Gordon J. Russell

{{Short description|American judge (1859–1919)}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Gordon J. Russell | honorific_suffix = | image = Gordon James Russell.jpg | alt = | caption = | office = Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas | term_start = June 6, 1910 | term_end = September 14, 1919 | nominator = | appointer = William Howard Taft | predecessor = David Ezekiel Bryant | successor = William Lee Estes | state1 = Texas | district1 = {{ushr|Texas|3|3rd}} | term_start1 = November 4, 1902 | term_end1 = June 14, 1910 | predecessor1 = Reese C. De Graffenreid | successor1 = Robert M. Lively | pronunciation = | birth_name = Gordon James Russell | birth_date = {{Birth date|1859|12|22}} | birth_place = Huntsville, Alabama | death_date = {{Death date and age|1919|09|14|1859|12|22}} | death_place = Kerrville, Texas | death_cause = | resting_place = Oakwood Cemetery<br>Tyler, Texas | resting_place_coordinates = | citizenship = | party = Democratic | other_party = | height = | spouse = | partner = | relations = | children = | parents = | mother = | father = | relatives = | education = University of Georgia (A.B.)<br>read law | alma_mater = | occupation = | profession = | known_for = | salary = | net_worth = | cabinet = | committees = | portfolio = | awards = | signature = | signature_alt = | website =  | footnotes = }}

'''Gordon James Russell''' (December 22, 1859 – September 14, 1919) was a United States representative from Texas and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

Russell was nominated by President William H. Taft on May 27, 1910, to a seat vacated by David E. Bryant. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 6, 1910, and received his commission the same day. Russell's service was terminated on September 14, 1919, due to death.

==Education and career==

Born on December 22, 1859, in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama,<ref name="auto">{{FJC Bio|2075|nid=1387256|name=Gordon James Russell}}</ref> Russell attended the common schools, the Sam Bailey Institute in Griffin, Georgia and Crawford High School in Dalton, Georgia.<ref name="auto1">{{Biographical Directory of Congress|R000526|Gordon James Russell|author=|noid=y|inline=y}}</ref> He received an Artium Baccalaureus degree in 1877 from the University of Georgia and read law the same year.<ref name="auto"/> He taught school in Dalton.<ref name="auto1"/> He was admitted to the bar and entered private practice in Dalton from 1878 to 1879.<ref name="auto"/> He was in private practice in Texas from 1879 to 1884.<ref name="auto"/> He was in private practice in Van Zandt County, Texas from 1884 to 1895.<ref name="auto"/> He was a Judge of the Van Zandt County Court from 1890 to 1892.<ref name="auto"/> He resumed private practice in Willsport, Texas, starting in 1892.<ref name="auto"/> He was district attorney for the Seventh Judicial District of Texas from 1892 to 1896.<ref name="auto"/> He continued private practice in Tyler, Texas starting in 1895.<ref name="auto"/> He was a Judge of the Texas District Court for the Seventh Judicial District from 1896 to 1902.<ref name="auto"/>

==Congressional service==

Russell was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives of the 57th United States Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative Reese C. De Graffenreid.<ref name="auto1"/> He was reelected to the 58th United States Congress and to the three succeeding Congresses and served from November 4, 1902, to June 14, 1910, when he resigned to accept a federal judicial post.<ref name="auto1"/>

==Federal judicial service==

Russell was nominated by President William Howard Taft on May 27, 1910, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas vacated by Judge David Ezekiel Bryant.<ref name="auto"/> He was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 6, 1910, and received his commission the same day.<ref name="auto"/> His service terminated on September 14, 1919, due to his death in Kerrville, Kerr County, Texas.<ref name="auto"/> He was interred in Oakwood Cemetery in Tyler, Smith County, Texas.<ref name="auto1"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Sources== {{Bioguide}} * {{Biographical Directory of Congress|R000526|Gordon James Russell|author=|noid=y|inline=y}} * {{FJC Bio|2075|nid=1387256|name=Gordon James Russell}}

==External links== *[http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/russell4.html#286.05.35 Gordon James Russell entry] at The Political Graveyard *{{find a Grave|11852407}}

{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{US House succession box |state=Texas |district=3 |before=Reese C. De Graffenreid |after=Robert M. Lively |years=1902–1910 }} {{s-legal}} {{s-bef|before=David Ezekiel Bryant}} {{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas}}|years=1910–1919}} {{s-aft|after=William Lee Estes}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Gordon James}} Category:1859 births Category:1919 deaths Category:Georgia (U.S. state) lawyers Category:Judges of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas Category:Politicians from Huntsville, Alabama Category:Texas lawyers Category:United States district court judges appointed by William Howard Taft Category:University of Georgia alumni Category:Democratic Party United States representatives from Texas Category:19th-century American judges Category:Lawyers from Huntsville, Alabama Category:20th-century United States representatives