Liberian Literary Magazine
Promoting Liberian literature, Arts and Culture
Forgotten Heroes
Amelie Crawford his mother, an octoroon-(oneeighth black) went along with her family to save
face-it is generally assumed. The Russell’s are
connected to Mary Todd Lincoln (Abraham
Lincoln’s wife) thus providing another
interesting twist to the man’s story.
Alfred William Gardner
(date of birth: 1817 – died 1884)
In Liberia, the Russells met hardship like never
before. Whilst in the US he admits to being
raised in a pampered manner by Mr. Polly, but
this was not the case in Liberia. They entered
the colony at a most difficult time.
Dr. Mechlin was an agent and the only doctor in
the colony. He had them quarantined and after
some basic treatment, they were sent out to
Caldwell & Millsburg. Russell described the
situation like this. “Housing was inadequate,
food was scarce, and medical service was almost
nonexistent.”
An interesting aspect of his life that is hardly
known is the fact that he was crippled as a
youth. Some ailment befell him and made him
cripple. For a long time he used a clutch to assist
him in walking. The situation was so bad that in
one letter it was feared that he would be a
cripple for life. Even Russell makes no secret of
the fact (in another letter) that it was thought
he would never walk again. Somehow, he
managed to walk and walked all the way to the
nation’s highest office.
"
Anthony F. Russell (1817–1884)
Alfred Francis Russell (1817–1884)
Alfred was the eleventh Vice President of
Liberia. He was born August 25, 1817 in
Lexington, Kentucky. His family migrated to
Liberia in 1883 on board the Ajax. He was well
in his teens at the time.
As an adult, Francis moved to Clay Ashland along
the St Paul’s River, a district bought by the
Kentucky Colonization Society. He had a rather
large farm (200 acres) where he grew mostly
Sugar and Coffee. He built a large brick house he
called Russellton.
His birth and life is one of interest and for many
good reasons too. Russell was the product of an
affair with his master’s son and his mother. It
was alleged that the John Russell, his father,
came to visit his wealthy grandmother and got
involved with her slave servant. This caused a big
scandal in town for the lady gave birth to a white
baby. He was two/third white.
He eventually entered politics but not before
serving the Lord as a Methodist Minister and
missionary for 17 years all over Liberia.
Later in his life, he transferred to the Protestant
Episcopal Church. He also represented
Montserrado County as one of its Senators
throughout the 1850s and served intermittently
in that body over the next two decades.
The situation was embarrassing for all the
parties. It was not thinkable for him to be
treated as a slave seeing that he had turned out
more white than black. Fearing the alternative,
her owner was eventually forced to get rid of
(sell) his mother to another family member.
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