Russell Morrison (1917 - abt. 1998)

Born 20 Sep 1917 in Sharon, Mercer, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Rosetta Nubin — married 4 Jul 1951 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Died about 1 Feb 1998 at about age 80 in Pennsylvania

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Biography

Russell Morrison is a part of US Black heritage.

Russell Morrison was born in 1917 to Allene (Owens) Seabron and Luther Seabron. (Luther (age 21) married Alline Awings on 25 Jun in Laurens, South Carolina, United States.)^[1]

After his father's death in 1922 (Luther, son of Andy Seabron & Maggie Payton, died (age 31) on 7 July 1922 in McKeesport, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States.)^[2], his mother remarried,

In the 1930 census, his step father Dorris (age 23) was the married head of household in Pittsburgh (Districts 1-250), Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States.^[3] and the children had taken the last name Morrison.

Russell completed a WWII military draft card on 16 October 1940, indicating his mother as his nearest relative; the draft card also indicates that his employer at the time was Moe Gale.^[4]

As noted in his 3 Sept 1964 obituary in [ https://nyti.ms/3PwbURE The New York Times], Moe Gale was an "impresario" and "leading promoter" of "Negro musical talent", including Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Rosetta Nubin (1915-1973). A 1941 photograph of [Sister Rosetta Tharpe with Moe Gale] can be seen in the Sister Rosetta Tharpe Archive published December 2012, part of the PBS American Masters Series.

Moe Gale also promoted The Ink Spots; in October 1944, [[1]] Russell Morrison was a pallbearer for the famed bass singer for The Ink Spots, Orville Jones, per an article in The New Pittsburgh Courier, published 28 Oct 1944.

He married Rosetta Nubin Tharpe on 3 July 1951, in Washington, District of Columbia, United States. The wedding was held in a Washington DC sports stadium that hosted white and "Negro" teams, [Griffith Stadium.] A recording of the ceremony can be found through https://digitalcollections-baylor.quartexcollections.com/Documents/Detail/the-wedding-ceremony-of-sister-rosetta-tharpe-and-russell-morrison/2045775?item=2045783 Baylor University archives.]

An historical marker at the home of Morrison and Tharpe in Philadelphia; and a nomination for historic preservation of the home at 1102 Master St includes some of their history in Philadelphia.

Russell died (age 80) on 1 February 1998 residing at Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage: "South Carolina, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1907-2000"
   South Carolina Department of Archives and History; Columbia, SC, USA; Country Marriage Records; County: Laurens; Roll: Lr9
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61450 #263099 (accessed 20 March 2024)
   Luther Soaburn (21) marriage to Alline Awings on 25 Jun in Laurens, South Carolina, USA.
2. ↑ Death: "Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates, 1906-1970"
   Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, PA, USA; Pennsylvania (State). Death Certificates, 1906-1968; Certificate Number Range: 068001-071000; Certificate Number: 68693
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5164 #917704 (accessed 20 March 2024)
   Luther Seabron death 7 Jul 1922 (born 10 Aug 1890), son of Andy Seabron & Maggie Payton, in McKeesport, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA.
3. ↑ 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930"
   citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T626; Line: 13; Digital film/folder number: 004952913; FHL microfilm: 2341704; Image number: 185; Sheet number: 11; Sheet letter: A; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N03894-2
   FamilySearch Record: XCC9-P6V (accessed 20 March 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GRZG-6B1
   Dorris Morrison (23), married head of household in Pittsburgh (Districts 1-250), Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States. Born in Tennessee.
4. ↑ Military: "U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947"
   National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For New York City, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2238 #194466872 (accessed 20 March 2024)
   Registration Date: 16 Oct 1940; Weight: 135; Name: Russell Morrison;
   Household Members (Name) Relationship:
   Russell Morrison
   Allen Morrison Mother; Birth Place: Sharon, Pennsylvania; Complexion: Light Brown; Height: 5 5; Next of Kin: Allen Morrison; Registration Place: New York City, Manhattan, New York; Employer: Moe Gae; Hair Color: Black; Eye Color: Brown; Race: Negro (Black); Birth Date: 20 Sep 1917; Age: 23.
5. ↑ Death: "U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014"
   Social Security Administration; Washington D.C., USA; Social Security Death Index, Master File
   Ancestry Record 3693 #43848933 (accessed 20 March 2024)
   Russell Morrison death 1 Feb 1998 (born 20 Sep 1917) residing at Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

• 1951 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
  The Miami News (Miami, Florida) Wed, Jul 18, 1951, page 30
  Newspapers Clip: 144484352 This is a marriage announment between Sisiter Rosetta Thorpe and Russell Morrison in the Miami News.

• U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-current. Name: Russell Morrison; male; age 34; birth date: 1917; residence place: New York City; marriage date: 4 Jul 1951; marriage place: Washington; spouse: Rosletta Tharpe.

• "United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPBN-DPP6 : 18 July 2020), Russell Morrison in entry for Sister Rosetta Morrison Tharpe, 1973.

• "United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPBN-ZGKF : 18 July 2020), Russell Morrison in entry for Sister Rosetta Morrison Tharpe, 1973.

research notes

continuing to work on this profile and add family as of 3.20.24 Lawrence-18261 00:05, 21 March 2024 (UTC)

Repository

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/about/G7ZT-S6Q