William W. Russell

William Worthington Russell Jr. (December 3, 1858 – March 11, 1944) was an American diplomat who served under five presidents.

Early life Russell was born on December 3, 1858, in Washington, D.C. He was a son of Maj. William Worthington Russell (1821–1862), once Paymaster of the Marine Corps, and Virginia ( Fletcher) Russell of Alexandria, Virginia. His two sisters were Virginia Russell (wife of John Buchanan Brewer) and Lucy Briscoe Russell.

His paternal grandparents were Robert Grier Russell (brother of U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania James McPherson Russell, both being sons of lawyer and Revolutionary War soldier Alexander Russell) and Susan Hood ( Worthington) Russell. His father was a first cousin of U.S. Representative Samuel Lyon Russell. Among his paternal uncles were Admiral Alexander Wilson Russell and Rear Admiral John Henry Russell and his first cousin was Maj.-Gen. John H. Russell Jr. (father of Brooke Astor).

He attended the Rockville Academy in Rockville, Maryland and the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1881. He later studied engineering and was in the railroad business before entering the diplomatic service.

Diplomatic career In 1895, he was appointed secretary of the American legation at Caracas in Venezuela, serving until 1904 when he was appointed secretary of the legation and chargé d'affaires ad interim at Panama City (following its separation from Colombia in 1903).

On June 21, 1905, President Roosevelt appointed him U.S. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Venezuela and he was commissioned during a recess of the U.S. Senate. He was recommissioned on December 11, 1905, after confirmation. Russell was recalled on March 8, 1908. Jacob Sleeper, who was serving as chargé d'Affaires ad interim, notified the Government of Venezuela that the United States had severed diplomatic relations with Venezuela on June 20, 1908. From August 1908 to January 1909, he was commissioner to the National Ecuadorian Exposition at Quito.

Russell was awarded the Legion of Honour by the French government in 1907 for handling French interests in Venezuela. He was also honored by the Venezuelan government for his service to the country. After a funeral at St. Alban's Church, he was interred at Congressional Cemetery in Washington. His widow died in 1969.