The Root family originated in England. The lineage of the Roots which migrated to America were doctors for many centuries. Each doctor taught his son the art of making medicines and doctoring.  One Root was a member of Parliament when Cromwell was raising an army to fight Catholics. Root was requested to join, but although he was a Protestant he was against fighting. He resigned from Parliament and three of the Root families moved to Holland. They came to America in 1640 landing at Plymouth rock. They settled in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Dr. Anson Root III had ten children. Two of the daughters would search the forests for roots, herbs and plants needed for medicines. This was during the "witchcraft" era and the girls were accused of being witches. One was burned at the stake. the other was put into stocks and died as her legs and arms were torn from her body. Dr. Root then moved to Ohio and later to Michigan Two of his children, Anson Levinas and Sally Brooks, became doctors. Anson Levinas married Elizabeth Robe. Their children were Byron Almon, Russell Dayton, Martha Medora, and Ada Adaline. This family with ten other Root families came to Nebraska and settled in Cass County during 1872. They were a clannish people and moved as a unit.

Byron married while in Michigan. His son Benjamin became a doctor. Russell married Sarah Ellen Corns in June 1876. She had come to Nebraska with her parents in 1866. Russell and Sarah had two sons when Russell decided to be a doctor. He had driven for his father and learned a great deal by watching his father treat patients. He and his family moved to Omaha in 1880 for a three year medical course. Russell attended the new school established by Dr. Ed Creighton. He graduated with extra credits. While in Omaha the Roots had another son, Albert Root, November 28, 1881.

When Cheyenne County opened to homesteaders, the Root clan decided to come to Big Springs. Homesteads were taken by Anson L. Root, his brother Charles Root, Anson's children, Byron, Dr. Russell, Doris and her husband George Shirley, Charles' children, John, Luella and husband Phil Christ, Martha and husband Dennis Pottenger, Lurinda and husband David Foltz, Homer Abels and Em Shirley. Several others decided it was too dry and went back to Cass County. Dr. Anson took a tree claim and planted 100 trees. Dr. Russell took a homestead eight miles north of Big Springs, just north of his father's place. The rest of the families also had claims close by.

Dr. Russell plowed up ten acres then went back to Cass County for his family. Madge was still a small baby so they decided to wait until she was a year old to move. They packed their covered wagon in July 1885 and started west. Dora and George Shirley came with them. When they camped at O'Fallons George fed the horses too many oats and floundered them. The Shirleys had to be on their homestead by September 9th so they took a train to Big Springs. On their arrival Mrs. Phelps took them to George Thompson's little house and they slept on the floor. The next morning Thompson took them out to their claim. A week later Dr. Russell decided the horses were well enough to travel. On their arrival Mrs. Phelps informed the doctor that his brother-in-law had left for O'Fallons to bring them to Big Springs and had evidently missed them along the way. Dr. Russell took a train to catch his brother-in-law. He saw his wagon near Paxton so got off the train and stopped him, then they returned to Big Springs. The next morning Dr. Russell filled two large barrels with water from the big west spring and headed for the homestead. They had just staked out the horses and were measuring for a dugout when Dave Foltz came for him. Esther Foltz was in labor and had been very ill for two days. Mrs. Root, Alla, Loren, Albert and Madge were left alone. Mrs. Root was frightened all night because there were still Indian scares in the area. Also there were no roads so it was easy to get turned around and lost on the prairie.

Mrs. Root and the children worked as fast as they could on the dugout, but Dr. Russell was gone so often on sick calls he could help but very little. The neighbors gathered and helped finish the house. Fern was born there January 14, 1887. A severe storm blew in about six weeks later. Aunt Eliza Root went outdoors to fasten clothes to the line from their house to the barn so they could go between without getting lost. the rope was frozen to the ground. While struggling to free it she had a cerebral hemorrhage. She managed to return to the house. Her husband, Byron caught her as she collapsed. Their son Benjamin jumped on a horse and went for Dr. Russell. But Eliza could not be saved and Dr. Russell went into town to telegraph her relatives of her death. The storm became so bad that he had to stay there three days, then the relation arrived. Mrs. Phelps told them if they couldn't make it to Root's place to stop at the Phelps' homestead three miles north of town. They began in the morning. They had to dig through snow most of the way and didn't arrive at the Phelps' until evening. Next day they buried Eliza in the yard where her body lay for thirty three years before Benjamin had it moved to the Big Springs Cemetery.

Life was difficult for Dr. Russell's wife Sarah, particularly because he was away so often. There were times when the family would be without water as it was hauled from Big Springs or Spring Canyon. Alla and Loren attended school at Mrs. Waterman's sod house. After Dr. Russell proved up on his claim in 1889 he sold it to Anna Muller and moved his family to property a mile east of town across from the South Platte River bridge. A short time prior to this the Indians were coming down from South Dakota and the Government feared that they were on the war path. A long freight train was set on the track at Big Springs to evacuate the area. Most people packed their belongings ready to leave. Dr. Russell did not tell his wife about the danger. The neighbors said they would help her if there proved any real danger. Dr. Russell had to go over to the North Platte River on a sick call right where the Indians were. They were just hunting and did not molest anyone. A week or so after the train left, one of the neighbors mentioned it to Mrs. Root so she was glad to move closer to town.

