BIOGRAPHIES: Patrick RUSSELL, Oak Grove Township, Barron Co., WI *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. Submitted by: Vic Gulickson 24 February 2004 *********************************************************************** Patrick Russell was one of the early settlers in this northern part of Barron County. He came here in the late sixties and took a claim of 160 acres in Section 26, Oak Grove Township. It is difficult for the present generation, looking out upon this prosperous farming country, to realize how wild the region then was. Great forests stretched to the north, south, east and west, in which roamed almost undisturbed the beasts of the woods, and where camped the Indians who still considered that their rights to occupy the land were still undisturbed, though their actual ownership had long since passed away. There were a few lumber camps here and there, and desolate stretches of stump and brush which showed where lumber camps had previously existed. There were few roads, almost all the traffic being over the "tote roads" of the loggers. Settlers were few and far between, and these few who had had the courage to locate in the wilds were living in log cabins, without comforts, and by the hardest kind of work and the most stringent of privations, were endeavoring to establish for themselves and their children a prosperous farm. Mr. Russell was a useful man for such a community, and he soon became a real leader among his fellows. The log cabin in which he first lived is still standing, and with it the brick chimney, which was the first of its kind in the township, possibly in the whole northern part of the county. By hard work he gradually cleared the land, and each year added to his prosperity. He was known far and wide among the pioneers as a breeder and breaker of oxen, and some years he had two pair to sell, a fact which won for him the gratitude of the neighbors, as oxen were few and yet were almost indispensable for pioneer endeavor in that region. As a public official, Mr. Russell helped to survey and build some of the first roads in the township. Year by year his hard work showed results, and in time he was enabled to erect a fine set of modern buildings. He was still hale and hearty at 72, when he died Jan. 26, 1912. In his passing the town lost a valued citizen and his family lost a good husband and father. Mr. Russell was born in Ireland Oct. 18, 1840, and was brought to Canada by his parents when he was about five years old. He was reared in Canada, and devoted his youth to farming and working in the woods. Going to the vicinity of New York, he was for some time engaged in that locality in the lumber business with a brother. In 1863 he came to Wisconsin and located at Chippewa Falls, where he worked in the lumber woods for a few years before coming to Barron County to live. He was married, Sept. 17, 1863, to Catherine Murphy, who was born in Canada, Dec. 25, 1850. This union has resulted in eleven children: Catherine, John W., James M., Charles A., Marie, Margaret, Anna, Beth, George J., Sadie and William A. After Mr. Russell's death, two of the sons, George J. and Charles A. became managers of the place for their mother. They are both substantial and solid men, thoroughly versed in farming, and are already among the leading agriculturists of the township. They have continued the work of their father and added to the farm improvements. In 1914 they erected a large modern dairy barn, With full Star equipment. They carry on mixed farming and dairying, and have a good herd of Durhams with full blooded sires at its head. The family faith is that of the Roman Catholic Church. --Transcribed from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co., 1922, pp. 334-335. © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm