Provost John Russel was the younger son of James Russel (of Russel & Aitken) and Catherine Crawford. He was educated in Falkirk and Campbeltown and then became a law apprentice with Russel & Aitken.He was elected to Falkirk Town Council in 1856, elected a Bailie in 1861, second Bailie in 1864, Senior Bailie in 1865 and Provost in 1867. He was also Chairman of Falkirk Burgh School Board from 1872 and held various honorary positions including Sheriff-Substitute for Stirlingshire & Dumbartonshire, Commissioner of Supply, JP for Stirlingshire, clerk to the Feuars of Falkirk, president of the Eastern District of Stirlingshire Agricultural Association, and convenor of committee to establish Grahamston Parish Church.
IN 1856 he married Mary Gaff Rennie, daughter of James Rennie of Gowan Bank, Grahamston, and had four children of whom only the eldest, Mary Cook Rennie Russel, survived to adulthood.

Ref: Love's Notes & Queries vol 3 pp177-184