About that time Cheyenne County divided into four counties. Deuel was the largest counties and Chappell was appointed temporary county seat until and election could be held. This created quite a battle between Chappell, Big Springs, Froid with one building, and Deuel City, a mile north of Julesburg which was an imaginary  town, supported by the Julesburg paper. On election day 3,000 ballots were distributed among the polling places. Big Springs found out that Chappell had brought in a railroad car of people from the east to vote in their favor. So Big Springs began stuffing the ballot box using names of relatives, dead and alive and names from Chicago and Boston directories. When they ran out of ballots they had 3,000 more printed in Ogallala. When it was time to take the ballots to Chappell, the people chose Dr. Russell, who was six foot 4 inches tall and weighed around 425 pounds, and Mr. Day who was a very small man. They dressed in big cowboy hats, belts and guns. They spliced belts to go around Dr. Russell. Ed Phelps Sr. accompanied them as Judge. Charlie White later reported that they had great fun dressing Dr. Root and Day and the contrast was so great they all laughed until they were about sick. It was all so funny. There were over 5,000 ballots in the bags. When the votes were counted Big Springs was the winner and the County Clerk took his records and boarded the train for Big Springs. The next day Chappell contested the election. Chappell won at the next meeting. February 17, when Big Springs won the first election, another Root boy was born. His father named him Victor in honor of the occasion.

Day had been running the Big Springs Journal for several years when Dr. Russell purchased it. The Roots bought a house from Vandercamp and moved to town just east of the Plummer Hotel across from the present library. Dr. Root advertised for the Railroad and promoted this area so successfully that in 1890 the Railroad gave him tow beautiful etchings which are now the property of Madge Watson.

Dottie Russell was born in December, 1891. Dr. Anson Root came to visit in 1893 and brought a suitcase full of apples, and were they a treat! After he returned to Elmwood he became very sick and Dr. Russell was requested to go to him at once. Mrs. Root and the younger children went along. Lurinda Allen stayed with the three boys. Dr. Anson's condition had not much improved during the next month. Dr. Russell had taken over his father's medical practice. Anson begged Dr. Russell to stay, so Russell came back to Big Springs, packed up and moved his printing outfit and household goods to Elmwood. A few days later Anson died.

Dr. Russell's children had never had any diseases, but soon began to gave one after another, scarlatina, diphtheria, black measles and erysipelas which often accompanied the measles. Nine of the Root children had erysipelas at once. Dr. Russell and his wife didn't change clothes for three weeks they were so busy taking care of their sick family. Dottie died and had to be buried that same afternoon. Some neighbors who were just over the measles came in to see Dottie. They were coming down with the whooping cough and the Root children took that. This cough was added to the re measles cough. Mumps came next. Madge took cold with the mumps and for along time her neck was so swollen she could hardly talk. Her father painted her neck with iodine every day. The lumps finally began to leave. Then typhoid, ague and other diseases kept expenses high. Hardly anyone had money to pay a doctor. Their main income was corn at 10 cents a bushel or sorghum for molasses. Corn meal, corn bread, mush and fried mush was the Roots' daily menu one whole winter. Ivan and Dewey were born and Donny died during this time. Root wanted so much to move back to Big Springs but had no money to travel on. Then May Nielson became very sick and Nielson sent Root the fare to Big Springs. Dr. Russell came and the residents said if he would send for his family they would finance their trip. Dr. Root rented a house north of the Phelps Hotel. Boxes were used for a bed and chairs. The children slept on the floor until their furniture arrived. They later moved into the Jimmie Morris rental property across the tracks. They lived there until 1907 when they bought the Moran property and had an addition built onto it.

Madge married Victor Miller August 4, 1907, and they moved onto her homestead just north of Big Springs. He died July 23, 1935. Madge remarried in 1942. Her second husband, Bud Watson, died in 1949. Fern married Dave Cruickshank in February, 1905/ He died in February, 1969, and she still lives in their Big Springs home. August 13, 1907 Loren married Blanch Steward. He taught school at Day, Lewellen, Chappell and Oshkosh. He took a homestead two miles east of Big Springs. While there he taught the Cruickshank school, then Cottonwood Corner School and later in the Big Springs schools. He left here to teach in Colorado where he was a county superintendent several years. He died October 2, 1960. Alla worked most of his life on the railroads. He died May 30, 1950. Albert died July 31, 1951, on Alla's birthdate. Ivan was gassed in World War I which left him in ill health. He and Ida Skinner were married in 1920 and reside in Big Springs. Dr. Russell Root died January 8, 1925 following a washout accident on a trip to Lewellen. His wife Sarah died September 8, 1942 at age 83.