Edward Henry Durell
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 the "Governor Wentworth House" in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Durell was the third son and sixth child from his parents. After studying at Phillips Exeter Academy Durell moved onto school at Harvard College where he graduated in 1831. He was fluent in German, French, and Spanish. At Harvard College he read law to enter the Bar in 1834. He had a private practice in Pittsburgh, Mississippi and on January 1, 1836 he moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. He became a member of the City Council of New Orleans in 1854. In 1845, Durell's book, New Orleans as I found it, was published. under the pen name H. Didimus. The book deals with Durell's experience when arriving at New Orleans and how things are different from other places in the United States. From 1862 to 1863, he was president of the Bureau of Finance of New Orleans.