| Honorific Prefix: | The Reverend |
| Jack Russell | |
| Birth Date: | 1795 12, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Dartmouth, Devon, England |
| Death Place: | Black Torrington, Devon, England |
| Resting Place: | Swimbridge, Devon, England |
| Alma Mater: | Exeter College, Oxford |
| Known For: | Dog breeder |
John Russell (21 December 1795 – 28 April 1883), was an English parson who served as vicar of Swimbridge from 1832 to 1872. An enthusiastic fox-hunter and dog breeder,[1] Russell developed the Jack Russell Terrier and the Parson Russell Terrier, both of which are a variety of the Fox Terrier breed.[2]
Russell was born on 21 December 1795 in Dartmouth, South Devon, the eldest son of John Russell and Nora Jewell.[3] He lived at Sandhill House.
He was educated at Plympton Grammar School, Blundell's School, Tiverton[4] and Exeter College, Oxford.
According to local legend, it was at Exeter College where he spotted a little white terrier with dark tan spots over her eyes, ears and at the tip of her tail, who was owned by a local milkman in a nearby small hamlet, identified as either Elsfield[5] or Marston.[6] [7] Russell bought the dog on the spot and this animal, called "Trump", became the foundation of a line of fox hunting terriers that became known as Jack Russell Terriers. They were well-suited by the shortness and strength of their legs for digging out foxes which had "gone to earth" having been hunted over-ground by fox hounds.
Russell was a founding member of The Kennel Club.[8] He helped to write the breed standard for the Fox Terrier (Smooth) and became a respected judge. He did not show his own fox terriers on the conformation bench, saying that the difference between his dogs and the conformation dogs could be likened to the difference between wild and cultivated flowers.
In 1832, Russell was appointed vicar of Swimbridge in North Devon, where the local public house was renamed the "Jack Russell Inn" and still stands today. He was also rector of Black Torrington in Devon.[9] At Swimbridge, Russell enjoyed a hectic social life, with formal dining, charity fundraising, and an active career as a Freemason.[10] The noted Historian WG Hoskins described Russell as "futile" [11]
In 1826, at Swimbridge he married Penelope Incledon-Bury, third daughter and co-heiress of Vice-Admiral Richard Incledon-Bury (1757-1825), Royal Navy, lord of the manor of Colleton, Chulmleigh in Devon,[12] who resided at Dennington, Swimbridge. Russell is said to have had expensive sporting habits both on and off the hunting-field, which drained the substantial resources of his heiress wife and left the estate of Colleton in poor condition.[13]
Russell died on 28 April 1883 at Black Torrington Receptory, and was buried in the churchyard of St. James's Church, Swimbridge, where he had served as vicar for 40 years.[14]