Was Richard Russell of Charlestown, Mass., entitled to arms?



In 1820 James Russell of Clifton, Gloucestershire (a descendant of the
New England family) had arms confirmed to him, according to a document
printed in _Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica_:

http://books.google.com/books?vid=0XR4hogm-tkr2ISH&id=PSQFAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA2-PA280&lpg=RA2-PA280&dq=dame+gent#PRA2-PA168,M1

This document claims that the immigrant ancestor Richard Russell of
Charlestown "bore for his arms 'a chevron between three Cross
Crosslets fitchees a Bordure engrailed bezanty' as appears by a gold
signet with which he executed his last will and testament bearing date
at Charlestown the twenty ninth of the fifth month (May [sic]) 1674
which gold signet had been handed down in the family and is now in the
possession of the Memorialist that the Arms so borne by the Ancestor
of the Memorialist appear to appertain to a family of that name
recorded in the Heralds Visitation of the County of Worcester A.D.
1632 ..."

I don't have access to the 1632 Worcs. Visitation, but the arms do
seem remarkably similar to those of the Russells of Strensham as given
in the 1569 Visitation of the same county:

http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC24345481&id=ECoEAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA117&lpg=RA1-PA117&dq=russell+strensham#PRA1-PA117,M1

There is some reference in _Transactions of the Colonial Society of
Massachusetts_ which discusses "the sixteen quarterings of the
children of Kiniard Russell of Strensham from whom Richard Russell
(1611-1676) of Charlestown, long Treasurer of the Massachusetts Bay
Colony, is said to have" [? descended].

http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC04571299&id=0mAfdqCpMJUC&q=russell+strensham&dq=russell+strensham&pgis=1

Notice that one of the Russell wives in the 1569 Visitation was
heiress of "Kinard de la Bere," whence, apparently, the name "Kiniard
Russell."

See also the 1682/3 Worcs. Visitation ...

http://books.google.com/books?vid=LCCN04024990&id=jLUEAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA48&dq=john+clarenceux#PRA4-PA84,M1

Maybe Nat Taylor could tell us whether Richard Russell is already in
the NEHGS Roll of Arms. Does anybody have access to the 1632
Worcestershire Visitation ?

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