Above: 19th Century photograph of the old Russell Garrison House formerly located at 129 Russell Street. The house was built in 1680 and burned to the ground in 1892.

​James Russell Jr. lived on Russell Street which was later named in honor of his family who were early settlers of Carlisle. James resided in the old farmhouse built by his ancestors in the 1600s. The Russell homestead is said to have had brick lined walls and in the early years, it doubled as a fort to defend against attacks from the natives. This Garrison was located near the recently constructed Garrison Place condos. 
 
Tradition has long held that James Russell together with Samuel Heald led a contingent of Carlisle men in the Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19th 1775. He served as a company captain in Eleazer Brook’s regiment, leading a large contingent of Carlisle patriots to defend Boston in 1776. ​

​James Russell Jr. is buried in Carlisle's Central Burying Ground 

Above: James Russell Jr.'s gravestone.