Father: Phillip Russell, Jr.
Mother: Rebeckah Russell
Spouse: George W. Shuler - b: ~1803
d: 24/Oct/1869 - Grayson Co., VA - bur: Grubb's
Chapel Cem.
m: 24/Mar/1830 - Grayson Co., VA - div:
~1855
Child-1: Phillip Lofton - b: 1831 - VA
d: 1915 - Martinsville, Morgan Co., IN - bur: New South Park
Cem.
m: Ester Emmeline Gallehan - 3/Nov/1857 - Ashe Co., NC
m: Mary Susan Hackler Hounshill - 14/Apr/1864 - Grayson Co., VA
m: Lucy Hackler - 16/May/1882 - Grayson Co., VA - m: Charlotte
J. *****
2: James
Kensley - b: 15/Jun/1834 - VA
d: 27/Jun/1925 - Bethel, Grayson Co., VA - bur:
Shuler Cem.
m: Lois Elvira Perkins - 14/Aug/1856 - Grayson Co., VA
Biographical Details:
Phebe or Phoebe Russell was born about 1810 in Grayson County, Virginia, and was the daughter of Philip, Jr., and Rebeckah Russell. She grew up in Grayson County and married George W. Shuler on March 24, 1830. Indeed, the household of George "Shular" appeared in the population schedule of the 1830 US Census for Grayson County and consisted of only two individuals, viz., an adult male between twenty to thirty years of age and an adult female between fifteen and twenty years of age. Obviously, this accords well with the newly married couple, George and Phebe Russell Shuler. Similarly, the household of George Shuler also appeared in the 1840 US Census for Grayson County and in addition to two adult parents, also contained two male children; one between five and ten years of age and one less than five. Although there is some apparent discrepancy in the ages, it is probably safe to identify these two boys as Phillip Lofton and James Kensley Shuler, sons of George and Phebe Shuler. This identification is further supported by the population schedule of the 1850 Census for Grayson County in which these two sons are listed explicitly by name. However, in addition, the household also contained a ten year old boy, Frank Russell, and a young woman, Polly Shuler, age twenty-one. For whatever reason, a number of researchers have considered these two individuals to have been additional children of George and Phebe Russell Shuler. Clearly, this is not likely in the case of Frank Russell since his surname was obviously not Shuler, although it is possible that the census taker made an error and Russell was his middle name. (Indeed, this kind of mistake is not unheard of in the census; however, such an interpretation must be supported by additional independent sources, which in this case have not yet been found.) Moreover, it is plausible that "Frank" was a diminuative for "Francis" and, therefore, plausible to identify the boy as Phillip Francis Russell, son of Phillip C. and Lucy Perkins Russell and, hence, the nephew of Phebe Russell Shuler. Although this identification is not definitive, it seems likely since, it is believed that Lucy Perkins Russell died in the early 1840's and Phillip then remarried to Anna Parks; however, his three sons from his first marriage appear to have lived with extended family members rather than in the household of their father and his second wife. Similarly, it is not likely that Polly Shuler was the daughter of George and Phebe Shuler because, first of all, her age implies that she was born prior to their marriage; second, there is no indication of a female child in earlier census records, and third, it was customary in census records to list father and mother followed by their children in decreasing order of age after which, other relatives or unrelated individuals living in the household would be listed. Polly was listed last which supports the presumption that she was not George and Phebe's daughter, although she was likely a close relative, perhaps, George's niece. George and Phebe's two sons served with Virginia and North Carolina Militia units in Confederate forces during the Civil War.1Source Notes and Citations:In contrast to the present day, divorce of married couples was quite uncommon in the nineteenth century. Nevertheless, good evidence exists that after more than twenty years of marriage, George and Phebe Shuler separated in the 1850's and subsequently divorced. Socially, this would have been considered scandalous, hence, one can only suppose that the breakdown of the marriage was catastrophic. Even so, nothing is known as to the circumstances or cause of this situation. In any case, the Grayson County population schedule of 1860 clearly indicates that Phebe was living in the household of her son and his wife, James and Lois Perkins Shuler, probably in Elk Creek Township. George was apparently living alone in the vicinity of Bridle Creek at the time of the census in 1860. Moreover, he evidently remarried to Margaret E. Haga Anderson on March 11, 1861, and had at least two more children. This is supported by the 1870 Grayson County population schedule which shows George living in the household of Margaret Shuler along with two young boys, John and Stephen. Within this context, it is somewhat unusual that Margaret was listed as the head of the household, rather than George. This might indicate that under such circumstances, the census taker had some question as to the validity of their marriage. Concomitantly, it does not appear that Phebe Russell Shuler remarried. Apparently, she continued living with her son and daughter-in-law throughout the 1860's and was listed in their household in the 1870 population schedule. Phebe Russell Shuler died on May 19, 1870, and was buried in the Shuler Cemetery. George W. Shuler died the following October and was buried in Grubb's Chapel Cemetery.
1. Jeffrey Weaver summarizes the military service of the sons of George and Phebe Russell Shuler as follows:
"SHULER, PHILIP L. (S.): 29, B. VA, 1860 AsCC HH#1001. Capt., Helton Dist., 97th NC Militia. Commissioned on 10/21/61. Age 39, Farmer, 1200, 350, 1870 GCC."
"SHULER, JAMES R., 25, Farmer, 1860 GCC HH#80, Grayson Militia, Age 35, Farmer, 1500, 723, 1870 GCC."
Clearly, James R. Shuler must be James Kensley Shuler and the initial "R" is incorrect. Moreover, Philip Lofton Shuler apparently lived in Ashe County, North Carolina, at the beginning of the Civil War and served as a Captain in the North Carolina Militia. (Jeffrey Weaver (tr), New River Notes, www.newrivernotes.com/index.htm, 2015.)
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Additional Citations:
2. 1830 US Census Population Schedule for Grayson County, Virginia, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 281, (microfilm roll - M19_190; imgs. 565-6).3. 1840 US Census Population Schedule for Grayson County, Virginia, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 316, (microfilm roll - M704_556; imgs. 304-5).
4. 1850 US Census Population Schedule for Grayson County, Virginia, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 215B, (microfilm roll - M432_947; img. 114).
5. 1860 US Census Population Schedule for Grayson County, Virginia, National Archives, Washington DC: pgs. 12 & 42, (microfilm roll - M653_1348; imgs. 13 & 43).
6. 1870 US Census Population Schedule for Grayson County, Virginia, National Archives, Washington DC: pgs. 156B & 222B, (microfilm roll - M593_1649; imgs. 313 & 446).
7. Civil War Military Service Records, National Archives, Washington DC, (microfilm: record group - 109; roll - M253).
8. Mary Taylor Harrington and Susan Taylor Woodson, "Shuler Family Cemetery", unpublished. (Jeffrey Weaver (tr), New River Notes, www.newrivernotes.com/index.htm, 2015.)
9. Shuler Cemetery, Grayson County, Virginia (www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=52140&CScn=Shuler&CScntry=4&CSst=48&CScnty=2840&, continuously updated).
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10. New South Park Cemetery, Morgan County, Indiana (www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=564159&CScn=New&CScntry=4&CSst=17&CScnty=846&, continuously updated).
11. 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. 68-73.
12. Henry Hardy Catron, The Kettenring Family in America, 1619 N. 19th St., Springfield, IL, 1956. (Reprinted by Unigraphic, Inc., Evansville, IN)