Jonas Wendell in Pittsburgh

Jonas Wendell in August 1868

Photograph restored by Bernhard and reproduced with permission.

Most readers will be familiar with the name Jonas Wendell. CTR recounted how his interaction with him helped re-establish his faith in the Bible.

Wendell was an evangelist for the Advent Christian Church and aspects of his history have been covered before on this blog, particularly in

https://jeromehistory.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-trials-of-jonas.html

Jonas’ evangelising work in Pittsburgh was spread over several years. CTR was a young man, still a teenager by to-day’s nomenclature, when he started on his religious journey after contact with Wendell.

It was written up by CTR on at least two occasions.

First, in the supplement issued with the first issue of Zion’s Watch Tower sent TO THE READERS OF THE HERALD OF THE MORNING and dated June 1879:

“I have been a Bible student since I first had my attention called to the second coming of our Lord, by Jonas Wendell, a Second Advent Preacher, about 1869, who was then preaching the burning of the world as being due in 1873. But though he first awakened my interest on the subject, I was not a convert, either to the time he suggested nor to the events he predicted.”

Years later, he expanded on this in the booklet A Conspiracy Exposed and Harvest Siftings (1894), page 95 (Special edition of Zion’s Watch Tower for 25 April 1894):

“Among other theories, I stumbled upon Adventism. Seemingly by accident, one evening I dropped into a dusty, dingy hall, where I had heard religious services were held, to see if the handful who met there had anything more sensible to offer than the creeds of the great churches.

There, for the first time, I heard something of the views of Second Adventists from the preacher, Mr. Jonas Wendell, long since deceased. Though his Scripture exposition was not entirely clear, and though it was very far from what we now rejoice in, it was sufficient, under God, to re-establish my wavering faith in the divine inspiration of the Bible, and to show that the records of the apostles and prophets are indissolubly linked. What I heard sent me to my Bible to study with more zeal and care than ever before.”

So CTR believed that it was “seemingly by accident” that, about 1869, he dropped into a meeting that Jonas was conducting.

While we don’t know exactly when this happened, there were lots of opportunities for this to happen starting in 1869, and several of these received some publicity. And there would be others in Pittsburgh and Allegheny who would make a conscious choice to visit due to the level of promotion Jonas and others achieved.

Let’s examine what we know about Jonas’ activities in Pittsburgh.

The first known mention of Jonas in Pittsburgh in available records is a speaking assignment on Friday, 1 January 1869. Below is from The World’s Crisis for 23 December 1868.

Events moved quickly. Six weeks later, Jonas was writing to The World’s Crisis with the results of his preaching campaign. The letter was dated 10 February, although not published by the paper until 17 March 1869. Starting with just six interested persons, there were now over thirty in attendance, and regular meetings were to be started.

The full letter gives an example of one of Jonas’ main strategies. He challenged a local minister to a debate on conditional immortality. The Methodist minister accepted but then backed out.

The regular meetings were advertised in the Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette for a number of weeks, and after a couple of one-off locations, settled down on Sunday, 14 February at Quincy Hall.  This was the former Soldiers’ League Room and Library, on Leacock Street, just around the corner from Federal Street in Allegheny. It was hired out to various groups, both religious and political, and became a “go-to” venue for groups without their own dedicated meeting place. The ACC was still using this venue for meetings over ten years later.

In the example reproduced below from the Gazette for 20 March 1869, the meetings were not just on Sunday, but also on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings.

These notices ran from January through to the end of March. Subjects Wendell covered included:

 

The certainty of Christ’s coming
The necessity of Christ’s coming
The time of Christ’s coming
New Birth
Rich Man and Lazarus
The Eighth of Daniel
Prophecy
The Church waiting
Evidence of Discipleship
The Christian Hope True Worship of God

Our near proximity to the end

 

Most advertisements ended with a short slogan. These included “Seats free and no collection” – a phrase used to very good effect by CTR himself in time to come – and “An opportunity for asking questions on the subjects will be allowed.” The latter would no doubt be a huge selling point for anyone with an enquiring mind like CTR’s.

