J. Russell Sprague
John Russell Sprague was the Republican county executive of Nassau County, New York from 1938 until 1953. He also was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1936, 1940, 1944, 1948, 1952, and 1956 and part of Republican National Committee from New York during 1940–1948.
Born in Inwood, New York, Sprague was an instrumental politician in Nassau County. He took center stage in adopting a county charter that created the position of county executive. In 1938, he was the first person elected to that office.