1890 Buchanan and Delaware Counties History pgs. 433-437
REV. DANIEL
RUSSELL, D. D. In the strife and turmoil of this
life where present success is the end sought for without regard to the
means employed to attain it, much of the fine gold of human character is often
lost, frequently through the domination of the finer by the coarser qualities, and
frequently through a total neglect of the cultivation of the better feelings and purposes
by which men should be actuated. It is only now and then
that we meet men who have unselfishly devoted the labors of their lives to
the good of their fellow-men; and fewer still do we meet who in doing this have
not become a public charge upon the community where they
reside. The subject of this sketch is one whose life has been
crowned with good deeds-one who has labored from early manhood to
ameliorate the condition of his fellow-men, and one who has carried this work
along successfully hand in hand with secular pursuits, being at all times
self-sustaining and always able when he chose to act independently and in
accordance with his own plans and purposes. The contemplation of the life of
such a man is useful because it inspires others to do that which is right for
right's sake.
Daniel
Russell is of English, Dutch and French descent. His paternal grandfather,
James Russell, was a native of England, who came to America in colonial times and settled in New York, where he married a lady of that state,
a descendant of one of the early settled Hollander families. Mr. Russell's
father, Benjamin Russell, who was one of the issues of this marriage, was born
in Ulster county, N. Y., near the town of Newburgh,
and died also in that county about 1840, near sixty years of age. He was a farmer
and began life with considerable means, but through sickness and misfortune he
lost a large part of his property and died comparatively poor. He was an
industrious man and an upright, useful citizen. He was a member of the
Presbyterian church from early manhood and led a
pious, Christian life.
Mr.
Russell's mother bore the maiden name of Martha Dayton. She was of French
Huguenot origin, being a descendant of one of the families of the French
Protestant refugees that settled in Ulster county in
the province of New York shortly after the revocation of the
celebrated edict of Nantes. Her father was Jacob Dayton, a
native of Ulster county, N.
Y. Benjamin and Martha (Dayton) Russell were the parents of
fourteen children, twelve of whom reached maturity. The eldest, David, died in Englewood,
Ill. James died in Onondaga, Mich. Benjamin is living
in Watkins, N. Y., having been a minister of the Presbyterian church for more than
fifty years. Betsey became the wife of Martin S. Finney, and died at her home
in Watkins, N. Y. Ann is the wife of George Taylor, and resides in Dundee, Kane
county, Ill. Jacob D. died in Greenwood, Steuben county, N. Y. Mary is the wife
of Simon Quick, and resides in Lincoln, Neb. Frances is the widow of James
Brown, and resides in Manchester, Delaware county, Iowa. Martha died in
childhood. Phoebe J. became the wife of George Griswold, and died at Elgin, Ill. Lucretia
died in Watkins, N. Y., aged eighteen, unmarried. Calvin died in infancy. John
C. is residing in Missouri.
The subject
of this sketch is the eleventh of the above family. He was born in the town of Naples, Ontario county, N.
Y., July 31, 1824. He was reared in Steuben county, N. Y., in the town of Urbana, whither his parents moved when he
was about eight years old. He spent his boyhood days on his father's farm,
dividing his time between his labors as a farm hand and his attendance at the
district schools of the vicinity where he grew up.
At about
the age of twenty he entered Franklin academy, at Plattsburgh, N. Y., where he took a literary
course extending from two to three years. He then studied the classics under
private instructors, and afterwards took up the study of theology, in the
Auburn Theological Seminary, at Auburn, N. Y., and graduated from that
institution about 1850. The year prior to his graduation, 5 had been licensed
to preach as a probationer by the Presbytery of Angelica, New York, and in 1850 he was ordained a
minister. He had joined the Presbyterian church at the
age of eighteen, and not long afterwards decided upon the ministry as a profession.
His first charge was Oramel and Belfast, two villages
on the Genesee river, in Allegany county, N. Y. Six years later he went to
Pike, Wyoming county, N. Y., remaining there twelve years. Soon after the
opening of the Civil war, Mr. Russell responded to the call for volunteers to defend
the union, enlisting in March, 1862, in the One Hundred and Fourth New York
infantry, a regiment which he was largely instrumental in raising, and of
which, upon its organization, he was commissioned chaplain, by Governor Morgan,
of New
York. He went with his regiment at once to the front, but in a few months was
compelled to resign on account of a failure of health, brought about by exposure
the previous winter. Returning home he resumed his ministerial duties and
continued in the active prosecution of these in the town of Pike, Wyoming county,
until 1865. That year he came to Iowa, locating in Manchester, Delaware county,
where he had charge of the Congregational church for a short time and then accepted
the pastorship of the Presbyterian church at Cedar Falls, Iowa, which he held for three years.
