Biography of Katherine Russell born 18 Apr 1829 in Newry, County Down, Ireland the daughter of Arthur Russell (1785-1844) and Margaret Mullen. Katherine entered a convent in Kinsale, Ireland on 24 Nov. 1848 and on 2 Aug 1851 she became Sister Mary Baptist Russell. On the 8 Sep 1854 she left Kinsale, Ireland to go to the San Francisco, California Sisters of Mercy mission. At this time she was chosen to be the Reverend Mother of the group. They arrived in San Francisco on the 8 Dec 1854. She died on 6 Aug 1898 in San Francisco.