Gordon J. Russell

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 commission the same day. Russell's service was terminated on September 14, 1919, due to death.

Born on December 22, 1859, in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, Russell attended the common schools, the Sam Bailey Institute in Griffin, Georgia and Crawford High School in Dalton, Georgia. He received an Artium Baccalaureus degree in 1877 from the University of Georgia and read law the same year. He taught school in Dalton. He was admitted to the bar and entered private practice in Dalton from 1878 to 1879. He was in private practice in Texas from 1879 to 1884. He was in private practice in Van Zandt County, Texas from 1884 to 1895. He was a Judge of the Van Zandt County Court 1890 to 1892. He resumed private practice in Willsport, Texas starting in 1892. He was district attorney for the Seventh Judicial District of Texas from 1892 to 1896. He continued private practice in Tyler, Texas starting in 1895. He was a Judge of the Texas District Court for the Seventh Judicial District from 1896 to 1902.

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. 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.

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. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 6, 1910, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on September 14, 1919, due to his death in Kerrville, Kerr County, Texas. He was interred in Oakwood Cemetery in Tyler, Smith County, Texas.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.

• "Gordon James Russell". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Gordon James Russell at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.