Wood County, West Virginia Biography of H. W. RUSSELL ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Nancy Taylor ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, pgs. 432 H. W. RUSSELL has been an active member of the Parkersburg bar for twenty years, has also acquired interests that identify him with commercial affairs here, and he has been honored highly by local bodies of Masonry. Mr. Russell was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, July 21, 1878. His grandfather, Alexander Russell, was born in the same section of Chester County April 15, 1780. He was a Presbyterian and spent his active life engaged in farming. In 1814 he married Hannah Dickey, who was born in 1798 and died in 1883. The youngest of their children was William C. Russell, who was born in Chester County and was also satisfied with farming as a life occupation. He died in May, 1903. September 4, 1866, he married Jennie Bunting, who was born in Chester County in 1849 and died March 4, 1912. Her father was Horatio A. Bunting. Second among the three children of his parents, Horatio W. Russell grew upon the home farm in Chester County, attended township schools and in the fall of 1892 entered the senior class of the high school at Oxford, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1893. Then followed two years in the Oxford Academy, and in 1898 he received his A. B. degree from Lincoln University.. The same year he entered the Dickinson School of Law at Carlisle, and was graduated in June, 1900. Though admitted to the Pennsylvania bar, he did not practice in his native state, but in March, 1901, removed to Parkersburg, where his influence as a lawyer and citizen has been steadily rising. In 1911 he formed a law partnership with Charles A. Kreps, under the firm name of Kreps & Russell. Mr. Russell is a director of the Graham-Bumgarner Company and of the Acme Fishing Tool Company. To law and business he has given his time and abilities without reserve, and has not been in politics beyond voting as a republican. He is of the same religious faith as his ancestors, a Presbyterian, is a member of the Parkersburg Country Club, and is affiliated with the Odd Fellows, Elks and a member of all the York Rite bodies of Masonry at Parkersburg. In 1920 he had the honor of serving Jerusalem Chapter No. 3, R. A. M., as high priest, and during 1920-21 was eminent commander of Calvary Comandery No. 3, K. T. On September 16, 1903, Mr. Russell married Carrye A. Stevenson, daughter of Orlando and Flora V. (Baker) Stevenson, and a granddaughter of Governor William E. Stevenson of West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Russell have two daughters, Mary Constance and Ruth Stevenson.