FOW Tour - Charles Wells Russell House

On April 22 2020 Friends of Wheeling (due to Covid-19 pandemic only 6 members) toured the Charles Wells Russell House at 75 12th Street, Wheeling.

This Greek Revival style building was built around 1848 by Charles Wells Russell (1819 – 1867), a well-known Wheeling attorney who argued, among other important cases, a suit involving the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. That case, brought on by the State of Pennsylvania, attempted to stop construction of the bridge and later to have it torn down. The case went to the U.S. Supreme Court, and Russell’s arguments lost. However, the bridge was saved as a U.S. Mail route through as act of Congress. Russell was also at the forefront of ensuring that the B&O railroad made Wheeling its Ohio River destination. At the beginning of the Civil War, Russell declared loyalty to Virginia and left Wheeling in 1861. His home at 75 12th Street was taken under the Confiscation Act by U.S. Marshal Edward M. Norton and was used as Union army headquarters for Generals William Rosecrans (beginning in December 1861) and John C. Fremont (from March to May 1862). Russell was elected to the Confederate Congress and was called “a pillar of the administration” of Jefferson Davis.” After the war, he moved to Baltimore where he lived until his death.

In 1850, Russell married Margaret Moore. A year later, the deed to the house was placed in the hands of Margaret’s father, Henry Moore, “for her sole benefit.” Henry and Margaret’s sons, Henry Moore Russell (1851-1915) and Charles Wells Russell, Jr. (1856-1927), would have been born while they lived in the house. Also listed in the household in the 1860 census were two Irish domestic servants and one “mulatto” coachman. It’s unclear whether or not the coachman was a slave.

After the Civil War, Dr. William J. Bates, Sr. (1812-1893) purchased the property for $10,000 (the equivalent of more than $169,000 today). The next recorded owner, beginning in 1905, was Dr. Charles A. Wingerter (1865-1945), one of the first psychiatrists in the area and a devout Catholic who was one of the organizers of Wheeling’s Knights of Columbus.

Ophthalmologist Dr. Ivan Fawcett (1889-1958) purchased the property in 1922 and used the building for his practice with Drs. Arthur K. Hoge and Matthew Zubak. Following the death of Dr. Fawcett, his son, ophthalmologist Dr. Alan Fawcett (1919-2017) purchased the building. Among the tenants was noted Wheeling architect Tracy Stephens.

Melania Streski purchased the property in 1992. Streski Reporting and Video Service had offices in the building until 2019. The property, which is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is currently for sale.

Prepared by Jeanne Finstein, Friends of Wheeling
April 22, 2020

The following was prepared by Margaret Brennan several years ago. Thought it would be nice to provide this in addition to what Jeanne prepared.

The Charles Wells Russell home was constructed in 1848 as a dwelling and attorney’s office. This Greek revival structure also served as the Civil War Union army headquarters of General William Rosecrans and General John C. Fremont.

The distinguished red brick building with its beveled glass fanlight transom illustrates the style of home built in Wheeling during the 1840s. Charles Wells Russell, born in Tyler County in 1819 and educated at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, became a brilliant and successful attorney, perhaps the most important in Wheeling in the 1850s. In 1842 he married Margaret Moore, daughter of Henry Moore, a prominent Wheeling citizen. They had three children, including Henry Moore Russell, who later practiced law in Wheeling.

Charles Wells Russell argued several prominent cases, one involving the Wheeling Suspension Bridge and the other, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The bridge case, brought by the state of Pennsylvania, attempted to halt construction of the bridge and later to have it taken down. The case went to the Supreme Court, and Russell’s arguments lost. The bridge was saved through an act of Congress.

As city attorney, Russell was at the forefront of making sure that the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad arrived at Wheeling as its Ohio River destination. He traveled to Baltimore and eventually testified in the Richmond House of Delegates, with bridge engineer Charles Ellet as a major ally.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Russell retained strong loyalty to Virginia and decided to take his family and leave Wheeling in 1861. He was elected to the Confederate Congress and was a “pillar of the administration” of Jefferson Davis. After the war, he eventually relocated to Baltimore, where he died at age 48 on November 22, 1867.

After Russell and his family left Wheeling, his home was taken over as army headquarters for General William Rosecrans and his staff of the Army of Western Virginia. A telegraph line was run from Water Street to the house so all the orders to the field could be issued. In March 1862, General John C. Fremont replaced Rosecrans as head of the new Mountain Department, but he stayed only a month or two before the headquarters were moved east.

In 1865 the building was sold to Dr. William Bales and other doctors and was used as an office for a number of years. Father and son doctors Ivan and Alan Fawcett had offices in the building from 1922 to 1992. The building also housed the offices of Tracy Stephens, a well-known architect.

Prepared by Margaret Brennan

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Link to National Register of Historic Places Nomination:
www.wvculture.org/shpo/nr/pdf/ohio/93001229.pdf