Thomas Russell (Massachusetts judge)

Thomas Russell
Thomas Russell
United States Minister Resident to Venezuela
	In office; 1874–1877
Preceded by	William A. Pile
Succeeded by	Jehu Baker
Collector of Customs for the Port of Boston
	In office; 1867–1874
Preceded by	Darius N. Couch
Succeeded by	William A. Simmons
Personal details
Born	September 26, 1825; Plymouth, Massachusetts
Died	February 9, 1887 (aged 61); Boston
Resting place	Burial Hill; Plymouth, Massachusetts
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Harvard College; Harvard Law School
Occupation	Attorney

Thomas Russell (September 26, 1825 – February 9, 1887) was an American jurist and government official who served as Collector of Customs for the Port of Boston, United States Minister Resident to Venezuela, and Massachusetts Commissioner of Railroads.

Early life[edit]

Russell was born on September 26, 1825, to Thomas and Mary Ann (Goodwin) Russell. His father served as Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts.^[1] Russell graduated from Harvard College in 1845 and studied law at Harvard Law School and in the office of Jacob H. Loud.^[2] In 1847 he moved to Boston and continued his studies in the office of Whiting & Russell.^[2]^[3] He was admitted to the bar on November 12, 1849.^[3]

Government service[edit]

On February 26, 1852, Russell was appointed justice of the Boston Police Court. When the Massachusetts Superior Court was created in 1859, Russell was appointed as one of its judges.^[3] Russell was known for his harsh sentences against garroters which was credited with deterring similar attacks.^[2]^[4] During the American Civil War he also served as a draft commissioner.^[2]

In 1867, Russell left the bench to become Collector of Customs for the Port of Boston.^[3] He resigned in 1874 to become Minister Resident to Venezuela.^[5] He remained in Venezuela until 1877, when a report written by Russell stating that the United States would have to use force or bribery to collect on the claims of their citizens against the Venezuelan government was published, resulting in Venezuelan President Antonio Guzmán Blanco breaking off all official relations with Russell and forcing his recall.^[6]

Russell was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1879.^[2] That same year he was appointed chairman of the Massachusetts Commissioner of Railroads, a position he held until his death.^[2]

Non-government work[edit]

In 1855, Russell joined the Harvard Board of Overseers.^[7] He was also a trustee of the State Reform School for Boys and the Massachusetts Nautical School.^[2]^[3] From 1879 until his death he was the chairman of the Pilgrim Society.^[2] In 1878, Russell became the president of the Emigrant Savings Bank.^[2]

Personal life[edit]

Russell's wife, Mary Ellen Russell, was the daughter of Edward Thompson Taylor. They had three daughters; Minnie, Nelly, and Dora. Nelly married a Venezuelan general, Alejandro Ybarra, and they had three children who lived to adulthood, including journalist Thomas Russell Ybarra.^[8]

Russell was an abolitionist and a member of the Free Soil Party.^[4] He was also a member of the Mount Lebanon Lodge and spoke at numerous Freemason assemblies.^[2]

Russell died on February 9, 1887, at his home in Boston. He was buried at Burial Hill in Plymouth.^[2]

References[edit]

^ Nason, Rev. Elias (1876). "Plymouth". A Gazetteer of the State of Massachusetts. Boston: B. B. Russell: 417. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Kingman, Bradford (1892). Epitaphs from Burial Hill. Brookline, Mass.: New England Illustrated Historical Publishing Company. pp. 280–282. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Davis, William T. (1895). History of the Bench and Bar. The Boston History Company. p. 390. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Judge Thomas Russell". The New York Times. February 10, 1887.
^ "The Collectorship". The Boston Globe. February 17, 1874.
^ "Recall of Mr. Russell". The Boston Globe. March 24, 1877.
^ Annual Register of the Executive and Legislative Departments of the Government of Massachusetts 1857. Boston: H. W. Dutton and Son. 1857. p. 4. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
^ Knickerbocker, Wendy (2014). Bard of the Bethel: The Life and Times of Boston's Father Taylor, 1793–1871. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 477. ISBN 9781443862325. Retrieved February 19, 2023.

[1] Nason, Rev. Elias (1876). "Plymouth". A Gazetteer of the State of Massachusetts. Boston: B. B. Russell: 417. Retrieved February 19, 2023.

[Epitaphs-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Kingman, Bradford (1892). Epitaphs from Burial Hill. Brookline, Mass.: New England Illustrated Historical Publishing Company. pp. 280–282. Retrieved February 19, 2023.

[Bench_and_Bar-3] Davis, William T. (1895). History of the Bench and Bar. The Boston History Company. p. 390. Retrieved February 19, 2023.

[Obituary-4] "Judge Thomas Russell". The New York Times. February 10, 1887.

[5] "The Collectorship". The Boston Globe. February 17, 1874.

[6] "Recall of Mr. Russell". The Boston Globe. March 24, 1877.

[7] Annual Register of the Executive and Legislative Departments of the Government of Massachusetts 1857. Boston: H. W. Dutton and Son. 1857. p. 4. Retrieved February 19, 2023.

[8] Knickerbocker, Wendy (2014). Bard of the Bethel: The Life and Times of Boston's Father Taylor, 1793–1871. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 477. ISBN 9781443862325. Retrieved February 19, 2023.

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