Person Page - 357

1467. Judge Russell Sackett, 1809–1875, son of (652) Filer and Deborah Waterman Sacket, was married, in 1835, to Mary J. Hovey, who died at Buffalo, N. Y., June 14, 1899. Judge Sacket was born at Dewittville, Chautauqua County, N. Y., received an academic education, studied law with Hon. Thomas A. Osborn, of Chautauqua County, was admitted to the bar, and practiced his profession at Mayville, N. Y., until 1848; filling meantime the offices of Justice of the Peace, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Postmaster under President Tyler. In the Spring of 1848, he removed from Mayville, Chautauqua County, to Williamsville, Erie County, N. Y. The following year he sailed from New York City to Galveston, Texas, and proceeded from there overland to California. During this journey, which he made with a considerable company of fellow-adventurers, all of whom were subjected to great hardships, he kept a diary which reads more like a story of overwrought fiction than a recital of actual experiences.
In the desert region between El Paso and Fort Yuma, there is now a famous deep spring known as "Sacket's Well." On the journey referred to Sacket's company of "49ers" were at one time so long without water, that some of their number were literally dying of thirst, when Judge Sacket, who had been with a small searching party, moving some distance from the trail the main body were pursuing, came upon this spring and cried out, "A well! A well !" And since that day it has borne his name.
But thirst was not the only enemy they encountered. Bands of hostile Indians proved so troublesome that on reaching Fort Yuma that Fall it was deemed advisable to spend the Winter there. Subsequently Judge Sacket traveled extensively through California and Mexico, and finally settled permanently at Los Angeles, where, in company with George W. Goble, Esq., he again took up the practice of his profession. He also held the offices of Superintendent of Public Instruction for Los Angeles County, Postmaster of the City of Los Angeles, and County Judge, and served one term in the Lower House of the California Legislature.
Judge Sacket, by his pleasing address and affable manners, made many warm friends. He was a man of fine literary attainments and was much interested in the sciences, particularly of chemistry and electricity. At the time of his death, which occurred in 1875 at Los Angeles City, he was engaged in writing a book on chemistry and had nearly completed an electric motor similar to those now in use on trolley system of street cars.