 On 27 July 1944 at St John's Anglican Cathedral in Brisbane Charles Russell married Hilary Maude Newton, daughter of pastoralist Frank Newton.Together they had one daughter and four sons, one of whom is David Russell QC, barrister and politician

In 1936, Russell had helped to found the Queensland Country Party, and contested the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seats of Warrego in 1938 and Dalby in 1944.In 1947, the beneficiary of a campaign organised by James Killen, Russell was elected to the seat of Dalby, and focused on transport, land settlement, decentralisation and rural industries.