Jay H. Russell Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1084-1085 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm


				JAY H. RUSSELL. 

	Jay H. Russell, occupying the position of sheriff of Marshall 
county, maintaining his residence in Britton, was born in Battle Creek, 
Michigan, November 20, 1868, a son of William and Caroline M. (Cole) 
Russell. The father was born in Findlay, Ohio, in 1837, and was a son 
of Thomas Russell, a native of Ireland, who in early manhood came to 
the United States and died in Ohio, where he had followed the 
occupation of farming. The maternal grandfather was Levi Cole and that 
family is of Scotch and English descent. William Russell was born in 
Findlay, Ohio, in 1837, and was educated in the University of Michigan 
and in an allopathic medical school of Cincinnati, after which he 
attended the Bellevue Hospital Medical College of New York city. He 
became a strong believer of homeopathy, which he utilized in his
practice. He entered upon the active work of his profession at Battle 
Creek, Michigan, and for twelve years was a physician and surgeon at 
the Battle Creek Sanitarium. In 1882 he removed to Minneapolis, where 
he conducted a hospital for a number of years, and it was he who 
established the Finsen light for the treatment of skin diseases and 
cancer. This was the second one established in the United States. He 
won a well earned reputation for ability in his chosen profession and 
his death was the occasion of deep regret, for he passed away in 1910. 
His wife, who was born in Wisconsin, survives. He was a member of the 
Unitarian church, as is his wife, and he gave his political allegiance 
to the republican party. To Dr. and Mrs. Russell were born nine 
children, two of whom are yet living, namely Mrs. F. D. Dassett, whose 
husband is the proprietor of a meat market in Minneapolis; and Jay H., 
of this review. 

	In the schools of Battle Creek, Michigan, Jay H. Russell pursued 
his early education and afterward continued his studies at Ann Arbor, 
that state. He entered the workaday world as an employee in a candy 
factory, where he remained for a brief period, after which he began to 
handle live stock, continuing in that business in Minneapolis for some 
time. For four years he was a railroad conductor running out of 
Minneapolis and he ran the first electric street car in that city. For 
a number of years he sold horses for the street car company and 
disposed of most of their horses after the system was changed to an 
electric line. In 1899 he arrived in Marshall county, where he opened a 
meat market and also dealt in live stock. For three years he conducted 
the meat market, after which he sold out and concentrated his efforts 
upon the business of buying cattle. He now owns two hundred and thirty 
acres of well improved farm land and has upon it a large number of 
cows, horses and other stock. 

	On the 5th of August, 1903, Mr. Russell was united in marriage to 
Miss Alma M. Applin, a native of Grundy county, Illinois, and a 
daughter of Bates Applin. 

	Mr. Russell has voted with the republican party since age 
conferred upon him the right of franchise and upon that ticket he was 
elected to the office of county sheriff in 1912. He discharged his 
duties without fear or favor, making a creditable record, and his 
fellow townsmen appreciative of his ability and loyalty, reelected him 
in 1914. A member of the Masonic fraternity, he has taken the degrees 
of the lodge and chapter, of the Scottish Rite consistory at Aberdeen 
and of the Mystic Shrine at that place. His wife is a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal church. An analyzation of the life work of Mr. 
Russell indicates what may be accomplished when ambition points out the 
way He has displayed unfaltering energy at every point in his career, 
making good use of his time and opportunities and guiding his business 
dealings according to a high standard of business principles.