Hiram Russell Biography Contributed by Jan Cortez

Hiram E Russell, son of Josiah Russell, and one of Oceana's earliest pioneers, was born in New York in 1830. He moved to Michigan when six years old. At the age of ten with his parents, moved to Otisco, Ionia Co., where they resided a short time, and thence to Greenville, which they found but a vast wilderness. They spent several years here engaged in millwrighting and rafting lumber on the Flat and Grand Rivers, from Greenville to Grand Haven. In 1855 he came to Oceana Co. At this time not even the Indians had reached this fertile region, or but few whites. The place where Hart now stands was one solid growth of forest. He followed the section lines from Whisky Creek until he arrived at the place he now occupies. He at once began the laborious task of clearing away the forest and converting the proud old wilderness into a home, where he lived a bachelor's life until 1865, when he was married to Betsey E. Polley, who was born in Lee Co., Iowa, in 1843. In 1845 she moved with her parents, Daniel and Hannah Polley, to Ashtabula Co., Ohio, where she resided until 1864, when she came to Oceana County and taught school until February, 1865, when she was married to Mr. Russell. They have two children, one son and one daughter. Mr. Russell has a farm consisting of 240 acres of which 200 acres are cleared and 20 acres of this is set to fruit trees. He is engaged in fine stock raising as well as fruit growing. He has filled several places of public trust in the way of township and county offices.