Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/213

 RUSSELL

RUSSELL

vendty Teaching in England and America (1895 ; translated into German, 1895) ; German Higher Schools ; Hie History, Organization and Methods of Secondary Education in Germaiiy (1899), and many contributions to educational periodicals.

RUSSELL, John Edwards, politician, was born in Greenfield, Mass., Jan. 20, 1834 ; son of John and Juliana (Witraer) Russell ; grandson of John and Electa (Edwards) Russell, and of Abram and Barbara (Everly) Witmer, and a des- cendant of John Russell, who immigrated to Boston in 1634, and later settled in Hadley, Mass., and of his son, Philip, whose brother, the Rev. John Russell, concealed the regicide judges for some years in his house at Hadley. Mr, Russell attended no college, but studied with private instructors under his father's supervision. He was married, March 18, 1856, to Caroline, adopted daughter of John and Zibiah (Bigelow) Nelson of Leicester, Mass., and in 1858, with his wife he traveled in South and Central America. For four years he lived in Nicaragua, studying the early history of Central America. He returned to the United States in 1864, and became inter- ested with Benjamin Holladay in mail transporta- tion west of the Mississippi, and in steamship lines from San Francisco to the north, but in 1867 retired from business life and settled on a small estate in Leicester, Mass., belonging to his wife. He interested himself in travel, study and agriculture, and from 1880 to 1886 was secretary of the state board of agriculture, lecturing to farmers' gatherings in all parts of the state. He was a Democratic representative from the tenth Massachusetts district in the 50th congress, 1887- 89, served on the committees on foreign affairs and on pensions, and identified himself with the incipient free-trade movement. He refused a re-nomination to congress, but took an active part in the presidential campaign of 1888. In 1889-90 he traveled in Egypt, Asia Minor and Greece, refused the Democratic nomination for governor of Massachusetts, but presided at the state convention and was active in the campaign. He was a delegate-at-large to the Democratic naHonal convention at Chicago in 1892 that nom- inated Cleveland and Stevenson ; participated in the following campaign, and later declined the navy portfolio and the embassy to Italy. He visited Spain in 1893, and that fall was Demo- cratic candidate for governor. He was appointed by President Cleveland in 1895 one of the three persons authorized by an act of congress to con- fer with a similar commission appointed by the Dominion of Canada, to make inquiry and report on the feasibility of a canal for ocean commerce between the Atlantic and the Great Lakes. Mr. Russell was elected secretary of the commission, and made their report which was the basis of

congressional action. The commission served without compensation.

RUSSELL, John Henry, naval oflScer, was born in Frederick city, Md., July 4, 1827. He was warranted midshipman, Sept. 10, 1841 ; was attached to the sloop Cyane of the Pacific squad- ron, 1841-43 : and served on the St. Mary's in the Gulf of Mexico, 1844-47, taking part in the capture of Corpus Christi, and in the blockade and capture of Vera Cruz. He was promoted passed midshipman, Aug. 10, 1847, and was graduated from the U.S. Naval academy in 1848. He was assigned to the North Pacific exploring expedition, 1853-56, as acting lieutenant and navigator, where he secured an official audience for the American and British envoys with the Chinese authorities. He was promoted master, Sept. 14, and lieutenant, Sept. 15, 1855, and was on ordnance duty in the Washington navy yard 1860-61. He was sent to the Norfolk navy yard, April 28, 1861, to prevent the Confederates from capturing the vessels stationed there ; was attach- ed to the frigate Colorado off Pensacola, Fla., the same year, and on Sept. 14, commanded a night expedition composed of 100 men in four boats, which cut out and destroyed the Confederate armed schooner Judah, moored to a wharf at the Pensacola navy yard under protection of a battery of columbiads. For this service Lieutenant Rus- sell received thanks from President Lincoln, from the state of Maryland, and from the navy department. He commanded the steamer Ken- nebec, in Admiral Farragut's squadron ; took part in the bombardment of the forts below New Orleans, and was commissioned lieutenant-com- mander, July 16, 1862. He was on ordnance duty at Washington, D.C., in 1864; commanded the sloop Cyane of the Pacific squadron, 1864-65 ; was promoted commander, Jan. 28, 1867 ; com- manded the steamer Ossipee, 1869-71, and res- cued the passen- gers and crew of the Pacific mail steamer Contine7ital dur- ing a gale in «J-SS. oss.pee. September, 1869. He was promoted captain, Feb. 12, 1874, and while in command of the sloop Ply- mouth in 1875, he saved the vessels of the North Atlantic squadron from an epidemic of yellow fever at Key West. He commanded the steamer Powhatan, on special service, 1876-77; was pro- moted commodore, Oct. 30, 1883 ; was in com- mand of the Mare Island navy yard. 1883-86 ; was promoted rear admiral, March 4, 1886, and was retired at his own request, Aug. 27, 1886. He died in Washington, D.C., April 1, 1897.