The Cogswells in America - citizen hylbom blog

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I'l. Russ ]iianied, 1S30, an accomplished English lady, a widow with four children. Mrs.
Rnss died April ;S, 1S60. Dr. Russ, after twelve year.s, married, .\pril, 1S72, Miss Elise B.
Birdsell, daughter of James Uirdsell, of Ohio, who survived him. He had no children of
his own. Elizabeth Russ, a daughter of his fir.st wife, married, 1S58, Hon. Frederic Cogs-
well [ 622 ].
Dr. Russ, a few years before his death, retired to a picturest|i. ; estate on the high, roll-
ing land about two miles from the plains of Pompton, X. J. Here he fitted up a modern,
square, Gothic pointed home.stead, know^n as "Hillside Cottage," a house neither too large
nor too small for the largest measure of comfort, where he gave himself to relieving want,
and to benevolence, his pleasant home being the hospitable resort of the cultured and the
refined, of eminent scholars and well-known philanthropists. His last illness was of about
two weeks' duration and entirely painless. It was the sweet and peaceful going out of a
well-spent life. Xo sickness could have been more free from suffering, and no death scene
more tranquil. His funeral w.is just at suii^tt on Wednesday, March 2, 1S81. The imme-
diate friends and nei^hlini- yatlitrud at "Ilillsiili. Cottage." The sunset service was beauti-
ful, conducted In Ke\. Mi. (.rii\L^, Tlnir^d.iv morning the public funeral service took
place at St. Paul's (_ hapel, in Xew York City, Rev. Dr. Mulchahey olticiating. In accord-
ance with his own request his remains were taken to Esse.\-, Mass., his birthplace, and
deposited in the family vault of the Cogswells, beside those of the father and mother of
the deceased. "Thus with a 'few last words of faith and prayer,' a good man was laid
gently to rest." By the provisions of his will, after the death of his wife his estate goes to
hi- n.uive town of K.sse.\, to found a I'ublic I.ibiary. Various highly eulogistic tributes were
published at the time of Dr. Russ's death. "In the life of an earnest, conscientious jihilan-
thro))ist there is peculiar beauty and strength, and when such a life closes at its full maturity,
the silent pressure of its influence remains like a perpetual benediction." I'hi. In Memori.\m
or r.iUN Dknisi.x Ki-ss, M. D., tSoi-iSSi."
ABIGAIL COGSWELL.
292
(Grnrnlofli'cal.
Aiug.ml'' Cogswell, (Jonatliaii', Jonatlian\ Joiiathaif\ Williivii'-,
y^V/w'), dau