Russell Bush

Russell Bush

RUSSELL BUSH, tanner and farmer on section 32, Denver Township, is a son of John and Lydia (Armes) Bush, who were natives of Massachusetts, and direct descendants, on both sides, of the ancient Puritan families. He was born in Greenfield, Mass., April 2, 1803; and when he was eight years old his parents moved to Addison Co., Vermont, and settled on a farm, where he went to school until his 16th year, when he was apprenticed to Saxton Warner, a tanner in the town of Bristol, and served four years, or until the day he was 21 years old. He then left Bristol and worked at his trade three years, when he emigrated to Ontario, Can., locating in Beamsville, where he established a bark tanney, which he operated five years. He afterward entered a tannery and saw-mill in the vicinity of Toronto, which was destroyed by the overflowing of the river on which it was situated. Becoming discouraged at his loss, he removed to the village of Jordan, in the spring of 1842, near the town of St. Catharines, where he built a larger tannery than any of the preceeding ones, and carried on a more extensive business. He remained here until 1849, then returned to his old location, then known as Port Credit, in the vicinity of Toronto, where he conducted a large hotel until 1856. In the winter of that year he came to Eaton County, this State, settling in the township of Vermontville, where he worked a farm 14 years. In June 1870, he came to this county and settled in Hesperia, and established a hardware store, in which he was engaged until 1880. He then moved upon a farm of 80 acres in Denver Township, which he had previously purchased, and where he is now living a retired life.

Sept. 1, 1831, in Canada, Mr. Bush was married to Miss Mary Stillwell, daughter of David and Nancy (Lucas) Stilwell, natives of England, who was born in New York City, Jan. 11, 1811, and died July 14, 1883, leaving an aged husband and three children to mourn her loss. She was a woman of powerful intellect, kind and genial, and had won a large circle of friends. There children are: William s., born July 28, 1832; Lewis, Oct. 10, 1834; Harmon K., Sept. 6, 1836. In politics Mr. Bush is a Republican.

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