Although Wendell moved his ministry elsewhere after the end of March, the effects remained. The Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette for 12 May 1869 carried a letter from someone who claimed to be a minister and who hid behind the pseudonym ANIMA. The issue was conditional immortality.

The letter is reproduced below.

A local man, John A Best, immediately fired back in the Gazette for 13 May.

Best’s address identifies him from trade directories as a Pittsburgh grocer. His challenge involving money was a familiar one, and as far as conditionalists were concerned, without risk. There was no apparent follow-up dialog in the newspaper.

Jonas was back in Pittsburgh in 1870.

A series of advertised meetings at Quincy Hall is found in the Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette and The Pittsburgh Commercial, all featuring Jonas. They start in March and run through to the end of May 1870, although there may have been missed weeks when he was back home in Edinboro. The first advertisement gives some details of his message for 1870. From the Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette for 12 February 1870

It may be noted that there were to be three meetings on the Sunday, and then they would continue “during the week.”

A similar notice appeared in The Pittsburgh Commercial of the same date.

Some days later in the Gazette, Jonas laid down his usual challenge to debate the subject of conditional immortality. Someone writing on his behalf provided the invitation. From the Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette for 23 February 1870:

 

There was a delay of about two weeks, and then someone took Jonas up on his challenge. From the Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette for 8 March 1870:

Bacon was the pastor of the Pittsburgh Universalist Church. Jonas shot back immediately. From the Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette for 9 March 1870:

 

The local man, John Best, sent a notice to The World’s Crisis for the larger ACC fellowship who might travel into Allegheny to hear the debate. From the Crisis for 9 March 1870:

It was typical of the time that the discussion was to “continue for one week, or longer if thought best.”

It is a shame that no record seems to exist of how this 1870 debate went. These types of meetings were widely advertised and served as a means of attracting a diverse audience to the ACC message. At some point, these would include George Darby Clowes, a Methodist preacher who would eventually become the group’s “under-shepherd” (and whose obituary was in Zion’s Watch Tower for March 1889) and William and Sarah Conley, who were called “Brother and Sister” in the fellowship as early as 1871 (see The World’s Crisis for 3 January 1872). Conley would later become the first President of Zion’s Watch Tower Society.

Jonas continued preaching through April and May 1870, and his regular notices in The Pittsburgh Commercial carried the homily: “Come and we will try and do you good.” An advertisement in the Pittsburgh Gazette for 30 April 1870 noted that, as well as Elder Wendell, “Elder Himes of Michigan would ‘preach the Word’” at Quincy Hall on 1 May. We assume this was either Joshua V Himes, then editor of the Advent Christian Times, or his son, William L Himes.

Jonas then appears to have been elsewhere after May, but the Quincy Hall meetings continued. There is an advertisement for services now conducted by John T Ongley in the Crisis for 7 December 1870, related to preaching in January 1871.

In March 1871, the group temporarily moved from Quincy Hall to a new location, and the same John T Ongley sent out an invitation to Jonas Wendell to visit. From the Advent Christian Times for 28 March 1871:

Wendell obviously responded at some point, because the Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette has him back in April, and also later in the year, in November, and on both occasions back in Quincy Hall. According to the Gazette for 4 November 1871, Quincy Hall was “their church,” and the meetings started on the Sunday would continue into the evening during the week.

At the end of 1871 Wendell moved on, to be replaced in Pittsburgh by George Stetson. CTR was to speak highly of Stetson and was ultimately asked to conduct his funeral in 1879. The changeover can be seen in several issues of the Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette and its Quincy Hall advertisements in late 1871.

The last reference to mention Wendell on his own at Quincy Hall was the Gazette for 4 November 1871. Then the next week, he and Stetson shared the platform.

Then, in the paper for 9 December 1871, it is just Dr Stetson.

