Lee M. Russell

Lee Maurice Russell (born November 16, 1875 in Lafayette County , Mississippi , † May 5, 1943 in Jackson , Mississippi) was an American politician and governor of the state of Mississippi from 1920 to 1924 .

Early years and political advancement

Lee Russell attended Toccopola College until 1897 and then the University of Mississippi until 1903 , where he studied law. After his admission to the bar, he began working in his new profession in Oxford . Russell became a member of the Democratic Party . Between 1908 and 1912 he was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives , and from 1912 to 1916 he was a member of the State Senate . From 1916 to 1920 he was Deputy Governor Theodore Gilmore Bilbo as Lieutenant Governor . On November 4, 1919 he was elected his successor.

Mississippi Governor

Lee Russell began his four-year term on January 20, 1920. During his reign, the school system was expanded to include a junior college system. In addition, a school for the disabled was founded. Pests caused crop failures. The governor then sued a number of insurance companies for violating anti-trust laws. In return, he faced a lawsuit from a former secretary who accused him of breaking his word and sued him for $ 100,000. The lawsuit was dismissed by the court within 25 minutes.

Another résumé

A constitutional clause prevented Russell from running directly for re-election in 1923. Therefore, he resigned on January 18, 1924 from his office. He then moved to the Gulf Coast of his state where he worked as a real estate agent. He later returned to Jackson to work as a lawyer. He died in early May 1943. Lee Russell was married to Ethel May Day. The couple had one child together.

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 2, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

• Lee Russell in the National Governors Association (English)
• Mississippi Historical Society ( Memento from July 2, 2019 in the web archive archive.today )
• Lee M. Russell in the database of Find a Grave (English)