Charles Handy Russell (September 13, 1796 – January 21, 1884)[1] was a prominent American merchant and banker with the National Bank of Commerce in New York.

They moved to Bristol and stayed there until his mother's death in 1807 when Charles and his younger brother were under the care of the Rev.

Alexander V. Griswold, later the 5th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and attended Bristol Academy.

When Lafayette visited Providence in 1824 during his famous tour of America, Russell welcomed him to the city.

At the time of his resignation on June 5, 1868, the capital and surplus and reserved profits of the bank amounted to over $14,000,000.

William Rodman of Providence, Rhode Island, and sister of the wife of Charles Potter.

Together, Charles and Caroline were the parents of seven children, two of whom died in infancy:[2][3] In 1836, he bought a large tract of land in Newport that later became known as Oaklawn.

[2] His second wife died on March 7, 1863, leaving six young children who were then cared for by Fanny, his younger daughter from his first marriage.