Biography

11/10/1817 - 04/07/1891

Paymaster Russell Errett (R25) Allegheny County, 1868-1869 

Early Life: 

Paymaster Russell Errett, born November 10, 1817, New York, New York County (Manhattan), New York; son of Henry and Sophia Kemmish Errett; moved, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1829; engaged, newspaper work; elected, comptroller, Pittsburgh, 1860; served, clerk, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1860-1861; appointed, paymaster, United States Army, Civil War 1861-1866; elected, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1868-1869; appointed, assessor, internal revenue, 1869-1873; served, clerk, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1872-1876; elected, Republican, United States House of Representatives, 1877-1883, unsuccessful candidate for reelection, 1882; presidential appointed, President Chester A. Arthur, United States Pension Agent, Pittsburgh, 1883-1887; died, April 7, 1891, (aged 73) Carnegie, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; interment, Chartiers Cemetery, Carnegie, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:

Editor, Pittsburgh Daily Sun, a small penny journal; Washington Patriot, an anti-slavery weekly of Washington, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh Gazette. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Appointed, paymaster, United States Army, Civil War 1861-1866

Elected, comptroller, Pittsburgh, 1860. 

Served, clerk, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1860-1861. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 25th district, Allegheny County, 1868-1869; committee assignments, Finance, Railroads and Retrenchment and Reform. 

Appointed, assessor, internal revenue, 1869-1873. 

Served, clerk, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1872-1876. 

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Elected, Republican, United States House of Representatives, Forty-fifth, Forty-sixth, and Forty-seventh Congresses, 1877-1883; chairman, Committee on Expenditures on Public Buildings, Forty-seventh Congress; unsuccessful candidate for reelection, 1882. 

Appointed, President Chester A. Arthur, United States Pension Agent, Pittsburgh, 1883-1887.

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. Senate Members "E" (wilkes.edu). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1868). Smull, J.A., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 276, 280-282.

Russell Errett (1817-1891) - Find a Grave Memorial