Rep. Jeremiah Russell (D-NY)

a Representative from New York; born in Saugerties, N.Y., January 26, 1786; received a limited schooling; engaged in mercantile pursuits, the real estate business, and banking; served several times as supervisor; member of the State assembly in 1842; elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-eighth Congress (March 4, 1843-March 3, 1845); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1844 to the Twenty-ninth Congress; resumed banking; died in Saugerties, Ulster County, N.Y., September 30, 1867; interment in Mountain View Cemetery.

   JEREMIAH RUSSELL

   (This typewritten document was found among the papers of Spencer Lyman Dawes, son of Elizabeth Russell (b. 12 Oct. 1829); the author is unknown.)

   Due to the death of his father, Jeremiah was thrown upon his own resources. He was employed by James Korts, merchant at West Camp, N. Y. for several years. From his earnings, he saved sufficient means to start a general store at Trumpbour's Corners. Later he located in Saugerties, then a small hamlet, where he launched out in a general mercantile business. His trade increased so rapidly, that he found it necessary to build a sloop to transport the great quantities of wood, tan-bark, staves and lumber. In 1833, he sold this business to his son, William F. Russell.

   Jeremiah Russell rose to prominence and wealth, and was a chief factor in the development of Saugerties, as merchant, banker, and legislator. An interesting biographical sketch of his life may be found in Sylvester's History of Ulster County, Part Second, pages 70 and 71.

   On November 2, 1806, he married Elizabeth Moose, born January 24, 1789; bapt. at West Camp, February 15, 1789, daughter of Henry and Maria (Bear) Moose.

   His wife, Elizabeth Moose Russell died in the village of Saugerties, June 9, 1846; on October 30, 1847, he married 2nd. Christiana Crawford. He was survived by his second wife who died January 11, 1883, aged 81 years, 4 months and 22 days. There were no children by the last marriage. Hon. Jeremiah Russell and his wife, Elizabeth Moose are buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Saugerties, N. Y.

   ***********************************************************************************

   The Romance of a Palatine

   Luedwig Roessell (Russell)

   by

   Dr. Spencer Lyman Dawes (1864-1945) [excerpt]

   Of the several Children of Luedwig but one will be considered, Jeremiah who was born Jan. 26, 1789. His father died when he was but nine years of age and for three years he worked for different nearby farmers. At the age of twelve he took service with James Kortz who had a general store at West Camp, remaining in his service until just prior to 1807, he took his small savings and started a small store at Trumpbours Corners where he remained until 1814, thriving mightily. In 1806 he married Elizabeth Moose by whom he had five sons, John H., David M., William F., James and Peter and three daughters, Maria Catherine, Eliza Margaret and Elizabeth.

   In 1814 he moved to Saugerties, then but a small hamlet which my mother has told me had but twelve small houses. Here he determined was a fertile field and his keen vision was soon rewarded even beyond his dreams. He opened a store, he bought great hemlock trees, stripping them of their bark which he used in the tannery which he built nearby; needing transportation for his timber, hides, tan bark and barrel staves, he built in 1816 a sloop the Viper; this with four other sloops which he built, he used to bring in general supplies for his store as well as for general trade. In 1825 he built the sloop Livingston and fitted it up for passengers which was at that time considered the finest vessel of its kind on the North River. This horizon was too small for him and seeing the possibilities in the bluestone trade he opened a quarry on the road to Woodstock (this quarry is still to be seen) and later together with John Kiersted and other enterprising citizens of the then thriving Village of Saugerties obtained a charter and constructed the Saugerties and Woodstock Turnpike which was without doubt the greatest factor in the prosperity of this busy and rapidly growing burgh.

