Biography of William Russell 1st Baronet 1575-1654
Paternal Family Tree: Russell of Chippenham
In 1575 William Russell 1st Baronet was born.
After 1605 William Russell 1st Baronet (age 30) and Elizabeth Cherry (age 16) were married.
Around 1610 [his daughter] Elizabeth Russell was born to William Russell 1st Baronet (age 35) and [his wife] Elizabeth Cherry (age 21). There is some confusion over as to whether her mother was Elizabeth Cherry (age 21) or [his future wife] Elizabeth Gerard but if born in 1610 then her mother Elizabeth Cherry (age 21) since she died in 1611.
Around 1611 [his wife] Elizabeth Cherry (age 22) died.
On 01 Mar 1613 William Russell 1st Baronet (age 38) and Elizabeth Smallpage (age 13) were married. The difference in their ages was 25 years.
On 01 Mar 1613 William Russell 1st Baronet (age 38) and Elizabeth Gerard were married.
Around 1615 [his daughter] Sarah Russell was born to William Russell 1st Baronet (age 40) and [his wife] Elizabeth Gerard.
In 1616 [his son] Francis Russell 2nd Baronet was born to William Russell 1st Baronet (age 41) and [his wife] Elizabeth Gerard.
In Jan 1630 William Russell 1st Baronet (age 55) was created 1st Baronet Russell of Chippenham in Wiltshire.
On 19 Dec 1631 [his son] Francis Russell 2nd Baronet (age 15) and [his daughter-in-law] Catherine Wheatley (age 21) were married. Step-siblings. She the daughter of his father's third wife [his wife] Elizabeth Smallpage (age 31) by her first husband John Wheatley.
Before 22 Dec 1634 [his son-in-law] Edward Lewknor of Denham (age 20) and [his daughter] Elizabeth Russell (age 24) were married.
On 13 Aug 1635 [his son-in-law] Thomas Chicheley of Wimpole (age 21) and [his daughter] Sarah Russell (age 20) were married.
Around 1654 Thomas Foley (age 37) bought Witley Court, Worcestershire from William Russell 1st Baronet (age 79). The Foley's remained at Witley Court for the next two hundred years, enlarging the original Jacobean house.
In 1654 William Russell 1st Baronet (age 79) died. His son [his son] Francis Russell 2nd Baronet (age 38) succeeded 2nd Baronet Russell of Chippenham in Wiltshire.
Pepy's Diary. 25 Jul 1663. By and by to dinner, and in comes Mr. Creed. I saluted Mr. Gauden's lady, and the young ladies, he having many pretty children, and his sister, the Bishop's [his daughter] widow (age 53); who was, it seems, Sir W. Russel's daughter, the Treasurer of the Navy; who by her discourse at dinner I find to be very well-bred, and a woman of excellent discourse, even so much as to have my attention all dinner with much more pleasure than I did give to Mr. Creed, whose discourse was mighty merry in inveighing at Mr. Gauden's victuals that they had at sea the last voyage that he prosecuted, till methought the woman began to take it seriously.
[his son] William Russell 1st Baronet was born to William Russell 1st Baronet and Elizabeth Smallpage.
John Wheatley and Elizabeth Smallpage were married.