Archibald Russell (1811-1871)

He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh in philosophy, law, and medicine, and continued his studies at the University of Bonn, Germany. He came to New York as Manager of the American Bible Society and immediately dedicated himself to charitable work: He was the founding President of the Five Points House of Industry; President of the Famine Relief Committee, relieving the Southern States after the Civil War; founding Vice-President of the Half-Orphan Asylum; Executive Member of the City Mission and Tract Society; President of the House of Industry; Founder of the Women's Working Home and the Home Building Committee; and, he built a block of model tenement houses.

He was a member of the Historical Society of New-York and co-founded the American Geographical and Statistical Society (forerunner of the U.S. Census). He bought an estate at Ulster County, New York, where he built Waldorf as well as a church and was the founding President of the Ulster Savings Bank, "a savings institution for the poor in Ulster County". He married Helen, daughter of Dr John Watts - grandson of John Watts, President of the King's Council of New York. They were the parents of 5-children.