Rainious Oliver Russell

1876-1938

 

Rainious Russell, son of A. P. and Harriet Russell, was born at Sutter, Calf, Feb 26, 1876. He moved with his parents to Oregon in his young boyhood.

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In Rainious’ early manhood he went to work for the Spaulding Company, working as chief engineer for this company for 20 years.

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He invested in mining stock in mines above Gates (Marion Co) in the Cascade Mts. They did not prove very productive. He also invested in mines in Alaska and spent at least one season working there but did not strike it rich. Later the company for which he worked sent him as foreman over a group to inspect timber in the Philippines. After looking the tract over thoroughly and scaling it, he returned to report that the expense of setting up the necessary equipment and getting the logs to market would be too great, so the project was abandoned. He continued to work for the Spalding Logging Company for twenty years.

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He had also worked as a mining engineer and had gone to Alaska. He also had traveled as a timber cruiser in China, Japan and the Philippine Islands.

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In 1922 he came to Grand Ronde as chief engineer for the Polk Operating company and continued in this work until Dec 1937.

 

About a year and half after Rainous' brother, Earl, died, he married Anna, the widow of his brother Earl and bought a farm between Amity and Sheridan in May of 1925. He farmed and also worked in the logging camp between seasons. Rainous worked in logging camps and was an expert mechanic. His word was never disputed and he was a very reliable person, much devoted to his parents, brothers and sisters.

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Rainious died of a fatal heart attack in the fall of 1938. He was 62 years and five months at the time of this death. He was a member of the Sherian Church of Christ, where he was baptized April 2, 1926.