   In 1833 he disposed of his general store to his son William and no bank being nearer than Kingston or Catskill Mr. Russell together with John Kiersted, Asa Bigelow and other citizens of the town applied for a bank charter; failing in this effort he acted as private banker; he acted as such, to the different factories which were taking advantage of the water power, the Ulster Iron Works, the paper mills, etc., but he was best known as a genial, kindly and sympathetic money lender to his fellow citizens and remarkable to relate he was loved and respected by all to whom he loaned money. His fellow townsmen usually spoke of him in terms of respect as Mr. Russell, but more affectionately as "Little Jerry."

   Jeremiah was an uncompromising Jeffersonian Democrat, was many time supervisor of the Town of Saugerties, a presidential elector in 1828, a member of the legislature in 1842 and a member of the twenty eighth Congress of the United States.

   His was an unusual makeup- notwithstanding his lack of early advantages he had culture and refinement and the greatest love of the beautiful. I am fortunate enough to have in my possession several fine old pieces of mahogany of his, an original Washington desk, an original Simon Willard clock and other handsome pieces with which he furnished his home and his office. It is said that he was a great raconteur and that he had a great fund of anecdote at his command. In his latter days he wore nothing but black broadcloth and I can remember seeing him with his black tail coat, high white stock and gold headed ebony cane, gravely presenting me, his youngest grandchild, with an orange and a peppermint drop. He greatly annoyed my New England Puritan born father by insisting that I be named Patrick because I was born on the 17th of March. His wife Catherine[?] died in 1846 and later he married Christina Crawford by whom he had no issue.

   At the time of his death in 1867 he was possessed of what was for those days of much wealth; he owned more than a hundred houses and stores as well as many farms, building lots and acre upon acre of wood land. It is said that he erected and owned in his day more real estate than any other man in Ulster County. His death was sudden and unexpected, Sept. 30, 1867, and although then 82 years of age he still was active in his business concerns. He is buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Saugerties, together with his wife Elizabeth Moose.

History of Ulster County, New York: with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press, 1977.

[Reprint of the 1880 ed. published by Everts & Peck, Philadelphia]

v.2, p 70-71

JEREMIAH RUSSELL,

fourth son of Ludwig Russell, was born Jan. 26, 1786. At the tender age of nine, through the death of his father, he was thrown upon his own resources. He sought employment on the farm at first, but at the age of twelve obtained a place as chore boy and clerk with James Kortz, a merchant at West Camp, with whom he remained several years, and by his integrity and zeal in the business became a great favorite with his employer. Prior to reaching his majority he had saved from his earnings sufficient means, and started a small store at Trumpbour's Corners.

He married, Nov. 2, 1806, Miss Elizabeth Moore, by whom he had five sons, - John H., David M., William F., James, and Peter, and three daughters, - Maria Catherine, Eliza Margaret, and Elizabeth.

He built up a remunerative business, and, having accumulated a cash capital sufficient to warrant him in seeking a more extensive field for operations, in the spring of 1814 he located in the (now) village of Saugerties, then a small hamlet containing less than a score of unpretentious buildings. His keen perception led him to see in this new location the advantages of a fine water-power, where manufactories would ultimately be built, and where his ambition as a merchant could be fully gratified. Here he launched out into a general mercantile business. His trade increased so rapidly that he found it necessary to build a sloop to transport the great quantities of wood, tan-bark, staves, and lumber increasing on his hands. In 1816 he built the sloop "Viper" as his first venture. She proved of too great draught of water for the Esopus, and he sold her on the upper Hudson in 1821. He then built the sloop "James Russell"; one of the finest on the Hudson, and one which attracted much attention. He sold this vessel in 1824 for a large price. In 1825 he completed the sloop "Science", a vessel of much larger dimensions than the former ones, and fitted up with cabins for passengers. This was pronounced the best and most complete North River sloop afloat. Disposing of this vessel in 1830, he built next, under the supervision of Timothy Wood, a ship-wright of large experience and great skill, the sloop "Livingston" which he launched in 1836, and which was for many years owned and under the command of his second son, Capt. David M. Russell, and is now among the few living North River sloops doing business on the Hudson.

