Joseph James Russell (August 23, 1854 – October 22, 1922) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

Biography

Born in Mississippi County near

Charleston, Missouri Charleston is a city in Mississippi County, Missouri, United States. The population was 5,056 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Mississippi County. It is a home to a local correctional facility. History Charleston is the largest to ...

, Russell attended the public schools and Charleston Academy. He was admitted to the bar in 1876 and commenced practice in

. He graduated from the law department of the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus University of Missouri System. MU was founded in ...

in 1880. He served as School commissioner for Mississippi County in 1878 and 1879. He served as prosecuting attorney from 1880–1884. He served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1884. He served as a member of the State house of representatives in 1886–1890 and served as

speaker pro tempore A president pro tempore or speaker pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer. The phrase ''pro tempore'' is Latin "for the time being". ...

of the house in 1886 and as speaker in 1888. Russell was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the

Sixtieth Congress The 60th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1907, to M ...

(March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1909). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1908 to the Sixty-first Congress. Russell was elected to the Sixty-second and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1919). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1918 to the Sixty-sixth Congress. He died in

, October 22, 1922. He was interred in the Odd Fellows Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Joseph James 1854 births 1922 deaths University of Missouri alumni Speakers of the Missouri House of Representatives Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri People from Charleston, Mississippi