James William Russell Jr. (1878 - 1940)

Born 19 Sep 1878 in Winchester, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Charlotte Lowell (Skillings) Russell — married 31 Dec 1902 in Winchester, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Died 13 Oct 1940 at age 62 in Winchester, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

James William Russell, Jr. was born in Winchester, Massachusetts, on September 19, 1878, the son of James William, Sr. and Ella Lephe (Symmes) Russell.^[1][2][3][4]

He attended Winchester High School and graduated Amherst College in 1898. After graduation he became associate with his father in market gardening, continuing in this work for over 40 years, first with his father, and after the latter's death, with his brother Fred A. Russell.^[4]

On December 31, 1902, he married in Winchester, Charlotte Lowell Skillings, the daughter of David N. and Alice B. (Lowell) Skillings, of Winchester. They settled in Winchester and had children there.^[3][5]

James had always taken great interest in town affairs and served his town in many capacities, including member and chairman of the Finance Committee, Town Meeting member, Commissioner of Trust Funds, and on many important committees. He was a Trustee of the Funds of the Winchester Hospital and was Treasurer and Director of the Winchester Community Chest. He was a Trustee and Vice President of the Winchester Savings Bank for many years and was a member of the First Corps of Cadets. He was a member of the Winchester Country Club from its organization in 1902 and for many years was a Director. One of his favorite sports was ice skating, and he was a familiar figure on the Country Club rink.^[4]

He, his wife, and son Sherman, were living in Winchester in April of 1940, where James was listed by the 1940 US Census as a "market gardener."^[6]

James William Russell, Jr., died in Winchester on October 13, 1940, aged 62. He is buried in Wildwood Cemetery in Winchester.^[4][7]

Children

Children of James and Charlotte Lowell (Skillings) Russell, all born in Winchester:

1. Lincoln Lowell Russell, born October 3, 1904; died unmarried, April 15, 1924, aged 19.^[8][9]
2. Sherman Bradbury Russell, born December 17, 1910; died (unmarried?) September 1, 1988.^[10][11][12]

Obituary

In the death of Janies W. Russell the town has lost one of its best beloved and most respected citizens. He was born in Winchester in 1878, the son of James W. and Ella Symmes Russell.

He graduated in 1895 from Winchester High School which was then in the Prince School on Church street. While there he took a leading part in all the school activities, playing on the various school athletic teams and being one of the founders of the High School Debating Society.

At Amherst College from which he graduated in 1899, he was a member of the Chi Phi fraternity. He sang in the college glee club and continued throughout his life his interest in vocal music, singing regularly for many years in one of the Boston Choral Societies.

After graduation he became associated with his father in market gardening, continuing in this work for over 40 years, first with his father, and after the latter's death, with his brother Fred A. Russell.

James Russell has always taken great interest in town affairs and has served his town in many capacities, including member and chairman of the Finance Committee, Town Meeting member, Commissioner of Trust Funds, and on many important committees. He had a particular interest in the Town's water system, and was chairman of the committee to provide an additional water supply, which has recently been acquired.

Ready to lend his support to all good causes, he was always active in civic and charitable movements in the town. He had been a Trustee of the Funds of the Winchester Hospital and at the time of his death was Treasurer and Director of the Winchester Community Chest and had been of invaluable help in all of its campaigns.

He has been a Trustee and Vice President of the Winchester Savings Bank for many years. He had also been a member of the First Corps of Cadets.

He was a member of the Winchester Country Club from its organization in 1902 and for many years was a Director. One of his favorite sports was ice skating in which he excelled. He was a familiar figure on the Country Club rink and on the ice of the Skating Club of Boston of which he was an active and enthusiastic member.

Outdoor life appealed to him and he seemed to know the haunts of the fox and the partridge and where to find the best fishing through the ice.

On Dec. 31, 1902, he married Charlotte Lowell Skillings of Winchester. She and his son, Sherman Russell, survive him.

Funeral services were held in the Unitarian Church on Wednesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. George Hale Reed and Rev. Sydney B. Snow of Chicago, a former Winchester resident and lifelong friend. Mr. Carl Lawson, a college classmate, was at the organ.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Stowell, William Henry Harrison Stowell Genealogy - A Record of the Descendants of Samuel Stowell of Hingham Mass (The Tuttle Company, Rutland, Vermont, 1922). Citing: iii. James W., son of 3. Ella Lephe, daughter of vi. Abigail F. Stowell, daughter of 203. Samuel Stowell. Page 307.
2. ↑ "Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FX8V-SF9 : 1 March 2016), Russell, 19 Sep 1878, Winchester, Middlesex, Massachusetts; citing reference ID #224, Massachusetts Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,428,171.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N44Y-8BY : 7 December 2017), James William Russell and Charlotte Lowell Skillings, 31 Dec 1902; citing , Winchester, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2,057,586.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} The Winchester Star. Friday, October 18, 1940. Mr. James W. Russell, Page 1. Obituary.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MX12-4HT : accessed 9 December 2017), James W Russell, Winchester, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States; citing ED 534, sheet 5A, line 8, family 94, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 720; FHL microfilm 1,820,720.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K4NS-PDJ : accessed 9 December 2017), James W Russell, Winchester Town, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 9-631, sheet 7A, line 35, family 140, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1622.
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/225340926/james-william-russell : accessed 18 July 2021), memorial page for James William Russell Jr. (19 Sep 1878–13 Oct 1940), Find A Grave: Memorial #225340926, citing Wildwood Cemetery, Winchester, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by R. Bairnsfather (contributor 49866327).
8. ↑ "Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FXFP-H6V : 1 March 2016), James W. Russell in entry for Lincoln Lowell Russell, 03 Oct 1904, Winchester, Middlesex, Massachusetts; citing reference ID #v 543 p 706, Massachusetts Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2,057,437.
9. ↑ The Winchester Star. April 18, 1924. Lincoln Lowell Russell, Page 1. Obituary.
10. ↑ "Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FXJ2-RGS : 1 March 2016), James W Jr. Russell in entry for Sherman Russell, 17 Dec 1910, Winchester, Massachusetts; citing reference ID #Item 2 p 766, Massachusetts Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2,315,295.
11. ↑ "Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VZYF-BR9 : 4 December 2014), Sherman B Russell, 01 Sep 1988; from "Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2005); citing Winchester, Massachusetts, death certificate number 047973, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Health Services, Boston.
12. ↑ The Winchester Star. Thursday September 15, 1988. Sherman Russell, Page 11A. Obituaries.