south of Republic and Nemaha Counties.  Even so, it seems that the Osborn family moved back north to Washington County, Kansas, before 1910 since Oscar and Mollie and their two surviving sons, Basil Willard and Glenn Cliff, appear in the population schedule of that year as residents of Grant Township.

Family tradition affirms that as was, sadly, all too common in the early twentieth century, Mollie contracted tuberculosis and, further, that the Osborn family left Kansas apparently in the latter half of the year 1910.  Indeed, they evidently migrated to the West Coast, perhaps, as a measure to remedy Mollie's disease in a more arid climate.  Unfortunately, it was to no avail and Mary Ann Russell was only forty years old when she died on November 20, 1910.  Reportedly, she died and was buried in or near the town of Alturas, which is the county seat of Modoc County, California.  Family tradition further indicates that after Mollie's death, Oscar Osborn and their two surviving sons moved on to the Pacific Northwest.  Subsequently, Oscar married Mary Helena Merrifield on November 14, 1916.  It has been further reported by later family members that she was a good stepmother to the two boys.  Moreover, it appears that the family settled in the State of Washington since the household of Oscar Osborn was evidently resident in Dixie Precinct in the population schedule of the 1920 US Census for Walla Walla County.  According to Washington state death records, Oscar Osborn died in Walla Walla County on April 5, 1954.1  He was buried with his second wife in the Milton-Freewater IOOF Cemetery in Umatilla County, Oregon.

Source Notes and Citations:
1. "Osborn--Funeral services for the late Oscar Osborn of Milton-Freewater will be a 2 p.m.  Wednesday, April 7 at the Munselle's Chapel.  Interment Milton I. O. O. F. Cemetery.  The Rev. Truman Robbins officiating Munsell Company.  Funeral Director."  (death notice: Walla Walla Union Bulletin; Walla Walla, WA, Tues., Apr. 6, 1954, pg. 14.)
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Additional Citations:

2. 1900 US Census Population Schedule for Nemaha County, Kansas, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 213B, (microfilm: roll T623_492; img. 434).

3. 1910 US Census Population Schedule for Washington County, Kansas, National Archives, Washington DC:  pgs. 81A-B, (microfilm: roll T624_459; imgs. 719-20).

4. 1920 US Census Population Schedule for Walla Walla County, Washington, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 48A, (microfilm: roll T625_1943; img. 96).

5. 1930 US Census Population Schedule for Umatilla County, Oregon, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 56A, (microfilm: roll T626_1956; img. 113).

6. 1940 US Census Population Schedule for Umatilla County, Oregon, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 79A, (microfilm: roll T627_3380; img. 166).

7. 1895 Kansas State Census Population Schedule for Republic County, Kansas State Historical Soc., 6425 SW Sixth Ave., Topeka, KS, 66615: pg. 13, (microfilm: roll 1895_K128; imgs. 21-2).

8. 1905 Kansas State Census Population Schedule for Greenwood County County, Kansas State Historical Soc., 6425 SW Sixth Ave., Topeka, KS, 66615: pg. 16, (microfilm: roll 1905_K60; imgs. 620-1).

9. Marriage Records, Gentry County, Albany, MO:  Bk. 3, pg. 257, (Missouri State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Jefferson City, MO (microfilm: roll 37663; img. 258))

10. List of Charter Members - Island City Christian Church, Centennial Homecoming Booklet - June 11, 1978, Stanberry, MO, unpublished.

11. Washington Death Index, Washington State Department of Health, Washington State Archives, 1129 Washington Street SE, P. O. B. 40238 Olympia, WA, 98504-0238, continuously updated. (Available online at www.ancestry.com)

12. Milton-Freewater IOOF Cemetery, Umatilla County, Oregon (www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=547317&CScn=IOOF&CScntry=4&CSst=39&CScnty=2234&, continuously updated).

13. Russell-Perkins Family Record, unpublished MSS.

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14. Mountain View Memorial Park, Pierce County, Washington (www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=76949&CScn=Mountain+View&CScntry=4&CSst=50&CScnty=2979&, continuously updated).

15. Shirley Campbell Ramos and Patricia Campbell Kratz, Descendants of Phillip and Rebecca Russell, Gregath Publishing Company, P. O. B. 505, Wyandotte, OK, 74370, 1997: pgs. 233-5.

16. Death Master File, Social Security Administration, Washington, DC, continuously updated.

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