Thomas Richard Purnell
Appointed by President William McKinley in 1897 and confirmed by voice vote, Thomas Richard Purnell was a Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Sources ↓
- Lived
- 1847–1908
- Appointed by
- William McKinley, 1897
- Confirmed
- by voice vote
- Succeeded
- Augustus Sherrill Seymour
- Succeeded by
- Henry Groves Connor
Federal judicial service
| Year | Court | Appointed by | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1897 | Eastern District of North Carolina succeeded Augustus Sherrill Seymour | McKinley (R) | Voice vote |
Party letters show the appointing president’s party, not the judge’s own. A voice vote means the chamber approved aloud. No senator-by-senator tally is recorded.
Confirmation vote
Voice vote
The Senate approved this confirmation aloud, with no senator-by-senator tally recorded. Recorded roll-call votes begin in 1989.
Education
| Read law | 1869 | |
| Trinity College (now Duke University) | 1869 |
Before the bench
Professional career before and outside the federal bench, as recorded by the Federal Judicial Center.
| Private practice, Baltimore, Maryland and Salem, North Carolina | 1870-1873 |
| Librarian, State of North Carolina, Raleigh, North Carolina | 1873-1876 |
| State representative, North Carolina | 1876-1877 |
| Commissioner, U.S. Circuit Court, Eastern District of North Carolina | 1877-1891 |
| State senator, North Carolina | 1883-1884 |
| Private practice, Raleigh, North Carolina | 1876-1897 |
| Candidate for attorney general, State of North Carolina | 1892 |
Questions & answers
- Who appointed Thomas Richard Purnell?
- President William McKinley appointed Thomas Richard Purnell to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina in 1897.
- Was Thomas Richard Purnell appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?
- Thomas Richard Purnell was appointed by President William McKinley, a Republican. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.
- What was Thomas Richard Purnell's confirmation vote?
- Thomas Richard Purnell was confirmed by voice vote on May 5, 1897. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.
- Which court was Thomas Richard Purnell on?
- Thomas Richard Purnell was a Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Sources
Each fact on this page traces to a primary public record.
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11 years on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Data as of 2026-09-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).