David P. Russell, who was born in Canada in 1871, died on 6 March 1947 in Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. He was widely known in the Lykens Valley as the first Ford dealer in the area. He operated this franchise from 1906 through 1922, a period in which the Model T Ford was the favored motor vehicle. Following this period he operated an automobile repair business. He was marred to Lydia Mary Otto who was born in Northumberland County.
His obituary appeared in a local newspaper at the time of his death:
David P. Russell Met Instant Death
David P. Russell, a former resident of this place, but who for some years resided at the Milner Hotel at Sunbury, met instant death when he was struck by an automobile at 7:19 o’clock, Thursday evening, while walking across the highway on King Street, Northumberland. The diver of the car was C. Hartzell of Sunbury.
Mr. Hartzel was proceeding west on King Street and had just crossed the tracks of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad at Northway Street when two men crossed the street in front of his vehicle. Hartzell said he immediately slowed his vehicle and proceeded again when Mr. Russell appeared from the shadows of the southern side of the street and ran directly into the path of the car. There were vehicles parked to the left and Russell appeared from between to of them. Hartzell said he applied his brakes but it was too late to avoid striking the man. Russell was knocked into the air and landed in the opposite lane of traffic. Death was due to a crushed chest and other injuries including fractures of both legs and possible neck fracture. [The] body of Mr. Russell was found approximately 40 feet from the point of impact and crumbled in a heap.
Mr. Russell was a lifelong resident of the Herndon section and Sunbury, pioneer in the automobile business of Central Pennsylvania, and for 30 years was widely known as an automobile repair man.
In youth, he entered the service of the National Transit Company, which pumps oil from the Western Pennsylvania field to Philadelphia, one of its chief stations being east of Herndon. There he was engage as engineer prior to 1890 when the pipe line was the chief source of supply for oil for the entire east.
When the automobile was developed using gasoline for fuel, Mr. Russell, having a long familiarity with oil and its products, turned to the new source of locomotion. In 1909 when there were not a half dozen cars in the lower end of the county, he secured the Ford agency, and continued it until 1923, the period in which the Model T Ford had its spectacular rise in rural areas thruout America.
Mr. Russell was aged 75 years, 4 month, and 7 days. He was a charter member of Herndon Lodge, No. 702, F. & A.M., Sunbury Lodge, No. 207, B. P. O. Elks and Sunbury Lodge No 181, Loyal Order of Moose.
He is survived bu four children, Mrs. Jessica Houghton, of Dornsife; Mrs. Edith Smith, of Drexel Hill; Mrs. Lena Scott, of Shamokin-Trevorton Road; Robert F. Russell, of Mandata; four grandchildren and one great grandchild; two brothers, William C. Russell, of Mandata, now visiting in California, and Robert Russell, of Lititz; three sisters, Myrtle Russell, Anna Russell and Lena Russell, now married and living in Canada. His wife Lydia Russell, died five years ago.
Funeral services were held from the home of his daughter, Mrs. Jessica Houghton at Dornsife, Monday afternoon at 2:00 o’clock in charge of Rev. J. M. Singer, Reformed pastor, of this place, followed by burial in the Herndon Cemetery. Herndon Lodge F. & A.M., attended the funeral in a body and had charge of the burial services at the grave.
The following relatives and friends from a distance were in attendance at the funeral: Mrs. W. B. Johnston and daughter Miss Cleo Johnston; Mr. and Mrs. John Low, Mr. and Mrs. Russell Low, of Port Hope, Ontario, Canada; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Russell and Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Gantz, of Lititz; Mr. and Mrs. George Wilson, Elizabeth, New Jersey; Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Wilson, of Roanoke, Virginia; Mr. R. B. Smith, of Richmond, Virginia; Mr. Glenn Smith, of New York City; Mr. R. B. Smith and Mrs. Paul Searing, Philadelphia; Mrs. Edna Klineline and Mrs. Bertha Miller, of Harrisburg.
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From a local newspaper at the time of his death.
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