John Russell

Background

John Russell was born near Derry, Ireland, and immigrated to America with his family in 1830. His father, also named John Russell, was a farmer and settled in Tyler County, Virginia (now West Virginia).

Career

At 16, Russell left for Wheeling, where he clerked at a hardware store for five years. In 1850, he moved to Kentucky to serve as bookkeeper for the Amanda Furnace in Greenup County for $400 a year. After two years, he was given a quarter interest in the concern and his salary increased to $1000 a year.

As president of the Means and Russell Iron Company, he purchased the land of the former Amanda Furnace and, in 1869, platted out a new city named "Riverview" along the expected route of a new C&O Railroad spur between Huntington, West Virginia, and Cincinnati, Ohio.

This town was renamed "Russell" in his honor in 1873. He subsequently served as president of the Catlettsburg National Bank, the Means & Russell Iron Company in Russell, the Saint Clair Coke Works (in Fayette County, West Virginia), and the Norton Iron Works in Ashland.

John Russell married Anna Mead in 1856 and sired five children: Mollie, Helen Virginia, John III, Emma Clancy, and Charles.

Connections

Partner:

Belle Fonta Furnace