Returning
to Manchester, he was in charge of the
Presbyterian church at that place for five years. He
was then called to West Union, Iowa, and after a year there went to Anamosa,
where he had charge of the Presbyterian
church for ten years. His next charge was at Oelwein,
this state, he being the pastor in charge of the church at that place now. He
has thus been actively engaged in the ministry for forty-one years, and his
labors during this time have extended over a somewhat wide area, covering all
the varied and exacting duties connected with the ministry of the gospel. More
than five hundred additions have been made to the churches, where he has
preached, through his exertions, while many more anxious souls have been brought
to a knowledge of the saving grace of Christianity
through his ministrations. He has married no less than two hundred couples,
starting them on their way in life with the benediction of the church and the
blessings of friends and relatives. And he has many times over performed the
last sad act that man may do for man; standing in the presence of death and
recounting the virtues of him whose spirit has fled.On
July 17, 1859, the Hamilton College, of Clinton, N. Y., conferred on Mr.
Russell the degree of master of arts. At the annual commencement meeting of the
board of trustees, of Coe College, at Cedar Rapids, held June 1, 1890, the degree of doctor of divinity
was conferred on him by that institution.
While Mr.
Russell has given a large share of his time to the ministry, he has also been
actively engaged in secular pursuits, and his success in these is worthy of
mention in this connection, it having been the result of great industry and
strict application, as has also been his success in church work. On coming to Delaware county in
1865, he purchased a farm lying in sections 33 and 34 of Delaware township, a mile east and a little
south of Manchester. He has resided on his farm a large part of the time since
coming to the state, the only time he has been away from it being the years
when he was in charge of the churches at Cedar Falls and Anamosa. He has one of the
handsomest places in his township. Nearly all of it is under cultivation, and
the homestead, which consists of upwards of two hundred acres, is well-improved
and supplied with everything for use and convenience. His place represents the
results of his own labor, he having given it his personal attention from the
beginning, and having contributed, in a large measure, with his own hands
towards building it up and making it what it is.
Mr. Russell
has been twice married, marrying first September 22, 1848, and taking to share
his life's fortunes a young lady whom he had known some years, Miss Maria
Hunter, a native of Steuben county, N. Y. This lady
was born April 13, 1822, and was a daughter of George
Hunter, of Wayne, Steuben county, N. Y. She died May
4, 1857, at Pike, Wyoming county, N. Y. Mr. Russell married the second time
October 11, 1857, taking to wife Mrs. Mary J. Wood, of Eagle, Wyoming county,
N. Y., where she was born June 10, 1834. Mrs. Russell's maiden name was Wing,
she being a daughter of Stephen L. and Mary (Haves) Wing, the former of whom
was a native of New Hampshire and the latter a native of New York. Mrs. Russell was first married October
1, 1851, to
Jonathan Wood, then of Eagle, Wyoming county, N.
Y. He died December 18, 1855, at Strawberry Point, Clayton county, Iowa, whither he had moved only a month
before.
By his former marriage Mr. Russell had three
children-Henry H., Angie and Gracie. Henry H. was born in Oramel
N. Y., December 22, 1849. He married Elida
Newcomb, of Delaware county Iowa, and now resides in Hall county Nebr. He has five children-Gertrude Agnes,
Benjamin, Mabel, Henry N. and Elida. Angie was born July
4,1852, in Oramel, N. Y., and died in
Pike, N Y., November 3, 1860. Gracie was born February
23, 1855,
in Oramel, N. Y., and is now the wife of Henry
Spangler, of Manchester, Delaware county, Iowa.
By his
second marriage Mr. Russell has had five children-Hanson W., Mary Elizabeth,
Hubert S. and Daniel, Jr. Hanson W. was born at Pike, N. Y., January 21, 1857. He married Miss Jennie Barr, of Delaware county, Iowa, by whom he has had one
child--Jessie-and now resides in Manchester, being a merchant of that place.
Mary was born December 28 1863, in Eagle, Wyoming county, N.
Y. and is now the wife of F. W. Doolittle, of Hopkinton, Delaware county, a
sketch of whom appears in this work. Elizabeth was born June 6, 1865, in Pike,
N. Y. and is now the wife of W. C. Bush, of Olin, Jones county, Iowa, having one
daughter-Gertrude E. Hubert S. was born September 16, 1868, in Cedar Falls,
Iowa, and Daniel, Jr., was born March 23, 1873, in Manchester, Iowa, both the
last named being still at home with their parents.
Like all
men who have been fortunate in the selection of a companion in life Mr. Russell
owes much to the good wife who has stood by his side for many years and is
still permitted to abide with him and share his labors.
Mrs. Russell has entered actively into all her husband's plans and purposes, and
has not only given him the sympathy which only a good wife can give, but has
taken on her shoulders the larger responsibilities in the management of home
affairs, which the wife of every minister must take in order to allow the
husband the widest sphere of usefulness possible to him in his chosen calling.
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