Edward Henry Durell was the 25th mayor of New Orleans, and later a United States federal judge

United States federal judge

In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....

.

Born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...

, Durell graduated from Harvard College

Harvard College

Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...

 in 1831 and read law to enter the Bar in 1834. He had a private practice in Pittsburgh, Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...

 from 1835 to 1854, and was a member of the City Council of New Orleans in 1854. From 1862 to 1863, he was president of the Bureau of Finance of New Orleans.

On May 20, 1863, Durell received a recess appointment

Recess appointment

A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...

 from President Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...

 to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana is a federal trial court based in New Orleans. Like all U.S...

 vacated by Theodore McCaleb. While sitting on the court, Durell became mayor of New Orleans on September 12, 1863, and held the office for just over a month and a half, until October 30. Durell was formally nominated to the court on February 8, 1864, and was confirmed by the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

, and received his commission, on February 17, 1864. On July 27, 1866, the Districts of Louisiana were reunited into a single United States District Court for the District of Louisiana by 14 Stat. 300, and Durell was reassigned to this court by operation of law

Operation of law

The phrase "by operation of law" is a legal term that indicates that a right or liability has been created for a party, irrespective of the intent of that party, because it is dictated by existing legal principles. For example, if a person dies without a will, his heirs are determined by operation...

. He thereafter served until his resignation on December 4, 1874.

Durell returned to private practice, in Newburgh and Schoharie, New York

Schoharie (town), New York

Schoharie is a town in Schoharie County, New York. The population was 3,299 at the 2000 census. The village is named after a native word for driftwood.The Town of Schoharie has a village, also called Schoharie...

, until his death, in Schoharie.

Sources