Copyright 1972 by Viva Williams Library of Congress Card Catalog No. 72-75165 First Edition Lithographed in U.S.A. Color Press, College Place, Washington, 99324 16838 HISTORICAL PRELUDE Before the fate of Ohio had been settled by the French and Indian Wars, a certain Lord Loudeen or Louden was given a tract of land in the Ohio Valley. He later paid for it and sold it in farm-sized pieces to early settlers. among those who bought was John Russell, who acquired eighty acres near Cardington. After building a fairly good house, he brought his bride, Sarah Perkings, and it became the family home. Here their family was born and raised. They embraced the Quaker religion and lived in that faith all the rest of their lives. They sold the products of the farm weekly to the grocer in Cardington and to homeowners who placed orders a week in advance. Here Hannah was born and grew to a young womanhood, and on New Year's Eve, in 1863, she became the bride of Silas D. Strong, a builder and contractor from Cardington. This is the true story of her life. Chapter I Young Hannah Russell, like most girls of seventeen, was quite romantic. She stood behind the bole of the big apple tree in the orchard on the hillside at her father's farm and waited to see the handome widower with the coal black hair and neatly trimmed beard drive up the lane. He drove spirited horses hitched to a top buggy from the livery stable. He was coming to get Aunt Jane and take her for a drive. It was conceded in the Russell household that Silas Strong was coming quite often to court Aunt Jane, Mrs. Russell's maiden sister. The two Russell boys, Linn and Ike, were almost hidden in the leafy foilage of the big tree. "Here he comes," Ike whispered, and Linn repeated the message to Hannah. She would have liked nothing better than to have been up in the tree with her brothers, but demure Quaker maids didn't climb trees, so she stood waiting until the team stopped in front of the house. Silas stepped down and secured the horses to the hitching rack before walking up to the front door. His knock was answered almost at once, and Aunt Jane came out onto the porch. Silas galantly helped her down the three steps and into the carriage. Then he released the team, climbed up beside her, and started to turn the team around. Fate played a hand in the lives of three people at that moment. The limb on which Ike had been sitting broke with a snap and came crashing down, bringing both boys with it. Hannah stood still for a minute or two, and as neither boy moved, she struggled to pull the branch from them. Seeing blood on Linn's face, she panicked and ran down the hill to the kitchen door, her Quaker skirts flying. "Mother, come quickly," she cried. "The boys have fallen from the big apple tree, and do not move and I cannot get the broken limb off them!" Mother Russell wasted no time. Up the path the two ran and tried in vain to move the limb. "Help! Help!" she shouted. Silas and Aunt Jane heard her, jumped from the carriage, and after securing the team, ran up the hill which was really little more than a knoll, and between all of them they succeeded in getting the boys out from under the brush. Ike was coming around, holding onto one arm with his other hand, but Linn was bleeding and still was making no sound. Mother Russell took charge, "Thee must get a doctor, Mr. Strong. 'Tis not far to town. Jane, thee must stay here and help Hannah and me with the boys. Hannah, thee must run and fetch cold water and towels so I can wash the blood from Linn's face." As soldiers obeying their commanding officer, the three did as they were told. When Hannah returned with the towels and cold water, both boys were moaning and groaning. It was apparent that Ike's arm was broken. The blood on Linn's face was from his nose and mouth. The cold water soon stopped the bleeding and he was able to lie on the grass until he could breathe normally once more. The breath had been pretty thoroughly knocked out of him. Ike continued to moan and groan. The pain in his arm was intense, and he said he hurt all over. Mother Russell cautioned him to be still until the doctor arrived. She did all she could to make him comfortable. Hannah brought a pillow from the house on which to rest the broken arm and another one for his aching head. They all kept looking for the doctor and Silas. The first inkling they had that Silas was not returning was when a saddle horse came trotting down the lane and the rider dismounted. He had the ever-present black bag in his hand that marked him as a "country doctor". He came up the hill and soon had Ike comfortable with a splint and bandage on the injured arm. Click here to continue to Chapter Two Click here to return to My Strong Family.....So Far Email: amicus@cptnet.com
Before the fate of Ohio had been settled by the French and Indian Wars, a certain Lord Loudeen or Louden was given a tract of land in the Ohio Valley. He later paid for it and sold it in farm-sized pieces to early settlers. among those who bought was John Russell, who acquired eighty acres near Cardington. After building a fairly good house, he brought his bride, Sarah Perkings, and it became the family home. Here their family was born and raised. They embraced the Quaker religion and lived in that faith all the rest of their lives. They sold the products of the farm weekly to the grocer in Cardington and to homeowners who placed orders a week in advance. Here Hannah was born and grew to a young womanhood, and on New Year's Eve, in 1863, she became the bride of Silas D. Strong, a builder and contractor from Cardington. This is the true story of her life.
