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KANAHWA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: RUSSELL, Philip C.
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
SSpradling@aol.com
September 19, 1999
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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia
W.S. Laidley
1911
p. 830-831
PHILIP C. RUSSELL, city sergeant at Charleston, W. Va., a well known citizen
and popular official, was born at Wellsburg. W.Va.. May 2, 1849, and is a son
of Edward and Eliza (Lourey) Russell, and a grandson of Philip Russell.
Grandfather Philip Russell was horn in Ire-land and when he emigrated in
early manhood located at Baltimore. Md., where he married Maria Coleman, who
was also of Irish ancestry. All their children were horn there, the family
subsequently removing to Steubenville, 0., and a few years later to
Wellsburg, W. Va., this being ahout 1847. Both Philip Russell and wife died
there, he having lived out his three score and ten years and she reaching the
age of ninety years. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal
church. Of their ten children, four grew to maturity but all have now passed
away Edward Russell was born in 1826, at Balti-more, Md., and died at
Charleston in 1854. In early manhood he served in the United States navy
during the Mexican War, and then returned to Wellsburg, now W. Va., where he
later embarked in a grocery business. In 1854 he came to Charleston and
started the first confectionery store in the place but his death occurred one
month later. His widow continued the business for seven years and at present
the site is one of the best business locations on Kanawha street.
Edward Russell was married at Wellsburg to Eliza Lourey, who was born January
20, 1828, at Milton, Pa., and who died at Clendenin, Kanawha county, May 17,
1879. They had three children, namely: Philip C.; Walter S., who was born
March 28, 1851, died June 8, i88i (married Cassie McQueen, of Nicholas county
and is survived by two chil-dren-William and Lillian); and Anna M., who was
born September 15, 1852, and is the wife of Thomas Simms, who is in the
jewelry business at Clay Court House, Clay county, Va.
Philip C. Russell was five years old when his parents came to Charleston. The
death of his father was a very great grief and loss to the family, and
resulted in the children not receiving the educational advantages that they
would otherwise have had. As soon as old enough he learned the carpent~r's
trade, and then served an apprenticeship of three years in the car shops of
the Panhandle railroad, at Steubenville, 0. Later Mr. Russell made his main
business the building of houses and continued to work as house carpenter for
some years and subsequently became engaged in the sawmill business in which
he remained until 1900. Five years earlier he had been elected assessor of
the Upper district of Kanawha county and served for four years. From 1889
until 1907 he was also interested in newspaper work and in the latter year
was appointed, under civil service rules, as city sergeant of Charleston, by
Mayor Holley. He has proved a very capable and ef-ficient official and has
worked hard for the good of the service Formerly Mr. Russell was a
Republican, but later identified himself with the Democratic party
In 1876 Mr. Russell was married to Miss Sophia James, a daughter of Samuel
and a granddaughter of Jesse James. Samuel James lived in Big Sandy district
where he died, aged sixty-seven years. Mr. and Mrs. Russell have had three
children: John K., who was born June 6, 1877; Virgil, who was born in i88i,
and died at the age of twenty five years; and Sybil, who resides at home.
Mrs. Russell and daughter are members of the Bowman Methodist Episcopal
church. Sergeant Russell has never united with any fraternal organizations.
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