This links up with a letter Stetson wrote, as published in the Advent Christian Times for 27 August 1872, where he said it was “now ten months since I was called and came to Pittsburg, Pa. to labor.”

Wendell wrote up these events himself in a letter to The World’s Crisis for 27 December 1871 (letter dated 6 December):

Wendell and Stetson were close friends and had often worked together. They both shared Edinboro as a home base at times.

Wendell’s letter commented on issues the Pittsburgh group faced, and stated his intention to be back with them in early 1872. It also commented on George Clowes being invited to serve as under-shepherd.

A year later, in November 1872, Clowes’ position was firmed up when he was ordained to the ministry of the Advent Christian Church. Wendell came back to Pittsburgh to participate in the event. The Advent Christian Times Editorial Gleanings for 17 December 1872 noted that:

“Br. G.D. Clowes was ordained to the work of the ministry by Elders Wendell and E. McCullock last month. Bro. Clowes is a man that is highly esteemed, and respected, and has been a local preacher in the M.E. church, for a number of years. We think he will be an efficient labourer in the cause of truth.”

The previous week (Advent Christian Times for 4 December 1872) noted that this was at the invitation of George Stetson.

Clowes would continue to conduct Advent Christian Church meetings at least until the end of 1879, by which time CTR’s separate ministry and Zion’s Watch Tower magazine was active. Although Clowes was not cited by CTR as a special influence, and ZWT never mentioned his meetings, he did get a short obituary in Zion’s Watch Tower. In the issue for March 1889, CTR responded to a letter from his father, J L Russell:

“On Jan’y 25th our dear Brother Clowes, with whom some of our readers were acquainted, having heard him preach the word of truth at various points near Pittsburgh, passed away full of triumphant faith and glorious hope. (“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth.” Yea, saith the spirit, they shall rest from their labors, but their works follow with them.)

Returning to Wendell and his participation in Clowes’ ordination, after that November 1872 visit to Pittsburgh he appears to have gone back home to Edinboro. Around the same time or shortly thereafter, Stetson did the same. When Jonas planned to go on further travels in 1873, Stetson accepted the pastorate of the Edinboro church, starting on 1 May 1873. (Letter from Jonas Wendell in World’s Crisis for 23 April 1873). But then unexpectedly Jonas died after an accident in the August. Stetson conducted the funeral service (Letter from Stetson in the Crisis for 20 August 1873). Following on from that, Stetson was to remain as pastor of the Edinboro church for the last six years of his life.

Jonas Wendell had been a frequent visitor to Pittsburgh over the four year period 1869-1872. His first meeting with CTR obviously made an impression on the latter, as was freely acknowledged, and the same was true for the ministry of his successor, George Stetson. As to how often Wendell and CTR met up and discussed their diverging paths thereafter, we can only speculate.

The Naturalization of Joseph

(Expanded from material previously published in the article: https://jeromehistory.blogspot.com/2020/04/1-three-weddings-but-no-funeral-this.html

Most books that mention the Russell family indicate that CTR’s father, Joseph Lytle Russell, came to the United States from Ireland in 1845. The source is his obituary in several Pittsburgh papers from 1897, which state that he reached America “about 1845.” From this, some have assumed that he and Ann Eliza came as a married couple and settled in Pittsburgh.

The main problem with obituaries is that the person who could verify the information is unavailable to do so. We now know that both of the above assumptions are incorrect. We have reasonable proof that Joseph was in Pittsburgh as early as 1843, and Ann Eliza was still single in Pittsburgh in early 1849.

A key document that led to a search for further evidence, as more material appeared online, was Joseph’s naturalization document. Around 40 years ago, when a member of the British Society of Genealogists, this writer spent some time in their library in London, trying to find when Joseph came to America. A reference there that I have not seen online since sent me to contact the Prothonotary’s Office in Pittsburgh. This is where Joseph would have renounced allegiance to the old country and sworn allegiance to the United States. They finally sent me a not very clear copy of the document. As received, it is reproduced below.

