sentences:  His father died when Russell was nine years old, and he aided in the support of his family by working on local farms until becoming a clerk in a store in order to learn the retail business.He served as postmaster in Saugerties, and engaged in several business ventures, including ownership of a general store shipbuilding, real estate, road and turnpike construction, and banking.Russell later transferred most of his business ventures to his sons and concentrated on banking.