RUSSELL, Thomas (fl. 1860-90), active in the Frontenac County region of Ontario. In 1870, he was described as “....the architect, formerly of Kingston” and was credited with the design of the new Roman Catholic church in Sheffield, Ontario (now called Erinsville, and located north of Napanee). This substantial stone church, costing $10,000, together with the adjacent priest's residence “...in the cottage style” opened in early 1870, and both are still standing today in 2022 . The article on this church published in 1870 also notes that Russell “....assisted in furnishing the Kingston Cathedral” and he likely designed and fabricated the pews and other interior elements in the nave of the cathedral. He is certainly the same person as, “Mr. Thomas Russell, Architect” who was listed as the architect of the Gothic design for St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in MORRISBURG, ONT., located 80 miles east of Kingston, and completed a few years later in 1876 (Daily Citizen [Ottawa], 26 June 1876, 2, descrip.).
The 1881 Canada Census confirms that Mr. Thomas Russell, aged 46 years, was a resident of Morrisburg, Ont., Dundas County, and was born in Scotland in 1835, and was then working in 1881 as a "contractor & builder". He likely prepared the designs for buildings noted below, for which he is credited in various sources:
SHEFFIELD, ONT. [now called ERINSVILLE], Assumption Roman Catholic Church, County Road 41, 1870; still standing in 2022 (Daily British Whig [Kingston], 25 Feb. 1870, 2, descrip.; Canadian Freeman [Toronto], 10 March 1870, 3)
MORRISBURG, ONT., St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1st Street at St. Lawrence Street, 1876; church closed Oct. 2015; building still standing in 2022 (Daily Citizen [Ottawa], 26 June 1876, 2, detailed descrip.)
CAMPBELLFORD, ONT., St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Ranney Street near Bridge Street East, 1882-84; still standing in 2022 (W.J.H. Dunk, Centenary of Presbyterianism - St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church 1836-1975m - A Historic Sketch, 10-11; inf. Janice Handy, Campbellford, Ont.)
CAMPBELLFORD, ONT., Methodist Church [now St. John's United Church], Bridge Street West at Churchill Drive, c. 1890; front facade and entrance altered c. 1980; church still standing in 2022 (A. Rowe, A History of St. John's United Church, Campbellford, 2008, 8-11, descrip., with references to Thomas Russell, contractor and mason; inf. Janice Handy, Campbellford, Ont.)
NORWOOD, ONT., Methodist Church [now United Church], 1890-91; burned March 1953 (inf. Janice Handy, Campbellford, Ont.)