The ancestors of this line of Bussell's are an elusive bunch of family and one which I continue to have some success finding...as well as some difficulty.

As I was growing up, my Grandmother, (MAY ELEANOR nee ESHLEMAN BUSSELL) had some limited information and a handful of names. I remember most of them. My mother Anna, and her brother, my Uncle, Richard also remembered hearing some names during the course of their lives. They even remembered visiting with "someone", but who it was they weren't sure.

Ames, Iowa rang some bells, the names Betty and Victor came to mind, but little more was known. With these bits and peices of information to start me out with my search, I began the task of finding the roots of this Bussell family.. I've been working on finding this"root" since January of 1998.

As it stands, we are closer than ever before, to putting the entire family together again...for the first time since 1898.

The Marriage

RICHARD HARSON BUSSELL married ANTOINETTE LOUISE CARLOW, daughter of ISSAC PURDY CARLOW and MARY REBECCA KING, on August 5, 1888 at Poughkeepsie, NY. It is from the marriage certficate that we learn the names of Richard's parents. (See the column to the right for more detail about Richard Bussell and Mary Vanburen.

Also gleened from the marriage certificate is the following:

Certificate Number - not legible

1. In the Town (Village) City of Poughkeepsie County of Dutchess
2. Full Name of Groom: Richard H. Bussell
3. Place of Residence: New York City
4. Age next Birthday 34 Years

History

This search has lead me around the country and we, Bussell descendents, have relatives in several states including California, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Illinois, Oregon, Florida, North Carolina, and Oklahoma. But, that is now...the known beginnings of this group lie in New York State, primarly, at least so far, New York City and Dutchess County. I concede that these beginnings are NOT ancient history as I have been unable to find anything proven in fact of this Bussell clan prior to 1888...the year Roselie Bussell was born..

All of the known descendents listed in the Descendant Chart (please click descendents on the top bar to get there) , are directly descended from RICHARD HARSON BUSSELL and his marriage to ANTOINETTE LOUISE CARLOW.

As of December 1999, the possiblity exisits that Richards Middle name "Harson" may have actually been "HARSEN", an old New York family name dating to the 1860's and somehow related to the VANBUREN family. I continue to seek this link.

Little is known about Richard Harson Bussell and his family but I do have some valid information. The potential for additional ancestors exists and I honestly believe that I have found this past...I just, have yet, to be able to prove it with the ...ever so crucial...documentation.

Richard Harson Bussell was born, according to birth certificates of his children, in New York City. He was the son of RICHARD BUSSELL and MARY E. VANBUREN.

I have located young Richard (Richard Jr. who married Antoinette Louis Carlow) on the 1870 census at Cornwall, (Orange County) New York (merely across the Hudson from New Hamburg). The father Richard is listed as...you guessed it...a "lumber merchant". Here we also find evidence that our Richard Harson had an older sister, Elizabeth Bussell. View the Census Image by clicking here.

I have listed what I know about our ancestors the form of a descendant chart. Click the button below to visit.

What Happened?

Well now here's a story. RICHARD HARSON BUSSELL, from all of the documentation I've seen ... was most likely born sometime between 1853 and 1855 in New York. Whether he was born in the City or not is unknown. He married ANTOINETTE LOUISE CARLOW, she, from my best guess, was born sometime around 1864 in, according to her certificate of death , New Hamburg, New York.
(New Hamburg has a home page, click on the link to visit)

New Hamburg is an area near Wappinger Falls, New York, in Dutchess County. I've managed to find some information about the CARLOW family and so far know that they are married in to the PURDY family of Dutchess County.

The first piece of evidence I obtained was a copy of a birth certificate for ROSELIE BUSSELL, born on July 05, 1888 in Camelot, New York. Just so happens, this is where RICHARD HAROLD BUSSELL, (my grandfather) was born on February 16, 1891, as documented by a copy of his birth certificate. The actual spelling on the birth certificate was "Bussoll". (continued below)

Camelot is now a part of southern Poughkeepsie, New York. In fact, Richard lived specifically in an area known as Barnegat...a piece of property later purchased by IBM and used to build a manufacturing plant which still exists today.

