Addison Peale Russell

{{short description|American politician (1826-1912)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2011}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name=Addison Peale Russell

|image=Addison Peale Russell.png

|caption=

|order=12th

|office=Ohio Secretary of State

|term_start=January 11, 1858

|term_end=January 13, 1862

|governor=Salmon P. Chase
William Dennison

|preceded=James H. Baker

|succeeded=Benjamin R. Cowen

|state_house2=Ohio

|district2=Clinton County

|term_start2=January 7, 1856

|term_end2=January 3, 1858

|preceded2=Thomas D. Austin

|succeeded2=David P. Quinn

| birth_date = {{birth date|1826|9|8}}

| birth_place = Wilmington, Ohio

| death_date = {{death date and age|1912|7|24|1826|9|8}}

| death_place =

| restingplace=

| party= Republican

| spouse=

| children =

| religion=

|alma_mater =

|occupation = author

}}

Addison Peale Russell (September 8, 1826 – July 24, 1912) was an American author of the later nineteenth century."D. O.," "In Memoriam," The Bookman, Vol. 37 (1913), p. 545. He is remembered mainly for his Sub-Coelum — "his best book...a Utopian protest against materialistic socialism."Robert L. Gale, A Henry James Encyclopedia, Westport, CT, Greenwood Press, 1989; p. 571.

Russell was born in Ohio; his formal education ended with grammar school. At the age of sixteen he took a job as a printer for a newspaper; by nineteen he had worked his way up to editor and publisher of the Hillsboro, Ohio News. He pursued a journalism career until he switched to politics and public service. He was made clerk of the Ohio Senate in 1850; he later represented Clinton County, Ohio in the Ohio House of Representatives in the 52nd General Assembly (1856–57) as a Republican,Ohio 1917 : 282 and was Ohio Secretary of State (1858–62). He was appointed Financial Agent for Ohio during the American Civil War, stationed in New York City.Smith 1898 : 76 He retired from public office in 1868 to pursue literature. He wrote seven books:

• Half Tints (1867)
• Library Notes (1875)
• Thomas Corwin (1882)
• Characteristics (1884)
• A Club of One (1887)
• In a Club Corner (1890)
• Sub-Coelum (1893).

Apart from his biographical survey of Thomas Corwin, an Ohio governor, Russell's books generally fall into the category of belles-lettres.