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Early Florida Legislators

According to family papers, my great great grandfather was a member of the Florida State Legislature. I have this information in a letter he wrote to my great great grandmother while he was on a business trip. However, I have not been able to find a listing of the legislators from the early history of Florida as a state. Does anyone know where I can find this information?

Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Barbara Cunningham on July 18, 2009 at 9:17pm

Thank you for your reply.

He migrated to Florida from North Carolina about 1842 or thereabouts. His letter speaks of taking part in the Second Seminole War. From his letter, he was not yet 21, as he had to turn down an appointment as a Magistrate from the Governor (who was a friend of his father's). Upon his attaining the age of 21, the offer was renewed and he accepted. I believe he lived somewhere around Leon or Henderson Counties. From his letter, I believe he participated in the Second State Legislature, but again, I am not sure.

His name, for what it is worth, was Charles Russell, and he removed to Texas about 1850-1851.

Permalink Reply by Barbara Cunningham on July 19, 2009 at 8:11am

Thank you for this information. I have gone to the website and confirmed the information. The Charles Rupell is my ancestor. This is a common mistake because of the way they used to write the double s, which looked like a p until you got used to the handwriting.

Permalink Reply by Laverne H. Tornow on July 19, 2009 at 10:25am

You might also want to check out the Florida State Archives Florida Memory Project at: http://www.floridamemory.com/.

There are members of that Russell Family still living in Hernando County In fact the area they settled in is still called Russel Hill.

Laverne Tornow

Permalink Reply by Barbara Cunningham on July 19, 2009 at 10:49am

Thank you for this information.

Unless these members of the Russell family are descended from one of Charles' siblings, I rather doubt any relationship as Charles removed to Texas (for financial reasons) in the early 1850's. Of his three surviving children from his first wife, Emily Moore, Anna married Dudley Kezer Woodward in New York and died in Texas. Edward Joseph died in San Antonio, Texas in 1921, and James Henry was with Custard at the Little Big Horn.To the best of my knowledge, he died without issue. Emily Moore Russell died in Corpus Christi, Texas 25 July 1854. In 1855, Charles married my great great grandmother, Mary Eliza Dix in Corpus Christi.

Early Florida Legislators

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