2 Obituaries Compliments of the Worcester Public Library: Sunday Telegram May 7, 1899 Page 2 (PHOTO of sketch entitled: DR. WILLIAM L. RUSSELL) DIES OF MUMPS AT NINETY-NINE. DR. WILLIAM L. RUSSELL, OLDEST VETERAN OF HARVARD COLLEGE. DEFIES ZERO WEATHER WITH NEVER AN OVERCOAT. Chuckles Over Croquet and Whist to the Last. Special to The Telegram BARRE, May 6 - DR. WILLIAM L. RUSSELL, up to the time of his death the oldest living graduate of Harvard, died this afternoon at 2:30 at the home of his daughter, MRS. J. C. BARTHOLOMEW, at the age of 99 years, 6 months and 8 days. The doctor was taken seriously ill Wednesday afternoon. He had been having a bad cold for two weeks. Wednesday he worked a short while in his strawberry patch, then went into the house and took a nap. On awakening he felt pains in his neck. Since then he had been confined to his bed. DR. HENRY J. WOLCOTT claimed mumps and consequent complications were the cause of death. DR. RUSSELL was born in Carlisle, Oct. 28, 1799, and was Barre's oldest inhabitant. He attended the public schools of Concord, and Groton academy, and after teaching several terms he fitted for college at Westford academy. He entered Harvard in 1822, and was graduated in the class of 1826. After graduation he resumed teaching but later decided on studying medicine and became a student with DR. PROCTOR of Lexington. He also studied with DR. DOANE of Boston, and in part of his three years' course was assistant physician at McLean Asylum. After completing his studies with DR. DOANE, in 1831, he went to Barre and opened an office in a house on the corner where since has stood the residence of GEORGE E. BATES. He boarded with MEHITABLE CALDWELL, in what is known as the DESPER house, then situated at the corner of Union and Pleasant streets. DR. RUSSELL practiced medicine 20 years in Barre and surrounding towns. In 1836 he married MARY A. WARREN of Hubbardston. His only son died at the age of 8 years. The older daughter, CAROLINE, married WILLIAM HOWLAND of Lynn. She and her husband died several years ago. The younger daughter, MARION, married J. C. BARTHOLOMEW, native of Hardwick, and since a prominent business man in Barre. DR. RUSSELL was the eldest of five children. Only one survives, JAMES SULLIVAN RUSSELL of Lowell, aged 92. The two brothers were wont to pass their summers together in Barre, and afforded much enjoyment by their display of rivalry over croquet on MRS. BARTHOLOMEW's lawn. The doctor was also of wide repute as a whist devotee. DR. RUSSELL was a man of robust health, and scorned an overcoat. In the coldest days of last winter he wore no extra garment, but buffeted the bleak winds with elastic step(?). He kept a diary all his life, and managed his own business affairs. He was a director of the First national bank, and always present at directors' meetings. He was of methodical habits, and strict to observe natures health laws. ============================================== Worcester Evening Gazette May 8, 1899 Page 8 WILLIAM L. RUSSELL DEAD. HARVARD'S OLDEST ALUMNUS PASSES AWAY AT BARRE. DR. WILLIAM L. RUSSELL, Harvard's oldest alumnus, died Saturday after a short illness of the mumps, at his home in Barre. WILLIAM LEONARD (LAMBERT) RUSSELL was born in Carlisle, near Concord, Oct. 28, 1799, and therefore lacked less than six months of having lived a century. The first of DR. RUSSELL'S ancestors to come to this country was WILLIAM RUSSELL, who landed at Plymouth in 1630. His son, BENJAMIN, settled near Concord, and in 1680 built the house in which the doctor was born 119 years later. When 15 years old young RUSSELL went to live with SAMUEL HOAR at Concord. He sawed and split the wood, took care of the horse and cow and kept the weeds out of the garden. In 1818 he began teaching school in the winter, studying during the summer. One of his teachers gave him the books he needed in preparing for college, and he recited to REV. EBRA RIPLEY of Concord. DR. RUSSELL entered Harvard in 1822, and as graduated in the class of 1826. After leaving college, DR. RUSSELL taught school in Beverly and Lexington, and then he studied medicine with a DR. PROCTOR of Lexington and at the McLean insane asylum. He settled in Barre in 1831 and lived there ever since, practicing steadily for 20 years. He married in 1836 a daughter of CALVIN WARREN of Hubbardston. Of the four children born to the couple one is living. MRS. JOHN C. BARTHOLOMEW of Barre, with whom the doctor made his home. His wife died in 1893. DR. RUSSELL was the best-known man in Barre, and the people of that Worcester county town always spoke enthusiastically of him and his marvelous vigor. He was a skilful whist player, and found great enjoyment in his favorite game. He celebrated his 99th birthday last October by enjoying a birthday letter from his brother JAMES, who is 91, and a visit from his granddaughter, MISS HOWLAND of Cambridge. A number of friends were invited in for whist in the evening. The Tuesday, before his birthday, he, with his daughter went to Cambridge, returning the same day, apparently, not at all fatigued. DR. RUSSELL in 1894 told a reporter this interesting story of his college life: "I had finished my preparatory work at the Westford academy in Concord, together with five or six other young fellows, all of whom had the same object in view. Our little delegation from Westford entered college the same year. I remember the men and their names perfectly. There was a fellow named ADDISON BROWN of New Ipswich, WILLIAM PARKER, EDWARD JARVIS of Concord, GEORGE WASHINGTON HOSMER of Concord, a young man named KEBBINS, who hailed from Alabama, and JULIAN ABBOTT, who was my chum and who died about two years ago. There were 52 men in my class, some of whom achieved high places in various walks of life. There was RICHARD HILDRETH, the historian, who was a good writer, as his history of the United States will testify. He entered college from Gloucester. WILLIAM PARKER, who was a native of Chelmsford, became exceptionally successful as a physician and surgeon in New York city, and ANDREW P. PEABODY, who was born in Beverly, won renown as a divine and preacher. ROBERT RANTOUL became a senator and distinguished politician. I did not know OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES personally. He was in college when I was, but I knew him only by reputation. A few of us studied Greek under GEORGE BANCROFT, the historian, when I was a freshman, and I recollect that one day there was a disturbance in his recitation, which resulted in the disappearance of two of the members of the class of "36." DR. RUSSELL attended the commencement at Harvard regularly until within the past few years, and was of course made much of by the college authorities. ====================================================== Note: WILLIAM's birth name was WILLIAM LAMBERT RUSSELL, his great grandmother was MARY (LAMBERT) KIDDER originally from Reading, MA. WILLIAM was my 2 great grandfather's (GEORGE WASHINGTON RUSSELL's) oldest brother. His siblings were EMERSON, MARY ANN, JAMES SULLIVAN and GEORGE WASHINGTON RUSSELL, all were born in Carlisle in the house built by their 3 great grandfather BENJAMIN RUSSELL IN 1680. Would love to find WILLIAM LAMBERT RUSSELL's descendants.