The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-10
The OY-GOVERNOR AT home.
William (. Russell is Boy no Longer. But
the Title Sticks
o
A dent.


Of Cambridge. and member Of the Massa-
chusetts Senate.
one step further back. and we find that
Charles Russell. the grandfather Of the
present ex-governor, was also a member
of the state Senate from the Princeton
district, and one Of the governors cOun-
cilors nifty years ago He was locally
known as Squire" Russell These an
cestors were all democrats and were
strong pillars in the CONGREGATIONAL
church, to which their worthy descend
ant still adheres. Mr.. Russelrs ancestors
in this country date back TO $40.
On his mothers side Is an equally
strong lineage. The name of Ballister 5
a corruption of the old French name
lie Ballistier, belonging 10 Huguenot
family which sought refuge in this cOun-
try and settled in Marblehead, Mass.
William Z. Russells early education
was received in the public schools of
Cambridge, where he was prepared for
college. Al Is he entered Harvard. where
he made a good, though not remarkable
record as student, and took Leading
entered the Boston University law school
with three ambitions-to graduate al the
head OF his class. TO win the william
Beach Lawrence prize for the best es-
say, and to deliver the class Grafton at
commencement. All three he attained
with the first "summa cum laude' ever
given by this school. In 1880 he was ad-
mitted to the Suffolk county bar, and be-
gan practice in Boston in his fathers law
firm
At the age of % Mr.. Rus
sell was married to Miss Margaret Man
ping Swan, daughter of the Rev. Joshua
Swan of Lowell, a well-known clergy
man. In the eleven years of happy mar
ried life which have now passed, three
children have come into the household
the eldest, William Eustes, being nine
year of age, his younger brother, Rich
ard Manning, five years, and the young
est child, Margaret, two years old. Inc
boys are tanned and rugged specimens
of Young America, with no aristocratic
style or airs about them.
From his boyhood days, ex-Gov- Rus
sell has been a lover Of outdoor sports
and has never allowed h@ interest in ath-
letics to wane, though of late years he has
Yet despite his responsibilities, he is still
an enthusiastic golf and tennis player.
horse back rider and a bicyclist.
Throughout school and college life he
was always at the fronS in athletics with
out thought of danger, bearing the brunt
of the contest. Once when coastng he had
a wrist broken, and in ball game his
nose was broken by a foul tip; and on still
another occasion he had his jaw broken.
He is said to have endured these mishaps
with Spartan stoiCism, seeming perfectly
willing to pay this price for daring lead
ership.
The most interesting story, however,
that is told of his youthful adventures
is about his narrow escape from drown
ing. 1t was when he was a sophomore in
college. He was out sailing off the Cape
Coz coast ana novice at the helm
caused the boat TO capsize. OF the five
who were thrown into the water, two were
drowned, the other three, with Russell in
the lead, struck out and swan nearly two
hours until they were picked up. In writ
said: Il thought of you and home, put my
trust in God and kept on swimming"
Nothing could be more characteristic OF
the man. Herbert Haywood.