Early Service In The Army
Born in Ireland in 1733, Russell acquired an education and hoped for a solid career in the army. Unfortunately, without money, he was unable to buy a commission, so he spent quite a few years moving from regiment to regiment, until he was finally made a lieutenant in 1758. Shortly afterward he "quitted his commission in a pet." Without prospects, however, in 1760 he decided to accept another commission with a new regiment being raised to serve in North America.

The Gambling Years
For three years he served, mostly in the West Indies. When his regiment was disbanded, Russell gambled heavily in Martinique and lost. He fled to New York in 1763, gambled some more and won enough to pay some of his previous gambling debts. He then moved to Virginia, gambled successfully again, and won enough to buy a tobacco plantation of 462 acres. For the next eight years Russell lived on his plantation, drawing his half-pay army pension, hiding from his Martinique creditors and "longing for capital to enter the lucrative slave trade." Trying to raise slave-trade capital through gambling, he lost and had to sell his plantation and return to England in 1771. When the Martinique creditors found him there and demanded payment, Russell fled to Holland for almost a year. Returning again to England, he was put into debtor's prison for several months.

Influential Army Friends
When the American War of Independence broke out, Russell received a commission, served a term recruiting in Ireland, then in 1778 sailed to America. His big break came when he was appointed an assistant secretary to the command-in-chief of the British forces in America, Sir Henry Clinton. While in America he also met John Graves Simcoe, later the first governor of Upper Canada.
      Russell received a captain's commission in 1780. But nine months later he sold it for a large profit and returned to England. By 1786 he was poor once again, his father having died, leaving Russell to take care of large debts and his sister, Elizabeth. For several years, his former commander, Clinton, and other officers, including Simcoe, tried to help him. Finally, in 1791, when Simcoe was appointed lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, he was able to recommend Russell for appointment as receiver and auditor general.

The Search For Money Moves To Upper Canada
At the age of 59, Russell arrived with his sister Elizabeth at Quebec on June 2, 1792. Although one of the four original members of the Executive Council of Upper Canada, Russell was not quite satisfied with his appointment, because it had meant giving up his half-pay army pension in return for a salary of only 300 pounds per year. Russell's financial problems earned him a reputation in the province for being greedy for fees and offices (in 1794 he was appointed temporary judge at a salary of 500 pounds per year, despite having no legal training; in 1795 he was appointed speaker of the Legislative Council). In the pursuit of money he was much like William Jarvis but, unlike Jarvis, he was not known for being lazy and incompetent and he never lost the respect of Simcoe.

In Charge Of The Province
Simcoe requested leave of absence in 1795, recommending that Russell be chosen to administer the government, describing him as "the senior Executive Counsellor, (not a Roman Catholick) and . . . in all respects the proper person." Russell, age 63, was appointed administrator on July 20, 1796, the day before Simcoe left York. He met his first parliament in York in June 1797.

Russell vs. Jarvis
Unfortunately for William Jarvis, who as registrar was in charge of the issuing of patents for land grants, Russell had long had an interest in the procedures of land-granting. Twenty-five years earlier, upon arriving in England from Virginia, he had tried to interest the government in a program of reform for land-granting abuses there. Russell launched an inquiry into Jarvis's department.

Russell Improves Toronto (York)
With Simcoe out of the country, the new chief justice, John Elmsley, opposed York as the location of the new capital. Russell had not been enthusiastic about the choice of York, but he remained loyal to Simcoe's plans, resisted Elmsley and worked industriously to develop the twon.
      Russell expanded York greatly from its original site at the eastern end of the harbour, extending the New Town westward past Yonge Street all the way to Fort York. Between the town and the fort, he set aside lots for important civic functions: a church, a court-house, a market. He established the beginnings of a zoning plan. Something he is especially remembered for today is improving the road links to other parts of the province, awarding a contract to Asa Danforth to build a road eastward toward the settlements in the area of Kingston and Cornwall (today's Danforth Avenue). Yonge Street and Dundas Street were brought into the town. York's defences were improved, with a blockhouse being added to Fort York, topped with a lighthouse to guide ships into the harbour.

Russell's Day In The Sun Comes To An End
When Simcoe left for England in 1796, it was expected that he would return. In fact, he never saw Upper Canada again, serving his next term in the West Indies, then retiring. Russell's hope to be appointed governor was disappointed in 1799, when Peter Hunter was made the new governor.