This material is a proposed chapter for a future book on the History
of the Russell family.
As
with the previous extract (see post from January 28) comments are welcome,
either here or send back-channel to Jerome.
The
Aunt Sarah document that is the starting point for this article can be examined
here in an earlier draft of this material:
https://truthhistory.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-russell-family-tree.html
James was the oldest of the ten children
of James Russell and Fannie Grier who survived to adulthood, and was born
c.1796. His register of death from 1847 simply states that he came from
Ireland. He will have been one of the first to go to America if not THE first,
paving the way for others. His history, as given by Aunt Sarah, suggests a
possible trail-blazer, a patriarch of the family, but he ended up in Pittsburgh
and died comparatively young, five years before CTR was born. Aunt Sarah tells
us that James married Sarah Ann Risk. We learn elsewhere in the document that
the Risk family were Episcopalians in Faun, Ireland (which is most likely Fahan
in County Donegal), and father George Risk (married to a Sarah) was an excise
officer. We also note from the history of Alexander Russell, who we will come
to later, but who married Sarah Ann’s sister, Margaret, that James and Sarah
were already a married couple in America in Elmwood Hill, New York, by 1832.
James’ history gives a field for more research.
Quoting directly from Aunt Sarah:
“James
was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, conducted his Collegiate and
Commercial Institute at Elmwood Hill, Bloomingdale, N.Y. now included in
Central Park near West 103rd Street.”
So he started his education in Dublin but then
“conducted” an institute in New York.
Trinity College, Dublin, was founded in
1592. Famous alumni include James Ussher (he of Bible chronology), literary
figures like Jonathan Swift, Oliver Goldsmith and later Oscar Wilde,
philosophers like Edmund Burke, and statesmen like Eamon de Valera. it was
specifically founded as an educational institution for Protestants who
supported the established church. That meant Anglicans; non-conformists like
Presbyterians would have issues. However,
James was to take the faith of his wife and her family and become Episcopalian.
As for Roman Catholics, they were basically barred by a required oath until
1793. Matters were then relaxed somewhat and religious tests were abolished by
Act of Parliament in 1873, at which point the Irish Catholic Bishops banned
their flock from enrolling. The matter was not finally resolved until 1970.
By the time James enrolled Protestants of
all shapes and sizes could attend. The original emphasis on theology gradually
broadened to include a whole range of subjects, including mathematics,
medicine, law, science and engineering.
The enrolment records for Trinity have
survived. Examining lists of those who enrolled between 1803 and 1829 (which
are in two volumes covering 1803-1814, 1815-1829) there are twenty Russells in
total on the books – but only one James.
This solitary James was entered for
enrolment on 3 November 1823 and “put on the books” as the register puts it, on
22 November 1823. His tutor is listed as W. Harte.
At this time, if this was OUR James he
would have been in his late twenties. One might expect the James Russell in
Aunt Sarah’s account to have attended college a little earlier in life.
However, this is the only James found in extant enrolment records for Trinity
College, and they do appear to be very comprehensive. It seems likely that
James returned to Ireland from America for a short while for some of his education.
As we will see when discussing Alexander Turney Stewart in the chapter on
Charles Tays Russell, some people did travel back and forth across the Atlantic
at this time if they had good enough reason to do so.
According to Aunt Sarah the institute that
James was involved with was called the Collegiate
and Commercial Institute at Elmwood Hill, Bloomingdale, New York. There
were some name changes over two decades but always with James G Russell at the
helm.
The New York papers, particularly The Evening Post ran a prospectus and
advertisement for this for a good number of years. On the next page is one
example, taken from the paper for 10 September 1835. As the reproduction is
quite small, the details will be reviewed on following pages.
The school had been established at its
present location for the past eight years. That would take us back to around
1827.
It was a boarding school for young boys.
There were four classes covering four years, and the wide range of subjects
included: Spelling, Reading, Writing, Mathematics (including book-keeping),
Geography, Elocution, Mythology, Astronomy, and History (particularly of the
United States). If a young person stayed to the final year they could enjoy:
“Logic, Belle Lettres, Natural and Moral
Philosophy, Chymistry (sic), Political Economy, with an explanation of the
Constitution of the United States, and of the State of New York.”
There were extra charges for those who
needed Greek, Latin, French, Spanish and Drawing. The terms per annum were not
cheap but did include “Board, Tuition, Washing and Mending.”
To offer these services for four classes,
which one assumes ran concurrently, would require the hiring of staff.
The principal (James G Russell of Elmwood
Hill) explained the regime:
“It
is exclusively a Boarding School; and no pupils are admitted but such as will
board and reside in the family, and under the constant supervision of the
principal, and pursue the prescribed course under his immediate direction. The
discipline of the school is mild and parental, but sufficiently energetick
(sic) to secure the performance of the prescribed duties; but it has been a
favourite object to dispense with corporeal punishment, and substitute the
incentive of emulation, a sense of honour, duty and propriety. Principles of
piety and morality are constantly inculcated without interfering with the
tenets of any particular sect. The family of the principal, and the pupils,
attend the Episcopal Church.”
