A. J. Russell

Adoniram Judson Russell was born on January 23, 1852, in Alabama.^[1][2] He moved with his parents to Verona, Lee County, Mississippi, when he was a young boy.^[1] Russell was born into poverty, and he had difficulties receiving an education.^[1]

Russell became a lawyer and then practiced at Tupelo.^[1] He moved to Meridian, Mississippi, when he was appointed to the position of district counsel of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, the same railroad for which his brother was the general solicitor.^[1][3]

In 1895, Russell was elected to represent Meridian, part of the Lauderdale County district, in the Mississippi House of Representatives for the 1896–1900 term.^[1][4] He was a member of the Democratic Party.^[2] He was re-elected in 1899 for the 1900–1904 term and was unanimously elected to the position of Speaker in January 1900.^{[1][4][5][6][2]} Russell died unexpectedly of a heart attack in bed on June 4, 1902.^[1][3] He had been visiting Oxford, Mississippi, to give the annual commencement address for the University of Mississippi.^[1][3]