Richard Russe was born around 1811 in Missouri. He married a woman named Mary sometime before 1843, and they had at least three children: Kissiah, born around 1843; A. B., born around 1848; and William A., born around 1851. Russe worked as a farmer, and by 1860, he owned $6,400 of real estate and $6,479 of personal property. He died sometime after 1860.