It noted in passing that “a small item is
charged for pew rent.”
One trusts that this was a step-up from
Dotheboys Hall in Charles Dickens’ Nicholas
Nickleby.
Of particular interest is the announcement
that ran at the end of the advertisement for many years that those who wanted a
prospectus or more information could obtain such from Messrs. A.T. Stewart and
Co., 257 Broadway. We will see when discussing Charles Tays Russell that his
obituary has him working either with or for Stewart when he came to America.
There was obviously a long connection between Alexander Turney Stewart and some
of the Russell family, even if we can’t join all the dots today.
The advertisements for a New York boarding
school featuring James G Russell go right back to 1820. James would have been
about 25 years old at the time.
The first known appearance of James was in
The Evening Post for 9 June 1820.
The heading was ACADEMY AT STATEN ISLAND
and it announced its opening. It offered the usual subjects and noted that:
“A
limited number of young gentlemen, not exceeding 12 years of age, can be
accommodated with boarding, washing and mending in the family of the teacher.”
The location was on the northeast side of
Staten Island. James’ hype concluded:
The
local situation of the academy, in point of beauty, convenience, and salubrity
of air, is surpassed by none. The subscriber flatters himself that the above
advantages, joined to his own exertions, to promote the improvement and
regulate the morals of those committed to his care, shall entitle him to a
share of the public patronage.”
It was signed JAMES G. RUSSELL and had
references from a Naval Officer and two Health Officers.
It looked very much like a start-up
operation. However, the date does suggest that James was the first of his
generation to travel to America, therefore able to help younger family members
when they arrived. Charles Tays Russell, for example, was only about 16 years
old when he made the trip in 1822.
By 1824 James’s Academy had moved to the
“rear of the Dutch Church” and was advertised as a “Boarding School at
Bloomingdale.” (The Evening Post for
7 May 1924; unless otherwise indicated, all further references to James’ school
will be from this paper).
In 1825 (9 May 1825) it was “J. G. Russell’s
Boarding School” which was “now open for the accommodation of six or eight
young Gentlemen.”
The advertisements then disappeared for
nearly two years, which may supports the assumption that James went back to the
old country to do courses at Trinity College, Dublin.
When James reappeared in 1827 (3 April
1827) he announced a relocation of his Boarding school, and revealed his
“object is to establish a s elect
school, exclusively for boarders, the number of whom is limited to 20.”
The idea of the school being “select” –
with a specific class of clientele as a target – comes over in the promise:
“French
and Spanish are taught by a highly approved teacher, who is detained as a
permanent resident in the family, with a view to render the French, as much as
practicable, the language of the family.”
Again, it sounds very much like a start-up
venture, or a re-start-up. It ties in with his 1935 announcement (already
reviewed) that the school had operated in its present form for the past eight years.
By 1930 (27 November 1830) it had become
ELMWOOD HILL JUVENILE INSTITUTE with
James G, Russell as principal, and was now linked to Mr A T Stewart’s premises
at 257 Broadway.
The 1931 advertisement (28 May 1831) show
the number accommodated to have risen to about 40, with extensive enlargements
underway to expand further. By now it sounds like a success story.
In 1932 (21 September 1832) the name
changed again Now it was ELMWOOD HILL BOARDING SCHOOL (Six miles from City
Hall, New York). James noted for prospective new clients:
“The
number of pupils and limited and select, and none are admitted but such as
reside with the family of the principal, with whom they fare at a common board,
and by whom they are treated in all respects as children in a well regulated
and Christian family.”
By 1834 (6 August 1834), yet more
improvements to the buildings made it possible to expand the business and
accommodate additional pupils. Circulars with more information were still
available from A T Stewart’s emporium.
The 1835 advertisement has already been
reproduced in full and discussed above. By now the name Aunt Sarah remembered,
ELMWOOD HILL COLLEGIATE AND COMMERCIAL INSTITUTE was featured and remained in
place (with just one slight tweak) for the rest of its history.
So James G
Russell’s Collegiate and Commerical Institute was a success story,
pitching its services to the wealthier classes who could afford the ever
increasing fees.
As noted earlier, Aunt Sarah’s source
document gave a brief snapshot for James in 1832. He is well established in
America, married to his own Sarah and living in Elmwood Hill, New York. Aunt
Sarah records that:
“James
and Sarah having no children ‘adopted’ Thomas Russell, son of (his brother)
Alexander.”
This Thomas Russell was born in 1833.
It would appear that young Thomas joined
the family of boarders at the Elmwood Hill School.
James’ history leaves a number of
questions for which we may never have the answers. Why did he start a Boarding
school in 1920? Why was it in New York? Once the school was up and running it
should have been quite profitable, but how was he able to fund such a venture
initially?
It all seems to have come to an abrupt end
in 1840. The advertisements for the Elmwood establishment suddenly disappeared
in May 1840, never to return.
