Print Collection

The Russell family originated in England with the first ancestor settling in Massachusetts. John Leslie Russell was born at Fairfax, Vt., February 11, 1805 and moved to Malone, N.Y. in 1807 with his family. He was educated at the University of Vermont graduating in 1826. In 1829 he moved to Canton, N.Y. and practiced law there until 1844. He was also a postmaster. He married Mary S. Wead of Malone in 1832 and they had four children, Adeline, Mary J., Sibyl and one son, Leslie W. who became a lawyer in Canton.

Scrapbook of newspaper and magazine clippings by and about Rudyard Kipling assembled by Nathan Ford Giffin, St. Lawrence University class of 1895. Also contains 1 letter (tls) from Kipling.

Leslie Earl Rodee was born in Enosburg, VT in 1868, and moved to the Canton area with his parents, Hiram and Cornelia Rodee as a young boy. In 1880, Leslie’s parents in siblings moved to the Dakota Territory while Leslie stayed behind to help his grandmother and three aunts run the family farm near Waterman Hill in Canton, which remains in operation as Brick Chapel Acres. Leslie attended Potsdam Normal School and in 1888 relocated himself to South Dakota, where he taught school. He returned to Canton in 1890 and married Jessie May Truesdell in 1894.

Robert C. McEwen was born January 5, 1920 and died June 15, 1997 in Ogdensburg, New York. He was educated at Mount Hermon private school, University of Vermont, and graduated from Albany Law School in 1947. In 1952, McEwen married Anita M. "Pat" Sharples. After service in the Army Air Force, McEwen returned to practice law in Ogdensburg in 1946. On January 5, 1964 he entered the New York State Senate as a Republican and served for 10 years. In 1964 he became New York's thirty-first representative in the United States House of Representatives where he served until his retirement in 1980.

Robert J. Williams served as director of publicity for St. Lawrence University from 1948-1956 and later as SLU Registrar from 1968 until his retirement in 1981. Before his affiliation with the University, Mr. Williams spent the years 1944-1948 as a writer and editor of the Watertown Daily Times based in the Canton area.

Some of the articles represent coverage of St. Lawrence University-related events, as well as non-SLU stories written while he was employed by the University. Several pages contain hand-written notes, presumably by Mr. Williams, wife, Maxine.

Lt. Robert H. Van Slyke was born on February 20, 1925 in Little Falls, NY and enlisted in the U. S. Army following his junior year in high school at age 18, joining his three older brothers in the war effort. After basic training in Fort Dix, NJ and aviation cadet training in Alabama and Texas, he served as a bombardier and navigator aboard a B-26 Marauder, flying a total of 41 missions over Germany with the 454th Bomb Squadron. Van Slyke was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war, he returned to Little Falls to finish high school and went on to St.

Robert Gilmore of Ellenburgh, Clinton County, New York, served with the N. Y. S. Volunteers 91st Regt., Company G. Robert was stationed at Fort McHenry and later sees action outside of Petersburgh under the command of Grant in March 1865. During the last days before Lee’s surrender, Robert was wounded and briefly taken prisoner on March 31st, 1865. As a result of his injuries, he had a leg and some fingers amputated.

Robert G. Haldeman Jr. spent 11 days in Quebec several years ago with college friends on a wilderness canoe trip. The experience inspired him to become involved in the collection of books, magazine articles, catalogs and ephemera related to paddle and oar boating.

The files, once bound in three-ring binders, have been removed from the binders and organized into sections by tabs. Also included is a color lithograph, Canoe-Mates, by Howard Chandler Christy.

Gift of Robert G. Haldeman, Jr., August 2017.

Robert G Cottrell (1896-1958) a native of Gouverneur, NY attended area schools and graduated from Gouverneur High School in 1916. In 1917, he enlisted in the United States Army where he served in England and Germany during World War I. Robert received honorable discharge from the Army in August 1919. He returned to Gouverneur, NY and where he married Erdine Morris (1894-1983) in 1922. Mr. Cottrell worked several jobs after returning to civilian life. In 1944, he became village clerk and remained in that position until his retirement in 1952.

Richard Collins Ellsworth, was born July 17, 1875 in Canton, N.Y. and died there on September 21, 1948. Ellsworth was a member of the St. Lawrence University Class of 1895, served for 26 years on the Board of Trustees (1922-1948) holding the office of secretary for 20 years (1922-1943) and as curator and founder of the Richard C. Ellsworth Museum. He was recognized as an outstanding authority on north country history, and had a particular interest in railroad and circus history.