Roy R. Russell

ROY R. RUSSELL. - The man best fitted to meet the wonderfully changed life of today is not a new type of man. He is of the old sterling stuff, clean in his individual life, great in his business life and great in his civic and patriotic life. Roy R. Russell, vice president of the Portsmouth Investment Company, of Kansas City, Kansas, is a prominent and influential citizen, whose loyalty and public spirit have ever been of the most insistent order. No worthy project advanced for the improvement and progress of this section of the state has ever failed to receive his heartiest cooperation.

A native of Kansas, Roy R. Russell was born at Oskaloosa, Jefferson county, on the 24th of May, 1881. He is a son of James M. and Emma N. (Price) Russell, the former of whom was born in Indiana and the latter of whom claims Michigan as the place of her birth. The father, whose demise occurred in 1905, was a farmer by vocation and on first coming to Kansas he located in Jefferson county, whence he later removed to Wabaunsee county. He was a man of prominence in public affairs in his home community and for two terms was incumbent of the office of sheriff. About the year 1900 he came to Kansas City, where he was engaged in the live stock commission business for five years prior to his death. He was a Republican in his political proclivities and his religious faith was in harmony with the tenets of the Congregational church. Mr. and Mrs. James M. Russell became the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters, five of whom are living, in 1911, and of whom the subject of this review was the fifth in order of birth. Mrs. Russell survives her honored husband and she now maintains her home in this city.

Roy R. Russell received his preliminary educational training in the common schools and in the high school of Council Grove, Kansas, and later he attended Campbell University at Holton. He came to Kansas City, Kansas, in 1902, and the first line of business to which he turned his attention was that of live stock. In 1911 he was elected president of the Portsmouth Investment Company. This company is a contracting and building concern and since its organizaton has erected more than one hundred homes in Kansas City, Kansas, and is building about that number each year. It is incorporated under the laws of the state with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars and its official corps is as follows: R. R. Russell, president; T. T. Kelly, vice president; and W. H. Haskell, secretary.

In politics Mr. Russell is aligned as a staunch supporter of the cause of the Republican party and he is affiliated with a number of fraternal and social organizations of representative character. He is not married but that fact in no way detracts from his personal popularity. He is a business man of unusual ability and tact, is broad minded and liberal in his views and is ever tolerant of others opinions. Socially he is genial and courteous, and the popularity that comes from those qualities, as coupled with the distinction that comes from his achievements, makes him a man among many. A thorough business man, a true friend, a jolly fellow and a gentleman, such will describe the marked characteristics of Mr. Russell.