Edward Henry Durell (July 14, 1810 – March 29, 1887) was the 25th mayor of New Orleans, and later a United States federal judge.
Born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Durell graduated from Harvard College in 1831 and read law to enter the Bar in 1834. He had a private practice in Pittsburgh, Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana 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 from President Abraham Lincoln to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana 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, 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. He thereafter served until his resignation on December 4, 1874.
Durell returned to private practice, in Newburgh and Schoharie, New York, until his death, in Schoharie.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by James F. Miller |
Mayor of New Orleans September 12, 1863 – October 30, 1863 |
Succeeded by James F. Miller |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by Theodore McCaleb |
Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana May 20, 1863 – July 27, 1866 |
Succeeded by Seat abolished |
| Preceded by Newly created seat |
Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Louisiana July 27, 1866 – December 4, 1874 |
Succeeded by Edward Coke Billings |
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