Biography of Colonel John Russell 1620-1687

Before August 1616 [his father] Francis Russell 4th Earl Bedford [aged 23] and [his mother] Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford [aged 36] were married.

In 1620 Colonel John Russell was born to Francis Russell 4th Earl Bedford [aged 27] and Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford [aged 40].

On 3rd May 1627 Edward Russell 3rd Earl Bedford [aged 54] died at Moor Park, Hertfordshire. His first cousin [his father] Francis [aged 34] succeeded 4th Earl Bedford, 4th Baron Russell of Cheneys. [his mother] Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford [aged 47] by marriage Countess Bedford.

Before 1634 [his brother-in-law] George Digby 2nd Earl Bristol [aged 21] and [his sister] Anne Russell Countess Bristol [aged 13] were married. She the daughter of [his father] Francis Russell 4th Earl Bedford [aged 40] and [his mother] Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford [aged 53]. He the son of John Digby 1st Earl Bristol [aged 53] and Beatrice Walcott.

On 11th July 1637 [his brother] William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 20] and [his sister-in-law] Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 21] were married. She the daughter of Robert Carr 1st Earl Somerset [aged 50] and Frances Howard Countess Essex and Somerset. He the son of [his father] Francis Russell 4th Earl Bedford [aged 44] and [his mother] Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford [aged 57].

Before 1638 [his brother-in-law] Robert Greville 2nd Baron Brooke [aged 30] and [his sister] Catherine Russell Baroness Brooke were married. She by marriage Baroness Brooke of Beauchamps Court in Warwickshire. She the daughter of [his father] Francis Russell 4th Earl Bedford [aged 44] and [his mother] Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford [aged 57]. They were half sixth cousins.

On 9th May 1641 [his father] Francis Russell 4th Earl Bedford [aged 48] died. His son [his brother] William [aged 24] succeeded 5th Earl Bedford, 5th Baron Russell of Cheneys, 3rd Baron Russell of Thornhaugh. [his sister-in-law] Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 25] by marriage Countess Bedford.

Around 1642. William Dobson [aged 30]. Portrait of the Prince Rupert Palatinate Simmern 1st Duke Cumberland [aged 22], Colonel John Russell [aged 22] and Colonel William Murray.

On 28th April 1642 [his brother-in-law] Francis Newport 1st Earl Bradford [aged 22] and [his sister] Diana Russell Countess Bradford were married at St Giles' in the Fields Church [Map]. She the daughter of [his father] Francis Russell 4th Earl Bedford and [his mother] Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford [aged 62].

On 8th February 1651 Richard Newport 1st Baron Newport [aged 63] died. His son [his brother-in-law] Francis [aged 30] succeeded 2nd Baron Newport of High Ercall in Shropshire. [his sister] Diana Russell Countess Bradford by marriage Baroness Newport of High Ercall in Shropshire.

On 21st January 1653 John Digby 1st Earl Bristol [aged 72] died in Paris [Map]. His son [his brother-in-law] George [aged 40] succeeded 2nd Earl Bristol. [his sister] Anne Russell Countess Bristol [aged 33] by marriage Countess Bristol.

In 1657 [his mother] Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford [aged 77] died.

In 1659 John Michael Wright [aged 41]. Portrait of Colonel John Russell [aged 39].

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 15th November 1666. Presently after the King [aged 36] was come in, he took the Queene [aged 56], and about fourteen more couple there was, and began the Bransles. As many of the men as I can remember presently, were, the King, Duke of York [aged 33], Prince Rupert [aged 46], Duke of Monmouth [aged 17], Duke of Buckingham [aged 38], Lord Douglas [aged 20], Mr. [George] Hamilton [aged 59], Colonell Russell [aged 46], Mr. Griffith, Lord Ossory [aged 32], Lord Rochester [aged 19]; and of the ladies, the Queene, Duchess of York [aged 29], Mrs. Stewart [aged 19], Duchess of Monmouth [aged 15], Lady Essex Howard, Mrs. Temples [aged 17], Swedes Embassadress, Lady Arlington [aged 32]; Lord George Barkeley's daughter [aged 16] [Note. Assumed Elizabeth], and many others I remember not; but all most excellently dressed in rich petticoats and gowns, and dyamonds, and pearls.

On 11th March 1675 [his brother-in-law] Francis Newport 1st Earl Bradford [aged 55] was created 1st Viscount Newport of Bradford in Shropshire. [his sister] Diana Russell Countess Bradford by marriage Viscountess Newport of Bradford in Shropshire.

On 1st December 1676 [his sister] Catherine Russell Baroness Brooke died.

John Evelyn's Diary. 2nd August 1683. The Countesses of [his sister] Bristol [aged 63] and [his niece] Sunderland [aged 37], aunt and cousin-german of the late [his nephew] Lord Russell [deceased], came to visit me, and condole his sad fate. The next day, came Colonel Russell [aged 63], uncle to the late Lord Russell, and brother to the Earl of Bedford [aged 67], and with him Mrs. Middleton [aged 38], that famous and indeed incomparable beauty, daughter to my relation, Sir Robert Needham.

In 1687 Colonel John Russell [aged 67] died.