Great-great granddaughters help effort to get fallen Madison officer added to national memorial
HUNTSVILLE – Madison Police Chief David Jernigan said two relatives of the MPD’s only line-of-duty death attended a special memorial celebration Wednesday in Huntsville. The chance meeting was extraordinary since it came weeks after the Huntsville-Madison County Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) sought help from the public to help them uncover information about William Russell Jr, who was killed over a hundred years ago.
“We had something really cool happen at the memorial celebration for the 23 law enforcement officers in Madison County who gave their lives to the protection of our communities,” Chief Jernigan said in a Nextdoor post Thursday. “Our only line-of-duty death for our agency occurred in 1903 when Madison City Constable William A. Russell, Jr. was killed while performing his law enforcement duties. Attending the memorial were two of Constable Russell’s great-great granddaughters, Jenie Haley and Minette Strader. The reside in North Carolina.”
Jernigan said the two women saw a Facebook post about the FOP’s request for public help through WAFF 48 several weeks ago seeking information on Constable Russell’s ancestors.
As president of the FOP, Lt. Danny Shaw with the Madison County Sheriff ’s Office has been working with the MPD to find additional details on Constable Russell and track down his descendants. They hope it will give Constable Russell the national recognition he deserves.
Constable Russell’s name is on the local Madison County Law Enforcement Officer Memorial and the state memorial located in Anniston. He is, however, not on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC.
“We were lacking some ancestry information to make our case for inclusion on the wall possible. It appears now we have the required information to submit for the review committee to consider our case,” Jernigan said. “Lt. Shaw and the FOP are assisting us in the submission for consideration with our aim to have Constable Russell’s name place on the national wall next year in time for 2020 National Police Week.”
Constable Russell succumbed to his injuries sustained when he was struck on the head by a woman, wielding a heavy stick, whom he was attempting to serve court papers. The court papers were the result of the woman failing to pay for furniture.
The woman was charged with murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Constable Russell was a veteran of the Army Confederate States of America and served in the Civil war. He had previously served as a Deputy for the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. He was survived by his wife and six children. He was 65 years old and died on Sunday, November 22, 1903.
Haley and Strader took a tour of downtown Madison before they returned to North Carolina.
“We will continue to maintain a relationship going forward with these fine people and relatives of our only fallen hero,” Jernigan said.