Due to the marvels of AI, and the opportunity to dig further, it has now been possible to reconstruct this document into a more readable form. Apart from the name of the official who handled the matter, which appears to be a wild guess from an illegible signature, we can be reasonably certain that the rest of the form is accurate. It will appear in a forthcoming book, but is reproduced here for anyone who wants to read and copy it.

Depending on your device, you may need to click on it to see it all, or even download and print it out on standard-sized paper.

The key point is that when Joseph said the oath on 26 October 1848, he was swearing that he had been living in America for at least five years. That would take us back to 1843. It is also noticed that his character witness was one W Glendining. William Glendining was a partner with Joseph’s brother, Charles Tays Russell, in a flour and produce business. The partnership was dissolved in 1860.

Armed with the date 1843 and the increasing number of newspapers scanned and searchable, it was possible to find Joseph L Russell in the Pittsburgh Daily Post. Letters were waiting for him at the post office. Also that year, his two brothers, James and Charles Tays, had their names recorded in the same listings. So the three brothers were together in Pittsburgh in 1843.

The same listings from the same newspaper included A E Birney in 1848 and Miss A E Birney in early 1849. So she and Joseph met in Pittsburgh, maybe as a result of Presbyterian Church socials, and were married in 1849. Their first child, Thomas, was born in May 1850. CTR followed in 1852.

For more documentation and graphics, please see the earlier referenced article above.

An Interview from 1879

 

Taken from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for 11 August 1879.

THE FINAL DAY

The Millerites Say the World Will be Destroyed by Fire To-day – A Comforting Interview With an Alleged Second Adventist,

The first part of this article reviewed the history of Second Adventism and William Miller, not very sympathetically. One strand of Adventism had reportedly predicted the end of the world by fire for the day of the article, August 11, so a reporter was sent out to interview a Second Adventist for comments. He settled on CTR.

This is the transcript of that interview from the second part of the article.

 

A reporter of this journal started out last evening to look up a Millerite or Second Adventist, for the purpose of obtaining more definite information concerning the big conflagration. Among the persons sought out and interviewed was Mr. C. T. Russell, of Cedar avenue, Allegheny. That gentleman was informed as to the reporter’s mission, when he said:

“In the first place, I am not a Second Adventist; secondly, I don't believe the world will be burned to-morrow; and, thirdly, I don’t believe the world will ever be literally burned with fire. My expectation is that the present, or Gospel age, will end much the same as the Patriarchal and the Jewish age. The Jewish age, you know, ended with the death of Christ, when the Gospel age commenced, and this will be succeeded by the millennium, when Christ will reign on earth. The change will not be manifested by any such demonstration as the burning of the earth.”

 “That is certainly a comforting assurance,” said the reporter; “but where do you find anything in the scriptures to sustain your assertion?”

 “In Ecclesiastes, 1–4: ‘One generation passeth away and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth forever.’”

“Is it not stated somewhere in the Bible that the earth shall be devoured by fire?”

“It is, but I understand the word ‘fire’ to be used symbolically. We find in Zephaniah iii.—‘Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent.’ This describes the fire that is going to burn the earth; it is the fire of jealousy—symbolic fire—and while it destroys the kingdoms the masses of the people will be left alive, and they are to be blessed after their time of national trouble.”

“How are they to be blessed?”

“In the book of Daniel it is written that ‘the kingdom of God will take the place of earthly kingdoms.’ In Revelation, also, is this text: ‘The kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, and He shall reign forever and ever.’ I hold that the survivors of the Gospel dispensation will be associated with Christ in the heavenly kingdom which is to take the place of the earthly kingdoms.”

“Will that kingdom be on this earth?”

“Yes. This passage from Daniel, vii.–27, shows it: ‘The kingdom and dominion under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.’”

“Will the ruler of this kingdom be visible on the earth?”

“No. ‘The kingdom of God cometh not with observation.’”

