Russell, Osborne, 1814-1892

Born in a small Maine village in 1814, Osborne Russell ran away to sea at age 16, but he soon gave up seafaring to join a trading and trapping company in Wisconsin and Minnesota. In 1834 he signed up for Nathaniel Wyeth's expedition to the Rocky Mountains and the mouth of the Columbia River. Subsequently, he joined Jim Bridger's brigade of old Rocky Mountain Fur Company men, continuing with them after a merger that left the American Fur company in control of the trade. When the fur trade declined, he became a free trapper operating out of Fort Hall.

From the description of Aubrey L. Haines manuscript, 1955. (Oregon Historical Society Research Library). WorldCat record id: 61344209