A Former Publication Of Alderson High School “Alderson’s Longest Running News Media”

The Russells Of Alderson A History By Jim Russell

The   mercantile   interests   of   Alderson,   one   of   the   thriving   communities   of   Monroe   County, was   well   and   worthily   represented   by   Andrew   S.   Russell.   Mr.   Russell   belongs   to   that   class of   men   who   have   worked   their   own   way   to   position   without   the   aid   of   outside   influences.   He started   his   career   as   a   lad   in   the   mines,   in   a   humble   position   through   hard   work,   intelligently directed,   the   owner   of   a   flourishing   general   merchandise   store   and   a   popular   moving   picture theatre. He was highly thought of in the community. (click photos for larger view) A.   S.   Russell   was   born   at   Bethel,   Pennsylvania,   February,   1873,   and   was   a   son   of   James   Russell.   His father,   a   native   of   Scotland,   grew   up   in   his   native   land,   where   he   became   a   mine   boss   and   was   united   in marriage   with   Jeannette   Simpson.   Following   the   close   of   the   war   between   the   states   James   Russell immigrated   to   the   United   States,   with   the   expectation   of   establishing   a   home   in   this   country   if   he   found conditions suitable. After   mining   for   a   time   in   Pennsylvania   he   returned   to   Scotland   and   brought   back   with   him   his   wife   and   two children,   Elizabeth   and   John.   From   Pennsylvania   the   family   moved   Hansford,   Kanawha   County,   West Virginia,   about   1878,   Mr.   Russell   being   there   the   pioneer   in   opening   the   coal   mines,   but   after   a   short   time moved   to   Ansted   in   Fayette   County,   also   assisting   to   open   the   mines   in   that   locality.   Still   later   he   went   to Hawk's   Nest,   nearby,   and   there   died   in   1894,   being   survived   by   his   widow,   who   passed   away   June   8, 1922. James   Russell   was   a   man   of   medium   stature,   was   cannily   thrifty,   after   the   Scotch   fashion,   and   was universally   accounted   one   of   the   beet   mining   men   who   ever   came   to   West   Virginia.   He   had   worked   in every   department   of   the   mining   industry,   and   knew   its   workings   from   the   inside   to   the   very   end   of   coal production.   In   his   later   years   he   gave   up   mining   and   followed   mercantile   pursuits   at   Hawk's   Nest,   and gained   the   reputation   of   being   a   capable   and   fair-dealing   business   man.   He   was   a   Protestant   in   religion and   a   republican   in   his   political   allegiance. At   his   death   he   left   six   sons   and   five   daughters,   and   there   were three other children who had died before his passing. A.   S.   Russell      had   only   very   limited   educational   advantages   in   his   youth,   and   when   yet   a   boy   became   self- supporting   by   finding   employment   in   the   mines   at   Stone   Cliff.   For   some   four   or   five   years   he   continued mining,   but   when   his   father   died   he   succeeded   the   elder   man   in   the   management   of   the   mercantile establishment   at   Hawk's   Nest,   where   he   carried   on   the   business   in   a   successful   manner   and   made   it   a paying   venture.   In   1903,   at   Hawk's   Nest,   Mr.   Russell   was   united   in   marriage   with   Miss   Essie   Grisinger,   a daughter   of   J.   C.   Grisinger,   one   of   the   old   mining   men   of   West   Virginia,   and   to   this   union   there   have   been born   five   children:   Glenna   May,   Drema   Lile,   Andrew,   James   (named   after   his   paternal   and   maternal grandfathers)   and   Finley.He   continued   at   that   place   for   some   twenty   years,   and   then,   in   1914,   came   to Alderson, where at first he embarked in the moving picture business. He   purchased   an   existent   theater   called   the Palace   in   1914,   and   operated   it   in   its   old location    for    a    while.    In    June    1915,    he purchased    lands    on    the    lower    block    of Railroad Avenue   and   began   construction   of   a new   building.   It   was   a   36'   x   90'   brick,   two story   structure,   which   housed   the   theatre   on the   ground   floor   and   apartments   or   offices   on the    upper.    It    seated    nearly    four    hundred persons,    and    was    known    as    the    "Russell Theatre".     It     was     a     family     theatre,     with excellent   patronage,   and   presented   a   clean, moral   and   high-class   entertainment.   In   the 1940's   it   was   taken   over   by   the   Alpine   Theatre   chain   and   operated   by   them   into   the   mid-1950's.   In   the succeeding   years,   several   attempts   to   revive   the   theatre   were   made   after   the   Alpine   Chain   took   out   their franchise.   Television   was   beginning   to   be   the   main   source   of   entertainment   and   having   a   theater   was becoming   impractical   to   fund   and   maintain.   (   Note:   The   first   motion   pictures   viewed   in   Alderson   were presented   by   the   Edison   Motion   Picture   Company   of   New   York   in   the   Town   Hall   (Opera   House)   on October 5, 1904.) In   1918   he   bought   the   grocery   business   of   the   Keller   Grocery   Company   and later   in   that   year   the   bargain   store   of   Meyer   Levy,   which   he   changed   to   the Russell   Department   Store,   which   was   in   commission   under   the   direction   of his   son   Andrew   Simpson   Russell.   A.   S.   Russell   continued   with   a   gratifying degree   of   success.   His   reputation   is   that   to   a   capable   business   man   of good   judgment   and   integrity   and   he   was   held   in   confidence   by   the   people   of his adopted community. (Click photo for larger view)

Thea   above   photos   are   of   the   empty   lot   across   the   corner   of   the   Russell’s   house.   Mrs.    Russell,   built   a playground   there   for   her   grandchildren   and   any   one   else   that   wanted   to   use   it.   There   were   monkey   bars and   swings.   A   rope   swing   in   the   big   tree,   and   a   merry-go-round.   It’s   a   different   looking   lot   now.   Several pieces   of   playground   equipment   remained   there   for   many   years   after.   It   probably   has   been   used   for different purposes but now is a small park. (Click photo for larger view)

This   is   the   building,   store   on   the   left,   that   Jim   Russell   had   his   radio   and   TV shop. The right side was the shop for Dixon Printers. On   each   Christmas,   Jim   would   attach   a   horn   speaker   in   the   upper   right corner   of   the   door   way,   and   play   Christmas   music.   (Click   photo   for   larger view)

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