BROWN, JAMES RUSSELL, was born in Wayne County, Tennessee on 10 June 1893, the son of Isaac T. and Mollie (BASTIN) BROWN. He moved to Lewis County, Tennessee soon after birth. He lived on Cane Creek in Lewis County, Flatrock Community until December 1915 when he moved to Topsy, Wayne County, Tennessee with his father, sister and two brothers.

He served in the US Army as a private in DEV BN, at Capt Gordon, GA. He was scheduled to go to France but had the influenza and his group went without him. When the war was over, he returned to Topsy where he resumed farming. He and his brothers, Grady and Raymond, farmed and operated a grocery store.

Russell married Maude RICKETTS of Hohenwald on 9 Dec 1920. They had five children: Ernest, Dora Etta, Rex, Alberta and Donna.

Russell was a kind, gentle man who loved farming and cared about the welfare of his family, friends and neighbors. He was an elder in the Church of Christ at Topsey and was instrumental in erecting a building for the church which was finished in 1948. He belonged to the American Legion Post at Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. He served as Justice of the Peace for the 6th district for several years.