Addison Peale Russell | |
Order: | 12th |
Office: | Ohio Secretary of State |
Term Start: | January 11, 1858 |
Term End: | January 13, 1862 |
Governor: | Salmon P. Chase William Dennison |
Preceded: | James H. Baker |
Succeeded: | Benjamin R. Cowen |
State House2: | Ohio |
District2: | Clinton County |
Term Start2: | January 7, 1856 |
Term End2: | January 3, 1858 |
Preceded2: | Thomas D. Austin |
Succeeded2: | David P. Quinn |
Birth Date: | 8 September 1826 |
Birth Place: | Wilmington, Ohio |
Party: | Republican |
Occupation: | author |
Addison Peale Russell (September 8, 1826 - July 24, 1912) was an American author of the later nineteenth century.[1] He is remembered mainly for his Sub-Coelum - "his best book...a Utopian protest against materialistic socialism."[2]
Russell was born in Ohio; his formal education ended with grammar school. At the age of sixteen he took a job as a printer for a newspaper; by nineteen he had worked his way up to editor and publisher of the Hillsboro, Ohio News. He pursued a journalism career until he switched to politics and public service. He was made clerk of the Ohio Senate in 1850; he later represented Clinton County, Ohio in the Ohio House of Representatives in the 52nd General Assembly (1856–57) as a Republican,[3] and was Ohio Secretary of State (1858–62). He was appointed Financial Agent for Ohio during the American Civil War, stationed in New York City.[4] He retired from public office in 1868 to pursue literature. He wrote seven books:
Apart from his biographical survey of Thomas Corwin, an Ohio governor, Russell's books generally fall into the category of belles-lettres.