Timeline story
Col. William Russell III
Born in Culpeper County, Virginia, in 1758, William Russell III rode west as a teenager on his father’s 1773 attempt to settle Kentucky—the same trek that ended when James Boone and Henry Russell were killed.
He later served at Kings Mountain as an aide to Col. William Campbell, then settled Fayette County in 1783 on his father’s military land. He sat in Kentucky’s early house, led militia in the Northwest Indian War, and as colonel of the 7th U.S. Infantry fought at Fort Harrison and in the Peoria War. Russell County, Kentucky, is named for him (Russellville honors his father).
Cite this story
Published . Last revised .
Chicago
Snowden, Shannon. "Col. William Russell III." Kentucky History Drive. Published September 17, 2026. Last revised September 24, 2026. https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/col-william-russell-iii/.
MLA
Snowden, Shannon. "Col. William Russell III." Kentucky History Drive, published 17 Sept. 2026, last revised 24 Sept. 2026, https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/col-william-russell-iii/.
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