I did a bit research recently and I am very pleased to show you today, the portraits and biographies of the members of Russell & Morgan partnership. I personally think that it's really remarkable to see again today and in spite of the time passed, the face and the story of these people who have played a great role in the development of Playing Cards, more than one hundred years ago.
I hope you enjoy it!
1/ Anthony Octavius "Pick" Russell (1826-1900):Birth: Dec. 4, 1826, Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA
Death: Apr. 8, 1900, Norwood (Hamilton County), Ohio, USA
He was born in Southington, Connecticut, December 4th, 1826. His father was a tinner by trade. When Anthony was four years of age, the family removed from Southington to McConnellsville, Morgan County, Ohio. At the age of eleven years Anthony 0. was appointed to learn the printer's trade. After seven years of service, and when he had attained the age of eighteen years, he was allowed to go free, having mastered the principles of his trade. From Cincinnati he journeyed to New Orleans where he commenced work on the Delta. In 1848 cholera broke out in that city, and Mr. Russell, to avoid the plague, took up his residence once more in Cincinnati. Here he secured work in the Commercial job-rooms. Although Mr. Russell fled from New Orleans to escape the cholera, he nevertheless carried the seeds of the virulent disease with him, and was suddenly stricken down while walking the streets of Cincinnati. Under the care of skillful physicians he finally recovered. After regaining his health he concluded to try his fortune again in the South, and located at Louisville, Kentucky. He only made a brief stay in Louisville, however, but returned to Cincinnati, where he obtained work in the job-rooms of the Enquirer. His course in the Enquirer job-rooms did not run smoothly, however, for he had some disagreement with the management, and abandoned the printing business altogether. From that time he became a pilot on the Ohio River, and for four years followed that business between Cincinnati and St. Louis. He learned to know the channel thoroughly, and was regarded as one of the best pilots on the river. Mr. Russell was soon offered the position of foreman of the Bulletin job-rooms at Memphis, Tennessee, which he accepted and continued to hold for the space of three years. Although living in the South, Mr. Russell did not view with Southern eyes the question of slavery, and, being always of an outspoken nature, his freely expressed opinions on that subject sometimes got him into trouble. He arrived in Cincinnati on Sunday, and less than twenty-four hours afterward, was mustered in as captain of Company G, 6th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Russell enlisted for three years' service; but after two years he was promoted to the rank of major, and as such rendered efficient aid and displayed great bravery throughout the remainder of the war. After the close of the war Mr. Russell took charge of the Enquirer job-rooms, and in 1867, in association with Robert J. Morgan, John Robinson, and James M. Armstrong, bought out the owners of the Enquirer job-rooms, and founded the Russell & Morgan Company, now known as the Russell & Morgan Printing Company, which is probably the largest and most renowned printing establishment of its kind in the United States. In 1891 the United States Printing Company was organized, with Mr. Russell as president, and Mr. Joseph E. Hinds, of Brooklyn, New York, vice-president. These companies give employment to between 1,950 and 2,000 men, and have two factories in Cincinnati, one in Indianapolis, one in Brooklyn, New York, and one in Montclair, New Jersey. Their specialties of work are the manufacture of colored labels, playing cards, and large show-posters. It is said that this company make about two-thirds of the playing cards used in the United States. He was married in 1858 to Miss Helen Green, and has five children, three daughters and two sons. His daughters are all married, and one of his sons; the other one residing with his parents at their home in Norwood, (1895) one of the many beautiful suburbs of Cincinnati. Because of illness, in 1900, he had to direct the USPC business from his Indian Mound home, where he died on April 8, 1900. That home was originally the William R. Phipps’ residence, the first and only home built in the original Norwood Heights subdivision.2/ Robert John Morgan (1838) : He was born in Bandon, Cork County, Ireland, June 24th, 1838. He arrived in Cincinnati, May 21st, 1847. He became engaged to Butler & Bros., manufacturers of boot and shoe blacking, small articles of trade, and dealers in paper. He was employed in packing boxes of blacking into larger boxes for shipment, and for such services received the sum of seventy-five cents a week. He remained with this firm for two years, and then became employed as "devil" in the newspaper office of the Chronicle and Atlas, corner of Third and Hammond streets, at the sum of $1.50 a week. This was considered good wages at that time for a boy of thirteen. Young Morgan did not remain long in his new situation, for the same year he became apprenticed to Caleb dark and C. W. Starbuck, owners of the Ben Franklin job-printing office. The contract was made for five years. Robert liked his new place, but on account of a misunderstanding with the foreman he was discharged at the expiration of two and a half years. He immediately secured a position at the Enquirer job rooms, to serve out his apprenticeship, at the increase in salary. After finishing his apprenticeship he continued to work at the Enquirer job rooms until he had reached the age of eighteen years. He was then offered a situation with Hutton & Frealy's Southern publishing house at Memphis, Tennessee, as foreman of the pressroom, at $40 per week. He remained at Memphis until the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, when he returned to Cincinnati, and immediately enlisted in the 27th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was elected second lieutenant