“How could the king rule and yet be invisible?”

“The same as Queen Victoria rules India. She is not in India, but she rules it.”

“You say you are not a Second Adventist, Mr. Russell. What do you call yourself?”

“People of my faith have no denominational name. We are simply Christians, and are opposed to denominational names.”

Thanking Mr. Russell for his cheering information that the world would not be burned to-day, the reporter hurried back to send out the gratifying intelligence to the people.

Selena Barto or Lena Guibert, Which?

Maria Frances Ackley Russell was one of five children who lived to adulthood. Her siblings included Laura Raynor, Emma Russell, Lemuel Ackley, and then a query raised in various writings – was the final name Selena Barto or Lena Guibert?

Did Selena or Lena change her name? Why the confusion? A close look at the records that now exist can clear this up.

First, the correct name of Maria’s sister WAS Selena Barto. Selena Ackley (1846-1929) married Baptist minister Charles Edward Barto (1841-1883). He was an agent of the American Tract Society, headquartered in Philadelphia, which specialised in evangelising Native Americans. He died of “apoplexy” in his early 40s, leaving Selena a widow with two small children. She never remarried. She spent much of her life in the Pittsburgh area, but did own property near Chicago where her brother, Lemuel, was a lawyer. It was in representing her in a Chicago court in a financial claim against a police officer that the officer drew a gun and killed Lemuel in 1921.

We know Selena Barto was the correct name because she is mentioned by that name in her mother’s obituary from 1901, and is also mentioned by name in her mother’s last will and testament. From the Pittsburgh Post for 4 October 1901:

There does not appear to be any evidence that Selena (here: Salina) had any specific interest in the affairs of the Bible Student movement, unlike her three sisters, Maria Russell, Emma Russell, and Laura Raynor.

As for the mysterious Lena Guibert, she appears just once in Zion’s Watch Tower in the special 15 July 1906 issue, where CTR explains the complexities of his conflict with Maria. Before they separated, there were various accusations, and at one point, CTR had a document prepared, which was signed by all those involved, retracting accusations made against him. This was read to the congregation as an apology and reprinted on pages 219-220.

The five signatories of the document are listed below:

It seems to have been assumed that since CTR mentioned his problems with Maria and “her sisters,” Lena Guibert must have been one of those sisters. However, when the background to the document is carefully checked, CTR plainly says on page 219:

(quote)

“Mrs Russell’s two sisters and one of the two persons who on the previous Sunday night had been convicted of slander and false witness signed it with us, and on Sunday afternoon I requested the consecrated ones to remain for a special service, and to them I read the said letter.”

Emma and Laura were the two sisters. So Lena would have to be one of the two other persons who had entered the controversy in the class.

So who was she?

Lena (or Lina) Guibert appears in records like street directories for Pittsburgh in this era, and was a member of the Allegheny class that met at Bible House. In 1917-1918, she is listed as the next of kin for her son Albert Daniel Guibert on his draft registration card. His address then was in Cedar Avenue, Pittsburgh, formerly Allegheny. Using his history as the reference, we find his mother’s maiden name was Marlina (Lena) Hartman. She had been married to a Civil War veteran, Peter Guibert, and had three children by him, including Albert Daniel. The marriage failed, and Peter (originally from France) married again and had a second family.

So Lena (Lina) Guibert was a member of the Allegheny Bible class, and was probably separated or even divorced from her husband Peter at the time, which may have made her sympathetic toward the accusations Maria made.

So we have two different people here. But the one who was Maria’s sister was Selina Barto.

A Wedding (Albert Delmont Jones)

 Charles Taze Russell and Albert Delmont Jones must have been quite close at one time. Here, in January 1878, we have CTR attending Albert's wedding and serving as an Attendant. Of course, with Albert, this marriage was to be the first of several, which are documented elsewhere on this blog. This is from The Portsmouth Times Ohio) for 9 January 1878:

With some help from AI

The Last Will and Testament of Maria Frances Russell

Strictly speaking, Maria Francis Russell had no real connection with the Watch Tower Society once she separated from her husband, CTR. But in view of her attitude, actions and concerns, looking at her situation by the end of her life is useful to know.

