Legislative Reference Library

Texas Legislators: Past & Present

William Heady Russell

W.H. Russell
Full Name: William Heady Russell
Birth date: 1838
Death date: November 20, 1882

Terms of Service

  • Senate, 14th (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Legislature
    1/15/1874 - 4/18/1876
    Democrat
(1) Entire Senate went up for reelection due to Senatorial redistricting. Ordinance adopted by Constitutional Convention of the State of Texas, 1875. Remained in effect from its passage until first reapportionment after 1880 Census. University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History. Apportionment Laws of Texas, 1836-1950 1950.
(2) "News' telegrams, from Austin: organization of both houses . . . " Wednesday, 1/14/1874, p. 1, description of opening day of 14th Legislature, Regular Session: "W.B. Russell remained out, because, as he states, that in event the Fourteenth Legislature should not be recognized, his position of District Judge should not be filled by some carpet-bagger . . . " Galveston Daily News .
(3) Democrat. "From Brownsville, Special to the News," 10/22/1873. "The Democratic District convention of the thirtieth district, met at Laredo, on the 15th inst. and nominated Judge Wm. H. Russell, of Cameron for senator; Col. Santos Benavides, of Webb, Louis Cardis, of El Paso, and P.F. Murphy, of Nueces, for representatives." Galveston Daily News .
(4) 14th Legislature, Regular Session - 1/15/1874, Afternoon Session, p. 13. "W.H. Russell, Senator elect from the Thirtieth Senatorial district, came forward and was sworn in." Senate Journal .
(5) "Because of the adoption of the new constitution [of 1876], any member of the 14th Legislature who wished to continue to serve had to run for reelection," p. 220. The Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889 1999.

Biographical Notes and Resources

Resolutions and Journal entries

  • Report - Judge Russell impeachment, House Committee on Judiciary, Mar. 6, 1871. Investigation and report on charges against William H. Russell, Judge of the fifteenth judicial district. Includes recommendation for impeachment. House Journal .
  • High Court of Impeachment: the state of Texas vs. William H. Russell, Apr. 11, 1871. Senate sat as High Court of Impeachment from Apr. 11, 1871-May 4, 1871 in the case of William H. Russell, Judge, 15th judicial district. Includes Senate consideration of House message of impeachment and Select Committee to draft rules for the Senate sitting as a high court of impeachment. Senate Journal .

Photographs

Other Resources

  • W.H. Russell, postoffice Brownsville, Cameron county, lawyer, born in Texas, married, age 35 (born ca. 1839), Democrat. Directory of the Members and Officers of the Fourteenth Legislature of the State of Texas . . . 1874.
  • Obituary, Galveston Daily News, Laredo, 11/20/1882, published 11/23/1882, p. 6. Donated Material .
  • Census of 1860, Rutersville, Fayette County, listing William J. Russell (age 58, born in NC) and William H. Russell (age 21). Donated Material .
  • William Heady Russell, marriage to Marion Wallace Williams 5/30/1861 in Fayette County.
    Census of 1880 - Wm. H. Russel, Brownsville, Cameron County, age 40, born about 1840 in Texas, spouse Marion Russel, son William Russel (age 14). FamilySearch . 1880 Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965
  • Judge William H. Russell, death date 11/20/1882, burial in Laredo City Cemetery, Webb County. Includes photo of historical marker at Russell-Cocke House. No grave marker photo. Find a Grave .
  • "Ex-Judge W.H. Russell . . . took offense at some ruling of Judge Morrill, presiding, and, in order to avenge himself, took occasion to strike the Judge in the face while he was passing from his hotel to the courtroom." "A Judge Assaulted: He is Struck in the Face by a Texas Lawyer — His Account of the Affair." November 30, 1877. New York Times .
  • Relatives: William Jarvis Russell (1802-1881) of La Grange - father; William H. Russell (1838-1882) of Brownsville - son. William H. Russell (1838-1882) of Brownsville - father; William Jarvis Russell (1865-1917) of Brownsville - son. William Jarvis Russell (1802-1881) of La Grange - grandfather; William Jarvis Russell (1865-1917) of Brownsville - grandson. Texas Historical Commission, Historic Marker Application: Russell-Cocke House, pp. 7, 9, crediting Texas Historical Commission. "William H. Russell, was born 1838 in Brazoria County, son of Captain William Jarvis Russell . . . William H. Russell's son, William Jarvis Russell, named after his grandfather, was born in Fayette County in 1864. At the age of five he moved to Brownsville with his parents and in 1877 resided in this house . . . W.J. Russell served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives for the Twenty-third and Twenty-sixth, Twenty-seventh, and Twenty-eighth sessions." Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries) .
  • Historical marker, Russell-Cocke House, Brownsville, Cameron County. Judge William H. Russell (1838-1882). Texas Historic Sites Atlas (Texas Historical Commission) .
  • Background and account of impeachment attempt, William H. Russell, p. 195. The Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889 1999.
  • Death notice, W.H. Russell, "Judge Russell Dead," 11/23/1882, p. 3. Tri-Weekly Herald (Marshall, Texas) .
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