Obituary: Adams County, Wisconsin: John RUSSELL ************************************************************************ Submitted by Joan Benner, May 2005 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ From the Adams County Press, Saturday 5 March 1898, Page 5 DIED SUDDENLY--On Sunday morning, February 19th, John RUSSELL, one of the earlier settlers of Big Spring, in the Town of New Haven in this county, was found dead. His death is supposed to have resulted from heart failure. Mr. RUSSELL was born at Arbroth, Farfarshire, Scotland, April 10th, 1820. Came to America in 1842, and settled first in Oneida County, New York. In 1853 he came to Wisconsin and settled at Big Spring in this county. He was appointed by President Buchanan's administration postmaster at that place in 1857, and held the position through successive administrations until he entered the Union army in August, 1864, as a member of Company K, 43rd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. At the close of the War of the Rebellion in 1865, he received an honorable discharge from the service and returned home, and the same year was again appointed postmaster at Big Spring, and, with an interim of about five years, held the position to the time of his death. He was postmaster for about thrity-five years, total. The funeral was held at the Congregational Church in Big Spring, on Wednesday last week. From the Mirror-Gazette we take the following account of the services: "All that was mortal of John RUSSELL, of Big Spring, was borne to the grave by his neighbors, escorted by John Gillespie Post, G. A. R., of Kilbourn, of which he was a member, and also members of W. J. Kershaw Post of Briggsville. After a prayer at the house the casket was taken in charge by his comrades of the Grand Army and escorted to the Congregational Church, where was assembled more of his old friends than could get in the church. The casket rested before the altar, the flag draped and in charge of a color bearer at the head and a sentinel in uniform at the foot. A deacon's chair, emblem of the deceased's office, draped and bearing a laurel wreath, stood before the casket. After a song, Rev. J. W. Hadden delivered a touching and eloquent eulogy of Mr. RUSSELL. Mr. Hadden was a former pastor of that church, and a warm friend of the deceased, and his voice was often broken and tears stood on his cheeks. A special Grand Army service was conducted in the church by Commander J. E. Jones and Adjutant Emmet Bullis, of John Gillespie Post, Kilbourn. After the exercises at the church the large assembly of people escorted the remains to the cemetery, where they were buried according to the rites of the Grand Army.