Maria was a school teacher who married a wealthy merchant. She believed the message he taught through Zion’s Watch Tower magazine and, for a number of years, actively supported his mission. He gave her fulsome praise and thanks in the original foreword of his first major work, The Plan of the Ages. 

Around this time, the Russells lived in a large house on Clifton Avenue. They had a live-in servant and a gardener, and the house was big enough to shelter CTR’s sister and her children when they needed help, and later to take in Charles and Rose Ball.

But in the interests of CTR’s work and mission, in 1894 they moved into an apartment on the top floor of the newly built Bible House.

Photograph by the author

This was no doubt very convenient and likely saved a great expense. While not cited as a reason for the marriage breakdown in the 1890s, it would not have helped, as their paths diverged on how they saw their respective roles in marriage.

Maria left the family home in 1897 and never went back. On the financial front, she then claimed to have written half of the first three volumes of Millennial Dawn (Studies in the Scriptures) and virtually all of volume four by herself. She circulated a booklet attacking CTR in which she basically demanded royalties. CTR saw this as a direct threat to his religious work. His view was that, while she had undoubtedly helped in various ways, the subject matter was his and his alone. While financial arrangements for her support were eventually worked out, she never did get any royalties. However, it could be said that neither did CTR, because the whole point was to put everything back into the work of the Watch Tower Society.

For a fuller description of the issues, see the old post at:

https://jeromehistory.blogspot.com/2025/08/maria-1-maria-russell-and-millennial.html

But money was much on Maria’s mind. When CTR died, the papers reported her hiring legal counsel to try to challenge his last will and testament.

With that background in mind, it is interesting to travel forward 20 years in time after CTR’s death to see how Maria made out. This is where her Last Will and Testament, made in 1936, is of note.

 She bought a home in St Petersburg, Florida, with her sister Emma in the early 1920s. Emma had been married to CTR’s father, and again, financial disputes came to the fore when Emma’s husband died, and bequests were made to his children as well as to her. When Emma died, Maria inherited her estate.

So, below is a transcript of Maria’s Last Will and Testament. There is just one sentence which could not be transcribed with 100% certainty, but it does not affect the contents of the will.

It details all her property, the house and parcels of land, various cash bequests, the writing off of money previously loaned to others, and personal effects. The main beneficiary was her niece, Mabel Packard, Emma’s daughter, who looked after her at the end.

(transcription)

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT.

I, MARIA F. RUSSELL, of the County of Pinellas and State of Florida, being of a sound and disposing mind and memory and desiring to leave instructions for the disposition of such property as I may die seized of, hereby make, publish and declare this to be my last will and Testament, expressly revoking all former wills, testaments and codicils by me heretofore made.

ITEM ONE.

It is my desire that as soon after my death as is consistent that my executrix, hereinafter named, shall pay all of my just debts. I direct that my body shall be placed beside that of my sister, Emma H. Russell, in the lot that we jointly owned in Royal Palm Cemetery in St. Petersburg, Florida.

ITEM TWO.

The residence where I now reside was owned jointly by my sister, Emma H. Russell, and myself, and since her death I have had the use thereof. To my niece, Mrs. Mabel R. Packard, I give, devise and bequeath in fee simple, my undivided half interest in said property, which is located at 516 - 14th Avenue, N. E. in the City of St. Petersburg, Florida, and otherwise described as follows: to-wit:

Lot 9, Block (?), North Shore addition, according to the map or plat thereof on file and of record in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Pinellas County, Florida.

I also give, bequeath and devise unto the said Mabel R. Packard all of the household furniture contained therein.