Mr. Russell continued in the mercantile trade until 1833, March 3, when he sold out to his son William F., who had had the control of the business for several years. In his politics, as in everything he undertook, Mr. Russell was ardent, enthusiastic, and persevering, and through his long and eventful career cherished the principles of the Jeffersonian school of politics. He was any times chosen supervisor of his town, and in 1828 was presidential elector, and cast his vote for the idol of his heart, the great military hero, Gen. Jackson. He was a member of the State Legislature in 1842, a member of the Twenty-eighth Congress of the United States, and continued to take an active part in politics the remainder of his life.

Prior to the establishment of the Bank of Ulster (now First National Bank of Saugerties), the nearest points where banking facilities could be had were at Catskill and Kingston, respectively twelve miles distant. Feeling the great need of banking facilities here, the leading men of that day - Mr. Russell, John Kiersted, Jacob Trumpbour, George A. Gay, Asa Bigelow, Esq., and Messrs. Charles and Giles Isham - joined hands and made their best effort to secure a charter for a bank to be located here. At the same time a like effort was made by leading citizens of Kingston, foremost of whom were Gen. Joseph S. Smith and William Kerr, Esq., who succeeded in securing a charter for the Kingston Bank, to the great discomfiture of our friends here. From that period Mr. Russell's business was largely that of private banker, thus supplying a much needed want to our citizens. During the period at which the extensive water-power at this point was being utilized, and our manufactories were being built, the business of the place was very much increased. Mr. Russell's financial operations necessarily grew to large proportions. Beside supplying his fellow-townsmen with money, he furnished the several manufactories then completed with cash for the monthly payments of their operators. So correct, prompt, and obliging was he in all his transactions that he acquired and preserved to the day of his death the utmost confidence not only of the business men of the place, but of all the financial institutions with which he had dealings.

Mr. Russell inaugurated the idea of constructing a turnpike road from the village to the Corners, in the town of Shandaken. He secured the co-operation of John Kiersted, George A. Gay, and others at this point, and of Robert L. Livingston, of Columbia County, of Messrs. Culver and De Forest, large farmers at Woodstock, of Drs. Hall and Eliot, representing the glass manufactories of Woodstock, and of Col. William Riseley, and of Messrs. Ladew and Terwilliger, then largely engaged in tanneries at Phoenicia, in the town of Shandaken. They formed a company, secured a charter, and completed the Saugerties and Woodstock turnpike road in 1828. The success of this enterprise was mainly due to the liberality and personal efforts of Mr. Russell, and proved one of the most beneficial enterprises ever inaugurated for the business interests of the village and of those living on the line of said road, and will so continue to be for all time. The present train road occupies the road bed of said turnpike road.

Mr. Russell was a man of great industry and perseverance. He accumulated a large fortune, and was a great factor in the growth and prosperity of his native town and village. At the time of his death he was the owner of about one hundred stores and dwellings, a large number of building-lots, several farms, and many acres of woodlands. In his day he has owned more dwelling-houses, and probably built, bought, and sold more than any other man in Ulster County. He was a most indefatigable worker and the architect of his own fortune. He never relaxed his efforts whether as merchant, banker, or legislator. He was a man of fine social qualities, and enjoyed society in a high degree. It mattered not whether in company of business men or of learned and high officials he was always welcome, and caused the time to pass pleasantly by his cheerful and entertaining conversation, and large fund of anecdote. He was active to the last, literally dying in the harness, which event occurred suddenly and without earning on the morning of Sept. 30, 1867, in the eighty-second year of his age, respected, loved, and lamented by all, and leaving a memory which is a bright guiding star to be kept in view by the youth of coming generations, showing that it matters not how poor, nor how great the difficulties which may hedge the way, still by integrity, honest industry, frugal habits, and fixedness of purpose they are sure to win wealth, position, and a good name.