Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/209

 RUSS

RUSSELL

and by that convention again appointed secretary of war in NoA-ember, 1836, resigning after a short time ; was in command of various expedi- tions against the Indians ; a member of the Texan legislature, and chief-justice of the su- preme court, 1838-42. He was elected major- general of militia, 1843 ; was a delegate to and president of the convention that effected the annexation of Texas to the United States, Dec. 29, 1845, and in the same year elected a U.S. senator. He took his seat, March 6, 1846, and served by two re-elections until ]iis death by his own hand during a temporary condition of in- sanity, caused by the loss of his wife. While in the senate he was chairman of the committee on post-offices and post-roads, and was elected pres- ident ^ro tempore of the senate, March 14, 1857, in special session. He was succeeded as senator by James Pinckney Henderson, who took his seat, March 1, 1858, died the following June 4, and was succeeded by Matthias Ward, who in turn was succeeded, Jan. 4, 1860, by Lewis T. Wigfall, elected by the legislature to complete the term, March 3, 1863. Senator Wigfall left the senate to join the Confederate government, soon after taking his seat. Senator Rusk died at Nacogdoches, Tex., July 29, 1857.

RUSS, John Denison, humanitarian, w^as born in Cliebacco (Essex), Mass., Sept. 1, 1801 ; son of Dr. Parker and Elizabeth (Cogswell) Russ ; grandson of Jonathan (q.v.) and Elizabeth (Wise) Cogswell ; greats-grandson of the Rev. John Wise (q.v.), and a descendant of John Leverett (q.v.), educator. Dr. Parker Russ died when his son was a few years old, leaving him a considerable fortune, and his wife married, secondly, the Rev. Paul Park, and removed to Preston, Conn. John D. Russ was graduated from Yale, A.B., 1823, A.M., 1825, meanwhile studying medicine at Bowdoin college, and in Baltimore, Md., and Boston, Mass. He practised in the hospitals in London and on the continent, 1826, and estab- lished himself in New York city on his return. In June, 1827, he was appointed to take charge of the brig Statesman, sailing from Boston, and freighted with medical and other stores for the suffering Greek patriots. He remained in Greece three years ; founded a hospital at Poros, and projected a still larger one at Hexamelia, Isthmus of Corinth, but illness compelled him to leave the completion of the work to others. As a result of his labors in support of the independ- ence of the Greeks, the Turks placed a price of 20,000 piastres on his head. He returned to the United States in 1830, visiting Malta, Sicily, Italy, and France, en route. During the subsequent cholera epidemic in New York city he was as- sistant-physician at the hospital at Corlear's Hook, N.J. ; was secretary of the contemplated

asylum for the blind in New York city, for which a charter had been obtained in 1829, and in order to excite an interest in the proposed organiza- tion, successfully commenced the instruction of three blind boys from the Alms House, the first attempt of the kind in the United States. He was soon after invited to organize the Institution for the Blind in Boston, but declined, devoting himself gratuitously to the work already under- taken, and inventing, in 1832, a better style of maps than those in use in European schools and a new phonetic alphabet of raised characters. His various inventions and improvements in the system then existing for the education of the blind came into universal use. He resigned the superintendency, and on his return from a third voyage to Europe, devoted his energies to tlie improvement of prison discipline, the amelior- ation of prisoners and the su^jport of convicts after their discharge. He assisted in the organ- ization of the New York Prison association, 1843, serving as its corresponding secretary for many years, and subsequently as vice-president ; was also instrumental in establishing the board of Ten Governors for oversight of the penitentiary and workhouse on BlackwelFs Island ; was a member of the board of education of New York city, 1848-51, and promoter of The Juvenile asy- lum, its secretary, and superintendent, 1851-58. He was married, first, in 1830, to an English lady, a widow, who died in 1860 ; and secondly, in April, 1873, to Elsie, daughter of James Birdsell of Ohio. Dr. Russ died at Hillside Cottage, Pompton, N.J., March 1, 1881.

RUSSELL, Addison Peale, author, was born at Wilmington, Ohio, Sept. 8, 1826 ; son of Charles and Mary (McNabb) Russell ; grandson of AVil- liam and Jane (Sewell) Russell, and of John and Catharine (Warnock) McNabb. His grandfather, William Russell, was a soldier of the American Revolution. His early education was limited to attendance at the common schools of his native village, and apprenticeship to a printer in the office of the Gazette at Zanesville, Ohio, 1842-45. In 1845 he became editor and publisher of the News, a Whig journal issued from Hillsborough, Ohio, and in 1847 he removed to Lebanon, Ohio, where he was connected with the Western Star, 1847-50. He was clerk of the Ohio senate in 1850 ; an editor and half owner of the Clinton Republican, Wilmington, 1852-62 ; representative in the state legislature, 1856-58 ; secretary of state, 1858-62, and financial agent for the state in New York city, 1862-68. Later he became a member of the Authors club, and received the degree of Litt. Doc, from Ohio university at Athens in 1898. He was unmarried. He is the author of: Half Tints; Table D'Hote and Draw- ing-Room (1867); Library Notes (1875; rev. ed.,