of Company B, having previously belonged to the Guthrie Grays, and being familiar with military tactics. On account of a dispute with the captain of his company, Mr. Morgan would not serve under him, and resigned, and returned to Memphis, arriving August 1st, 1861. In November following he left Memphis as bearer of the drawings of the fortifications at Memphis and Clarksville, Tennessee, and Bowling Green, Kentucky, going by rail from Memphis to State Station, Tennessee, and riding a mule the entire distance from State Station to Henderson, Kentucky, safely delivering the important drawings to General 0. M. Mitchell in Cincinnati. During his absence three of his brothers had enlisted in the war, and when he returned to Cincinnati and found his poor old father comparatively alone, he resolved to stay with him. He had accumulated the neat sum of $5,000, and this amount he invested in the printing business. In January 1867, the firm of Russell, Morgan & Co. was established by purchasing the Enquirer job rooms, and this became the nucleus of the present immense Russell-Morgan Company. They remained in the old quarters of the Enquirer job rooms, 20 College Street, for a short time, but finding these premises inadequate for their business, the large building now (1895) occupied by the A. E. Burkhardt Company, on Race street, was erected for their use. It was not many years, however, before the vigorous company outgrew these premises also, and their present (1895) immense building, corner of Sixth and Lock streets, was erected, and ten years later another large building was added to their premises at Fifth and Lock streets. The company has branches also at Brooklyn, New York, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Mont Clair, New Jersey, and give employment to upwards of two thousand people. Their specialties of work are the manufacture of colored labels, playing cards, of which they are responsible for about two-thirds of the cards used in the United States, and large show-posters. In 1891 the United States Printing Company was established, and Mr. Morgan became its second vice-president, and a member of its directory. Mr. Morgan was a member and the first president of the Cincinnati Board of Police Commissioners, and was instrumental in organizing the present splendid police system of Cincinnati. He visited other cities, and spent his time and money in his efforts to secure as good a system as possible. He is the donor of the Morgan medal awarded each year. March 6th, 1894, he was again appointed police commissioner of Cincinnati by Governor McKinley, to succeed M. S. Forbus. Mr. Morgan's term will expire March 31st, 1898. Mr. Morgan practically retired from actual business pursuits in May 1893, at the age of fifty-five years. He is a member of the order of Elks (link with Hochman US22 ?), and has been a Master Mason for twenty-three years. Mr. Morgan was married January 2d, 1866, to Miss Emma F. Armstrong. Four children were born of this union, two of whom survive-Arthur R. Morgan, an eminent chemist, and a member of the firm of Dickore & Morgan, and Miss Ethel, a young miss of twelve years.3/ James Monroe Armstrong (1812-1895) :Birth: 1812, Clermont County, Ohio, USA
Death: Oct. 3, 1895, Walnut Hills (Hamilton County), Ohio, USA
Mechanic, Merchant and one of the Proprietors of the Russell, Morgan & Co. Job Printing Office, Nos. 258 and 260 Race street, Cincinnati, was born, 1812, in Columbia township, Hamilton county, and is a son of the late James Armstrong, for many years flour inspector of Cincinnati. The latter was one of six brothers, who with their three sisters and parents removed from Maryland and located, in the year 1800, on the Little Miami river, near what is now Plainville, formerly known as Armstrong's upper, middle and lower mills. Nathaniel Shepherd Armstrong, the father of this large family, assisted in locating his six sons as follows: William and Major John were located at the lower mill; Thomas and Leonard operated the middle mill, while James and Nathaniel had charge of the upper mill. In 1822 James, the father of James Monroe Armstrong, disposed of his interests in the upper mill to his brother, and removed to a farm on Indian Hill, in the same township, where he remained until 1828, when he removed to Cincinnati, where he became flour inspector, as above stated, and held the position for many years. He died in 1841, aged fifty-seven years; his widow survived him until 1866, when she followed him, at the ripe age of seventy-seven. James Monroe Armstrong, at the age of sixteen, commenced learning the coachmaking trade in the establishment of William Holyoke, then located on the present site of the National Theatre, on Sycamore street. At the expiration of five years he had thoroughly mastered his trade; but, feeling the need of a better education, he entered the Talbot School, in the old Cincinnati College. He remained there a few months, paying for his tuition by his own labor. After leaving school he began work in the factory of the late George C. Miller, then one of the largest carriage manufactories in the West, and is yet in a flourishing condition under the management of two of the founder's sons. He remained at this establishment for three years, and then formed a partnership with Samuel Barnes, and in 1838, under the firm-name of Armstrong & Barnes, opened their own factory on Vine above Twelfth street. This connection continued prosperously until about 1844, when the junior member disposed of his interests to his partner, Barnes, and with two others engaged, in the following year, in the grocery, coopering and whiskey-gauging business. In 1850 he retired from this connection, and in company with Hermann Krafeldt embarked in the flour trade on the West Miami canal. In 1854 his brother, Arthur E. Armstrong, on account of his superior knowledge of the quality of flour and grain, was added to the firm. In 1855 Mr. Krafeldt died, but the business was continued by himself and brother on the same square (the last eight years on the corner of Walnut street) until 1867.