The final advertisement had a slight
change of title:
The reference to “the last ten years”
suggests yet another change of venue from back in 1830. As always, more information
was available from A T Stewart’s.
But for all its appearance of a
flourishing going concern, that was it.
What happened next we do not know. We
assume this might be when James and Sarah moved from New York to Pittsburgh, to
join his younger brother, Charles Tays. We don’t know why they moved and we
don’t know what they did when they got there. Was the master plan to start
another school, or did James just work for his brother? We do know that he and
Sarah returned to New York at one point but both were to die in the Pittsburgh area.
As far as Pittsburgh was concerned, the first
fairly positive sighting of James was in 1843.
On Monday, 16 October 1843 The Pittsburgh Daily Post newspaper
published a list of letters waiting at the Post Office for collection. It was a
new feature of the newspaper that, regrettably for researchers, had only
started that year.
In the paper for 16 October, and repeated
over the next two days, there was a letter waiting for James.
We can reasonably assume this is the James
who is married to Sarah. Next to him in the list, also with a letter to
collect, is his brother, Joceph (sic) L(ytle) Russell. A few weeks later in the
issue for 18 November 1843 the list included Charles T(ays) Russell, so it
appears that all three brothers were in Pittsburgh together by 1843. We will
return to Joseph and Charles later.
James evidently intended Pittsburgh to be
became a permanent home because in 1846 he bought one of the first grave plots
to go on the market in the new Allegheny Cemetery. He obviously had sufficient
funds to do this. He and his extended family were going to stay there. Forever.
Literally.
However, before this happened, there was
one final try back in New York. From The
Evening Post for 2 October 1845.
James called himself “a graduate of a
distinguished University” and offered accommodation for six boys in his own
home at 227 Fulton Street, Brooklyn. It was almost a repeat of his first
advertisement back in 1820. And the contact for more information was still A T
Stewart and Co., Broadway, NY.
It may be that declining health for both
James and Sarah was why this last try was short lived. Within a little over a
year Sarah would be dead, and in a little over two years, so would James. They
would die in the Pittsburgh area and be buried in the plot James had bought in
1846 at the Allegheny Cemetery.
Insert material on the Allegheny cemetery and the Russell family
plot. Adapted from:
https://truthhistory.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-russells-and-allegheny-cemetery.html
The Allegheny Cemetery charter laid down
strict legal provisions for inheritance of family plots. They would first go to
children (James and Sarah did not have any) then to parents (who are assumed to
be long dead in the old country), and then to brothers and sisters. Over the
years ownership of the plot would pass first to James’ brother Charles, and then
to his brother Joseph and finally to his son, CTR.
In summary: of Thomas and Fanny Russell’s
ten children who lived to adulthood, James appears as the oldest, the
firstborn. He may have been a pioneer, perhaps the first of the family to
travel to America, specifically to New York. By Aunt Sarah’s account he was
well educated. By his own testimony he was “a graduate of a distinguished
University.” What might he have accomplished had he lived? But sadly, he was to
die comparatively young, several years before CTR was born. Hence, he was to be
forgotten by history.
IMPORTANT
ADDENDA TO POST ON JAMES RUSSELL
Since posting the above a significant alteration
needs to be made. When and if this is incorporated into a book on the Russell Family
History, the chapter will be rewritten to reflect the latest information.
I asked Trinity College if they had more information
on James Russell who studied there. They have come back to me with full
information on the James Russell who was admitted as a student in 1823. The
problem is that this James is 15 years old and checking his history has no
connection to our story.
This is the only James in the register for the
relevant period. So although Aunt Sarah said “James was educated at Trinity
College, Dublin, Ireland,” there is no primary documentation to support that.
Trinity College (Dublin) records are quite comprehensive, and it would seem
that James Grier Russell is not there. In the New York Evening Post for 2 October 1845 James described himself as
“graduate of a distinguished University, and long known in New York as an
efficient teacher.”
The type of education offered by his boarding school
suggests he would need that level of education unless he just employed
qualified teachers of the day. He doesn’t say which university he graduated
from and, on reflection, I suspect that if it had been as prestigious as
Trinity College, Dublin, he might have said so.
So what happened? Did someone exaggerate along the
way? Or did Aunt Sarah, writing over half a century after the events, just
assume something from second and third-hand comments and get it wrong?
There is a lesson to never take anything for
granted. And my thanks to Trinity College for eventually looking up the fuller
picture and taking the time to get back to me.
It is a disappointment, but as far as is humanly
possible, what we write has to be accurate.
![Falcon's Crown: Kidnapped [e-book edition]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkBe00FOeBBmYbVCCTcdazS0iVnLd1WDFAqgsN2RZ54_2mWSQGowpbpnwmDREb-FVVk6AGpaGBEGezxxmeNm1qq65js_RZsBYwu6E6-3ucp3_YQyONvEK3NuIInA3Ru_cqrfm_JizezcrwPiewPQwunSXPJG1OI38N9mQwxOeGd4SvcPUf-DtO7FLMVcg=s238)