Young Hannah Russell, like most girls of seventeen, was quite romantic. She stood behind the bole of the big apple tree in the orchard on the hillside at her father's farm and waited to see the handome widower with the coal black hair and neatly trimmed beard drive up the lane. He drove spirited horses hitched to a top buggy from the livery stable. He was coming to get Aunt Jane and take her for a drive.
It was conceded in the Russell household that Silas Strong was coming quite often to court Aunt Jane, Mrs. Russell's maiden sister.
The two Russell boys, Linn and Ike, were almost hidden in the leafy foilage of the big tree. "Here he comes," Ike whispered, and Linn repeated the message to Hannah. She would have liked nothing better than to have been up in the tree with her brothers, but demure Quaker maids didn't climb trees, so she stood waiting until the team stopped in front of the house. Silas stepped down and secured the horses to the hitching rack before walking up to the front door. His knock was answered almost at once, and Aunt Jane came out onto the porch. Silas galantly helped her down the three steps and into the carriage. Then he released the team, climbed up beside her, and started to turn the team around.
Fate played a hand in the lives of three people at that moment. The limb on which Ike had been sitting broke with a snap and came crashing down, bringing both boys with it.
Hannah stood still for a minute or two, and as neither boy moved, she struggled to pull the branch from them.
Seeing blood on Linn's face, she panicked and ran down the hill to the kitchen door, her Quaker skirts flying. "Mother, come quickly," she cried. "The boys have fallen from the big apple tree, and do not move and I cannot get the broken limb off them!"
Mother Russell wasted no time. Up the path the two ran and tried in vain to move the limb. "Help! Help!" she shouted.
Silas and Aunt Jane heard her, jumped from the carriage, and after securing the team, ran up the hill which was really little more than a knoll, and between all of them they succeeded in getting the boys out from under the brush.
Ike was coming around, holding onto one arm with his other hand, but Linn was bleeding and still was making no sound.
Mother Russell took charge, "Thee must get a doctor, Mr. Strong. 'Tis not far to town. Jane, thee must stay here and help Hannah and me with the boys. Hannah, thee must run and fetch cold water and towels so I can wash the blood from Linn's face."
As soldiers obeying their commanding officer, the three did as they were told. When Hannah returned with the towels and cold water, both boys were moaning and groaning. It was apparent that Ike's arm was broken. The blood on Linn's face was from his nose and mouth. The cold water soon stopped the bleeding and he was able to lie on the grass until he could breathe normally once more. The breath had been pretty thoroughly knocked out of him.
Ike continued to moan and groan. The pain in his arm was intense, and he said he hurt all over.
Mother Russell cautioned him to be still until the doctor arrived. She did all she could to make him comfortable. Hannah brought a pillow from the house on which to rest the broken arm and another one for his aching head. They all kept looking for the doctor and Silas. The first inkling they had that Silas was not returning was when a saddle horse came trotting down the lane and the rider dismounted. He had the ever-present black bag in his hand that marked him as a "country doctor".
He came up the hill and soon had Ike comfortable with a splint and bandage on the injured arm.
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