At that date, in connection with A. O. Russell, R. J. Morgan and John F. Robinson, he purchased the Cincinnati Enquirer job printing office on College street. After remaining there for between five and six years, during which time their business assumed immense proportions, the company purchased the ground and erected their present building on Race street, which is now one of the largest, most complete, and thoroughly and successfully conducted printing establishments in the entire West. In 1874 James M. Armstrong was elected a member of the City Council, in which body he served as a member of some of its most important committees. In the fall of 1875 he was one of the nominees of the Democratic party for the Legislature. With all of the other candidates for the Legislature of the party on that ticket he was defeated. For the past ten years he has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Second National Bank. His business interests have from time to time brought him into relations with the various commercial organizations of the city. He has been more than usually successful in his career of varied effort. His personal and business habits have been unexceptional. His brother, Arthur E., is still engaged in the flour and grain trade, and another, Sandford L., is a merchant at Rising Sun, Indiana. Dr. Nathaniel S. Armstrong was a practitioner of medicine in Cincinnati, and one of its most prominent, honest and conscientious; he was the brother-in-law of the late Charles Woodward, both of whom the profession were proud of; he died in Cincinnati in 1854. Leonard L., another brother, is in the drug business at Cumminsville, Ohio. John Wesley, another brother, was attached to the 5th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was mortally wounded at the battle of Antietam. Thomas Milton, his youngest brother, died in 1863, aged thirty-three years; his only sister living is Mrs. Robert Evans, of Indianapolis, Indiana. He was married, January 29th, 1840, to Martha, daughter of Caleb Williams, one of the oldest and most respected citizens of Cincinnati, with whom he has three children, two daughters and one son. In 1853 Caleb Williams died, at the age of seventy-two years; his companion, Martha Williams, died in 1846.4/ John Franklin Robinson Jr (1843-1921) : Birth: Nov. 4, 1843, Alabama, USA
Death: Apr. 30, 1921, Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA
"THE GOVERNOR," eldest son of old John Robinson. Took over management of John Robinson's Circus with his brothers in 1871 when his father retired (link with Hochman US21?). Trained as a bare-back rider, tumbler and leaper, but increased weight eventually necessitated withdrawal from performing. In 1866, he married Caroline Heyward, daughter of a Confederate colonel from Charleston, SC. John and wife Caroline had six children. She died in 1889. When the old John Robinson Circus went under new management in 1896, Robinson combined with Franklin Bros. to form Robinson & Franklin Circus. In 1909, he sold the circus to his son, John G. Robinson, mending a family break caused by the Governor's marriage to his nurse, Mary Maud Logan in 1908. John Gilbert Robinson (1872-1935), son of John F. Robinson, Jr. : Engaged in show business all of his life. Was a rider at 18; at 20 an assistant manager of the John Robinson Circus; 1901, took over management and continued to operate the show until 1916. Title then was sold to Jerry Mugivan and Bert Bowers and later passed into the hands of the Ringling organization. Robinson’s group elephant act appeared for several years at indoor circuses, parks, fairs and at special performances; and eventually came under the management of son, John IV. Was a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason and a member of the Knight Templar; a past potentate of the Syrian Temple Shrine, Cincinnati, for two years, the only circus owner ever to be made a Shrine potentate. Was a trustee of Syrian Temple at time of death; a director of the Cincinnati Zoo,
secretary and director of the U. S. Playing Card Company (
http://www.circushistory.org/Olympians/OlympiansR2.htm) ; director of Cincinnati Christmas Seal Committee of the Anti-Tuberculosis League; member of the Cincinnati Club and the Firemen’s Protective Association; honorary member of the Circus Fans’ Association. Died at his home, 3010 Reading Road, Cincinnati, age 63.
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