The Republican journal., 1906-10-04

CAPT. FRANCIS A RUSS.
AS briefly announced last week Captain
Francis A Russ died at his home in North
Belfast, Sept. oath. aged 95 years, months
and 81 days. He was born in this city at
Russ Point, now Citypoint, tract Of land
taken up by his father, Major John Russ, a
hero of the Revolution and one of the first
settlers of Belfast Major Russ opened the
first store here and for a short time previous
to the war of 1912 kept hotel in building
on the western side of Main street below
Washington street. 1t was burned i'll the
fire of 1865 and was then occupied as store.
| He was extensively interested in real estate
and in navigation. At the beginning of the
war of 1912 he was the sole OF principal
owner of brig just launched. She lay in
the dock westerly of the railroad wharf
until the close of the war, at heavy loss to
| her owner. The wharf which stood near
the dock belonged to him and was known
as long as it remained there as Russ wharf
| He was man of great muscular strength
| and man of humor. He died Nov. 3, 1S49
| Of large family of children only one,.
| Francis A. Russ, was then living in Belfast.
His wife died June Is, 1857, aged rs years.
| She was Sally Ulmer. daughter of Major
General George Ulmer, distinguished Of
| ficer in the Revolution. Shortly after the
| close of the war he settled in Lincolnville,
at Duck Trap, and called the first town
meeting. He engaged largely in the lumber
| business and was one of the most noted
and prominent men in this section. Gen.
Ulmer was born in WaldOboro, Feb. p,
| 1856, and died at Kendall's Mills, where he
had moved some years previous. 1t will
| thus be seen that Capt Russ came of fight
| ing and Revolutionary stock on both the
| maternal and paternal sides, and his career
when in the service of his country during
| the civil war and in the merchant marine
! did credit to his noble ancestry. He was
man of powerful physique, as was his faith
er, and was active until well past four score
years. His memory was active and accurate
to the last, and his eyesight good. In view
of his long life and the retention of all his
| faculties it may be interesting to note that
he drank four or five cups of coffee at every
meal and was an inveterate smoker. He
was of a sociable and jovial disposition and
enjoyed coming to town to meet his old
friends and talk over the events of the past.
| December Is, 1886, being then 2S years
old, Capt Russ married Mary Ann, daugh-
ter of Col. Robert Fletcher of China, Me-,
and a cousin of Hannibal Hamlin. She
died six years ago at the age of 96 years.
They had four children. The Oldest, Caro-
lyn A., wife of the late George Russell of
New Orleans, lived with her father in
North Belfast; the second, Robert Fletcher
Russ, married Charlotte Knowlton and has
/ four children; the third, Sarah A. Russ,
married Thomas A. Beckett of Belfast, and
the youngest, Charles Francis Russ of
North Belfast, married Cynthia johnson
and has two children.
The story of the life and adventures of
Capt Russ, taken from his own lips, would
have made most interesting book, but can
only be given now in outline tie took to
the sea as duck takes to water and at the
age of ten shipped as cabin boy on the brig
Calliope, Capt. David Whittier, bound for
| New York, thence to Bahia, Marseilles,
| Bordeaux, and back to New York. Joseph
Smith, the mate, q brother-in-law of Capt.
| Whittier, took a fancy to the lad and taught
him many things that were of service in his
later seafaring career. The captain also
was kind to him, and he always remember
ed this voyage with pleasure. His next eX-
perience was quite different. With boy
named White, or West, he shipped for a
voyage from Belfast to Havana, but they
received such abusive treatment that they
deserted at the latter port and joined
Bordeaux ship and made two voyages
under the tri-color. They then Joined a
British East Indian ship at a French port
and sailed out of London for the following
five or six years, visiting many ports and
later going into the South American trade
and calling at nearly every harbor from
Bahia to the Falkland Islands.
About this time the United States fitted
out an expedition against one Brisbane,
who had set himself up as an opera boutfe
governor in the Falklands and was levyng
tribute on American sealers and traders.
Capt Duncan in the sloop-of-war Lexing-
ton was sent after brisbane, and young
Russ, with a taste for excitement, managed
to join the expedition. Brisbane had forti-
fed himself on an island, in stone castle,
and had an "army" of about 100 doubtful
characters. The bluejackets from the Lex
ington made short work Of the place and
swarmed into the fort, capturing 80 prison
ers. Young Russ was one of the first to
enter the fort and secured an elegant sill
ver-mounted rifle, the personal property of
Brisbane, as a souvenir. Many years after
wards lin 1866, this exploit came up as
question between the United States and
the Argentine confederation, and Secretary
Olney discovered Capt. Russ, the only sur
vivor, who gave the state department very
valuable information. Capt. Russ received
letter of thanks from Secretary Olney,
which he valued highly.
AS Russ was volunteer in this affair
and not an enlisted man, he joined the
sealing brig Dash of Boston after the ex-
citement was over and soon had troubles
of his own. When at a southern island
he had an alteration with the mate,