On the first two birth certificates, Richard's occupation was listed as "farmer." The next three children (Victor, Philip and a baby girl who died at birth) were all born in New York City. Their birth certificates list Richard's occupation as "lumber merchant". This is where I am 99.9% certain we have a connection.

The Story as We Know It

Now..here's what happened. On March 22, 1898, Antoinette Louise "Carlow" Bussell, died. According to her certificate of death, the cause was "Pleuro Pneumonia, Premature Birth (8) months, cardiac failure". The child she was bearing was stillborn. Both mother and daughter are buried in Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery in an "as yet" unmarked grave. An infant child by the name of Philip Henderson is also buried in the same plot, having died at age 2 months in 1917.

For information purposes, Mary Rebecca Carlow, Antoinette's mother, purchased the lot..but there is no evidence of Richard being buried in this same cemetery.

From the records of the Home for the Friendless, on April 8, 1898, just 17 days after Antoinette died, Richard, Philip and Victor Bussell were "surrendered" to the orphanage for outplacement. The "cause of surrender" was "Death of mother. Father not able to support them. Miss H. Rhoades, 2 W. 36th St. interested in case and will pay the board. $15.00 per month." "Bessie - Nov 20, 1896 - is boarding with Mrs. Jacob Miller, Van Siclen Ave. Brooklyn, N.Y." As an aside, the names Jacob Miller and Miss H. Rhoades have been found relatively close or associated to our own in other documents.

The record also says "Mother died of Pleuro-Pneumonia. Grandmother Mrs. M.R. Carlow, Temple Grove, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Aunt 418 W. 43rd St. Mrs. I.P. Carlow." It seems that Mary Rebecca and Isaac had a son, Isaac P. Carlow, Junior. Again, I haven't uncovered hard evidence, but I suspect this reference is to the wife of "Junior".

  Click on the Graphic to go to The Orphan Train Heritage Society of America in a new window.

Pictures of Richard, Philip, Victor and Bessie, appear on their individual pages along with their descendent information and their stories.(a work in progress).
(Roselie, who was raised by her Grandmother, Mrs. Mary Rebecca King of New York, is not pictured, although we now have some limited information about her)

Roselie is assumed to have married someone named Henderson, and Bessie, although in the same house while they were children, lost touch in the early 1900's and never spoke to Roselie again. If you know, or think you know who Roselie Bussell married, or you might be one of her descendents, please contact me.

These pages contain some of the information about this group of Bussells/Bressells. I am willing to share the rest of what I have with anyone who suspects or can prove a relationship.

I am especially interested in determining the whereabouts of Roselie Bussell Henderson and her descendents as well as where she and they may be.

The Carlow line is growing and I'd like to find more. Anotinette Louise Carlow, the mother of the boys was from New Hamburg, NY. Her father was ISSAC PURDY CARLOW who died January 24, 1915 in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Issac was born December 23, 1842, one of at least five children of PETER A. CARLOW and his wife CORNELIA JANE (nee PURDY) CARLOW. Other children include John Henry, George Thompson., William Laurence., and Amy H. according to the 1850 census of Dutchess County for Poughkeepsie

As I continue my journey to find more information, I will post it here. If you have any information, photos, documents, etc., please contact me. I would like your help and permission to post your information as well.

From the Family History Center (FHC FILM # 552542 - The New York City 1870 Census - Ward 19 - Election District 10-14) I have located a Richard Bussell at age 54 (not quite certain how he fits in yet. John H. Bussell, is one John Hare Bussell and he has a 5 year old son living with him by the name of Richard as well. As in other research...the lumber business appear with both names.
Below listed is the index information for this FHC Film. By Clicking HERE, you may view the results in a separate window....when you've finished, simply close the window.