Genesee County MI Archives Biographies.....Russell, Edwin A. 1848 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 11, 2007, 4:43 pm Author: Chapman Bros. (1892) EDWlN A. RUSSELL. Stock-raising is one of the prominent industries of Michigan, and it is with interest we record the life story of one who has made this branch of agriculture quite notable in Genesee Township, Genesee County. Mr. Russell, whose fine farm is situated on section 30, was born on the farm where he now resides June 25, 1848. Rensselaer County, N. Y. is the native home of his father, J. C. Russell, and he was born there in 1810, and there remained until he came to Michigan in 1838, first locating in Livingston County, thence coming to Genesee County, effecting an exchange of property between his Livingston farm and this one where his son now resides. He was well known throughout the county as a fine judge of horses, and he was an extensive dealer in them besides doing general farming. He died April 16, 1890, and was the son of Howland Russell, a native of Massachusetts. He was a Democrat in his political views and held various local offices. Eliza A. Lane was the maiden name of the 1 mother of our subject, and she was born in Yorktown, N. Y., November 18, 1817, and is still living. Her father, A. C. Lane, a Connecticut man, was born March 30, 1788, and her mother, Ellis I Scofield, had her nativity in North Sanford County, Conn., October 24, 1791. The mother of our subject is now seventy-four years old. The Russell family traces its lineage back to an English representative of the family. The earliest schooling of our subject was in the district schools of his native place and he finished his studies at Flint, Mich., remaining with his father until he had reached the age of twenty-five years, when he started in the stock business on a small scale, which he has augmented from time to time until he is now one of the largest stock-dealers in the country. In 1889 he had one hundred head of horses feeding on his farm, and he took some fine horses to Oregon, bringing back four carloads of Oregon horses. He bought shelled corn by the carload to feed them, and sold sixty-five head in one day at an auction, the largest auction sale of horses ever made in one day in the county-this was in February, 1889. He handles as many as five thousand sheep during one season, while at the same time he ships horses and cattle, and sold one horse this year for $1,000. Upon his one hundred and fifty acres of well-improved land he is doing a general farming business. He also has mining stock in Colorado, near Georgetown. Mr. Russell was married April 28, 1871, to Mary M. Selleck, daughter of James Selleck, of Oakland County. This lady was born November 30, 1851, and is the mother of two children-Mabel and James Floyd. Mr. Russel is a Democrat in his politicr and was Township Treasurer for two years and School Director for two years. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and of the Royal Arcanum. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of the Presidents of the United States Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1892 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/genesee/bios/russell775gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 3.7 Kb