He was the only child of Hannah Maria Sterry and John Wooley Russell of Dover, New York. He grew up on Chestnut Ridge, Dutchess County, New York, where he worked as a farm laborer and schoolteacher. In the early 1880's he joined the migration of many other New Englanders to Chicago, Illinois. There he met and married Helena Elmstrom, the daughter of Swedish/German immigrants. Gene worked as a news reporter for the in-house newspaper of one of the Swift Chicago meatpacking companies. He and Lena built a 17 room 2-flat home in the Englewood neighborhood near the Stockyards. He was musically talented and known for his sense of humor. All three of his daughters, Ella, Helen and Ruth, attended college.
He was the only child of Hannah Maria Sterry and John Wooley Russell of Dover, New York. He grew up on Chestnut Ridge, Dutchess County, New York, where he worked as a farm laborer and schoolteacher. In the early 1880's he joined the migration of many other New Englanders to Chicago, Illinois. There he met and married Helena Elmstrom, the daughter of Swedish/German immigrants. Gene worked as a news reporter for the in-house newspaper of one of the Swift Chicago meatpacking companies. He and Lena built a 17 room 2-flat home in the Englewood neighborhood near the Stockyards. He was musically talented and known for his sense of humor. All three of his daughters, Ella, Helen and Ruth, attended college.
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