The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-03-09

~ A
From what we can learn of him, he
was a man bordering on the line, in
though and action, of Hon. David w.
Sanders. His motto was not to wish
for anything, but to rise up, shake
yourself and get it by activity and in
dustry, for it is by industry that we
thrive.
Hon. David W. Sanders died before
the Civil war broke out. l do not know
what course he would have pursued
had he been alive at the time. Most
probably it would have been like that
of hisson-in-law, Daniel L Russell, ST.,
against %rupturing the general govern
ment. We are justified in saying he
never was for secession, OF ever voted
for one who believed in secession. The
writer has heard him say he was OPP
posed to South Carolina's notification
in Gen. Jackson's time, of January 16,
1888, when jackson said, 1.-THE Consti-
tuition and laws are Supreme and the
Udion invincible."
Daniel. Russell, ST., of Town Creek,
Brunswick county, N. O., was born in
Onslow. He married the daughter of
DR.. W. Sanders, and is the father of
Governor Russell. Of his education
and early training, the writer knows
but little. He learned from others,
however, that his education was very
little and his estate quite small when
he showed his boat off on the ocean of
life." His occupation was that Of a
%turpentine distiller. He skinned the
pine tree, made t~urpenJine, sold naval
stores; and about that time Virgin
dip turpentine sold for 81 or S. per bar
rel. AS it made white rosin, it was
very valuable. At first he hired hands
by the year to work ~turpentine. He
had a neighbor by the name of Daniel
A. Ambroes, who saw the en-
ergy, pluck and real worth of the
young man. This nei8hbor was we'll
to do, and he signed Russell's notes,
which enabled Russell to increase his
turpentine operations. Russell o o
found that New York was the place to
ship turpentine, and that was, also,
the place to buy pork for his hands;
and by watching prices in the papers
for years, he learned that the best time
to buy mess pork in New York was in
January and February. He lived on
the Sound near Bear Inlet, and shipped
thence to New York, and the writer
saw a schooner in the sound, that had
entered in at Bear Inlet, and was told
it had on board III barrels city mess
pork for Russel's hands, having been
chartered to bring his pork. and he
shipped back naval stores. He moved
right up and took a position very soon
with the most successful men in
OnsloW county. He had a black serv
ant named Hillyard. He worked his
thrpentine hands in squads of ten to
fifteen to chip boxes, and if n ran
away, HilIyard would run away, too,
and soon return with him. He moved
out and Clipped most of the pines in
his section and then left for Town
Greek, Brunswick county, N. Q. Here
he bought land and did an extensive
business in farming and making tur-
pentine. He also bought land In Robe,
son county. The writer visited his
home on one occasion while he lived at
Town Creek, and went on to Lock
woods Folly, but turned back with
out buying land. Mr.. Russell, ST., was
a quiet man, kept out of broils, law.
suits and attended strictly to his own
business. Never while in Onslow, to
the recollection of the writer, did he
aspire to or hold any office. His judg-
ment was good, his conversation intel
ligent and bright 1t has been said of
him that he never whistled a tune,
sung a song, or dreamed a dream, but
he made money very rapidly and never
forgot his old friend and be~nefactor,
Daniel A. Ambroes. He was soon
worth more than Mr.. Ambroes; in facs,
he left him way behind; but every
Christmas, as long Daniel A. Ambroes
lived, Russell shipped to his old friend
a barrel Of good things, raisens, figs,
oranges, nuts, apples, etc., as a Christ
mas gift.
Mr.. Russell was a Henry Clay Wing
in politics, and opposed secession. He
thought it was a way to lose Southern
instead of saving them. After
he removed to Brunswick county,
he represented Brunswick in the leg
islature. The writer served in the
House with Mr. D L. Russell, ST., one
regular term Of the General Assembly