Preceded by James Herron Hopkins Party Republican Party Political party Republican | Name Russell Errett Resigned March 3, 1883 Role U.S. representative | |
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Born November 10, 1817
New York City, New York ( 1817-11-10 ) Died April 7, 1891, Carnegie, Pennsylvania, United States | ||
Succeeded by James Herron Hopkins | ||
Russell Errett (November 10, 1817 – April 7, 1891) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
Biography
Russell Errett was born in New York City. In 1829 he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and became engaged in newspaper work. Among the papers he edited were the Pittsburgh Daily Sun, a small penny journal; the Washington Patriot, an anti-slavery weekly of Washington, Pennsylvania; and the Pittsburgh Gazette. He was elected comptroller of Pittsburgh in 1860. He served as clerk of the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1860, 1861, and 1872 to 1876. During the American Civil War, Errett was appointed additional paymaster in the United States Army in 1861 and served until mustered out in 1866. He was a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1867. He was appointed assessor of internal revenue in 1869, and served until 1873. He conducted the Pittsburgh Commercial newspaper from 1873 to 1876.
Errett was elected as a Republican to the 45th, 46th, and 47th Congresses. He served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Expenditures on Public Buildings during the 47th Congress. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1882. He was appointed by President Chester A. Arthur as United States pension agent at Pittsburgh in 1883 and served in this capacity until May 1887, He died in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, in 1891. Interment was in Chartiers Cemetery.
Russell and his younger brother, Isaac, first generation Americans on both paternal and maternal sides, were friends of Presidents James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur. They were also acquainted with Abraham Lincoln. The Errett brothers were both prolific writers on theology. Russell, along with his brother, founded the Christian Standard and through their editorial and writing skills compiled one of the largest American doctrinal commentaries on Christian beliefs of the period, embodying much of what is known as the American Restoration Movement.