At this time the said Mabel R. Packard is indebted to me in the sum of Fourteen Hundred ($1400.00) Dollars, evidenced or to be evidenced by a mortgage upon the house and lot on Jackson Street in the city of Pittsburgh, Pa. I desire and instruct that such indebtedness as may exist from the said Mabel R. Packard to myself at the time of my death shall be cancelled, and if a mortgage has been placed upon said property in my favor I desire that same be satisfied of record by my executrix hereinafter named.

ITEM THREE

I give, devise and bequeath unto James Russell Packard and John Alden Packard, share and share alike, the following described property, to-wit:

The west half (W ½) of East half (E ½) of Southwest quarter (SW ¼) of Section 33, Township 1 South, Range 3 East, in Jefferson county in the State of Illinois.

ITEM FOUR

(?) ...hereinafter is intended to pay the following sums in cash...(?)...named persons, to-wit:

This first sentence for ITEM FOUR is virtually illegible in the original.

 

Readers here might like to have a try at deciphering this.  Based on standard language in wills of this period, the delights of AI produced these two alternative suggestions:

To be paid, equivalent in cash, by my Executor to each of the following persons, to‑wit:

I give and bequeath the following legacies, bequests, and sums of money to the following named persons, to-wit:

To my niece, Mrs. Laura E. Fritz, of Arlington, Illinois, the sum of One Thousand ($1,000.00) Dollars.

To Mrs. (?) White, St. Petersburg, Florida, the sum of Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars.

To my great-nephew, James Russell Packard, the sum of Seven Hundred ($700.00) Dollars.

To my great-niece, Mildred Packard, the sum of Four Hundred ($400.00) Dollars.

To my great-nephew, John Alden Packard; the sum of Four Hundred ($400.00) Dollars.

To my niece, Selina G. Raynor of Belleview, Pa., the sum of One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars, and my beaded purse.

To Mrs. Estella Floding of Arlington Heights, Ill., my gold watch.

I direct that if there be additional funds in cash after the above bequests have been paid, I give, devise and bequeath to my niece, Mrs. Mabel R. Packard, Three Hundred ($300.00) Dollars.

In the event that the cash remaining to my estate is not sufficient to pay the above bequests in full, my executrix is instructed to decrease the bequests proportionately, and in the event that the cash remaining to my estate is more than sufficient to pay said bequests, I instruct my executrix to increase the same proportionately.

ITEM FIVE.

I give, devise and bequeath the following personal property as follows:

To Mrs. Laura E. Fritz three bead pins.
To Mrs. Howard G. Raynor my sable fur cloak.

And to little June Packard my amethyst ring.

ITEM SIX.

All other property of which I may die seized and possessed or to which I may be entitled, I give, devise and bequeath the same to James Russell Packard and John Alden Packard, share and share alike.

ITEM SEVEN.

I nominate and appoint my niece, Mabel R. Packard, as executrix of my estate. I desire that she qualify and be commissioned as such executrix without bond. I give unto her full power and authority to manage, sell and dispose of any property I may die seized and possessed of without order of court, and to carry out the terms and directions herein contained. In the event that the sale of any property shall be necessary, I hereby give her authority to sell and dispose of same at public or privatesale, and to execute any deeds, conveyances, bills of sale or other instruments necessary to effectuate the same as fully and completely and lawfully as I could do were I in life. I request my executrix to be diligent in the execution of this trust and to close my estate at the earliest possible moment and at the least expense.

IN WITNESS THEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 4th day of April, A.D. 1936.

Maria F. Russell (Seal)

We, the undersigned, at the request of Maria F. Russell, have signed our names hereto as witnesses to what she declared is her last will and testament, and at her request she signing in our presence and we signing in the presence of each other and in her presence on the day and year above written.

Maria died in 1938, and as requested, she was laid to rest next to her sister in the Royal Palm Cemetery in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Photograph by Christopher Gross

The house still exists. While modest by the standards of some in the area, the last time it was on the market, it still sold for over one million dollars.

I think it is fair to say that by her own terms of reference, ultimately, Maria did not do TOO badly.