Gabriel Russell was born c1845 descended from Edward and Ann Powell Coffey. His father was Perry, son of Thomas, Jr., son of Thomas, who married Nancy Pendley; son of Thomas who married Elizabeth Smith; son of John, first son of Edward, who married Jane Graves. Gabriel was in KY by around 1868 when he and Margaret are said to have been married.
Sarah's report to the census taker in 1910, when the family lived in Goodnight, Anderson Co., KY indicated she had been previously married.² However, she was only age 17 when she married John Payton. By 1920 the couple had moved to Louisville, where they remained until death.
Sarah was born in TN on May 18, 1868 and died on Sep. 24, 1948 in Louisville, Jefferson Co., KY. John died in Louisville on Feb. 8, 1952, They are buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Louisville.
Children born to John and Sarah, numbered at least seven. However, because they married c1885 and their first known child was not born until some six years later, it is likely they had two or three other who did not survive those early years.
Charles H., born Jan. 27, 1891, died Jan. 31, 1926 in Louisville and was buried at Evergreen. His wife was Beulah Mae Howard, born Oct. 12, 1893 in Jeffersonville, Clark Co., IN, died Apr. 15, 1933 in Louisville. They were married in Clark Co. on Sep. 17, 1913. Beulah was the daughter of Joseph and Frances McCallister [sic] Howard.
Myrtle Lee, born Feb. 19, 1898 in Kentucky, died Oct. 22, 1983 in Louisville. She married twice, first to Jesse Charles Miller, a son of Harry and Mary Goeben Miller, born Mar. 22, 1883 in Lucas Co., IA, died Jun. 18, 1983 in Louisville. They were married on May 20, 1918 in Clark Co., IN. Her second husband was William E. Smith, born Nov. 7, 1910, died Jun. 6, 1985 in Louisville. Each are buried at Evergreen.
Mary Margaret, born May 21, 1899 in Anderson Co., KY, first married William W. Walters, a son of Aaron and Sarena Negals [sic] Walters, on May 1, 1920 in Clark Co., IN. They were divorced in 1922 and on July 28, 1923 she married Arnold Palmer, the son of Bill and Eliza Bright Palmer, in Clark Co. I do not have death dates or burial places for either.
The next child was Vannie Blanche, born July 7, 1901 in Anderson Co. She was married at least four times before she was 40 years old. Her first husband was a Mr. Reno. A marriage record for them has not been found but, in the 1920 census, she was found living with her parents as the divorced Blanche Reno, age 18. On Oct. 24, 1920 she married William E. Patton in Clark Co. They also apparently divorced for on Jul. 13, 1924, at age 23, she married for the third time, this time to Marlin Stewart in Jeffersonville, Clark Co. On that record, she noted a previous marriage had been "dissolved." No other details were given. On Jan. 8, 1938, at age 36, she married Cecil Altemeyer in Clark Co. On that marriage record, she reported that she had been previously married and, that union had ended in divorce in 1934. I do not have Cecil or Blanche's death date or place of burial.
Lester, born Jan. 5, 1902, in Frankfort, Franklin Co., KY, died Jul. 15, 1996 in Louisville. Lester married Mary Frances Smith, the daughter of Sam W. and Frances Lester Smith, on Dec. 25, 1923 in Clark Co., IN. She was born in Louisville on Apr. 19,1905.
John Thomas, born 1905 in KY, died Sep. 4, 1930 at age 25 at Louisville City Hospital. His death certificate reports death as a result of being "struck by auto while crossing street at Preston & Broadway" on Sep. 3, 1930. He never married.
The last child that I am aware of was Walter Edward Payton, born c1908. I have no other information on Walter.
Jeffersonville, and Clark Co., IN are just across the Ohio River from Louisville. It seems to have been "the" place to go to get married; at least for this family!
¹1900 KY, Mercer Co., Dugansville Pct., ED 48, Sheet 9A, dwelling/family 163
²1910 Anderson Co., Goodnight, ED11, Sheet 3A, dwelling 57, family 58
