Leslie W. Russell

Leslie Wead Russell (April 15, 1840 – February 3, 1903) was an American lawyer and politician.

Life Russell was the son of Assemblyman John Leslie Russell (1805–1861) and Mary Sybil (Wead) Russell (ca. 1812–1870). He was educated at Canton Academy, and at age 16 began to teach school. Then he studied law at Albany, New York and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was admitted to the bar in 1861, and commenced practice in Canton, NY. On October 19, 1864, he married Harriet Jane Lawrence (1843–1931), and they had six children two of whom died in infancy.

Russell was a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1867. In 1869, he was elected District Attorney of St. Lawrence County, and County Judge in 1877. He was New York Attorney General from 1882 to 1883, elected at the New York state election, 1881. Afterwards he resumed the practice of law at New York City.

Russell was a delegate to the 1884 and 1900 Republican National Conventions. He was a member of the 52nd United States Congress and served until September 11, 1891, when he resigned to become a justice of the New York State Supreme Court. He resigned from the bench on October 1, 1902.

Russell was buried at the Evergreen Cemetery in Canton, N.Y.

State Senator Charles H. Russell (1845–1912) was his first cousin. Rev. Samuel Russell (1660–1731) was his great-great-great-grandfather.