Lawyers and Lawmakers of Kentucky, by H. Levin, editor, 1897. Published
by Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago.  Reprinted by Southern Historical
Press.  p. 58.

GEORGE DU RELLE, associate judge of the court of appeals, was born in the
town of York, Livingston county, New York, October 18, 1852.  His paternal
and maternal ancestry were New England people, and many of them achieved
marked distinction during the colonial era and at a later period of our
country's history.  The Du Relle family was probably founded in America by
French Huguenots.  His father, Dr. George O. J. Du Relle, was a native of
New Hampshire and attended both Bowdoin and Dartmouth colleges. Completing
the course of medicine and surgery in the latter, he was graduated in 1838,
and through the remainder of his life practiced in Livingston county, New
York, where he won a high reputation especially for his skill in surgery.
He died in 1853, at the comparatively early age of forty years and when in
the enjoyment of a most successful career.  His wife bore the maiden name
of Frances Mary Peirce.  She was born in Livingston county, New York in
1831, was educated in private schools in Rochester, New York, and now
makes her home in Louisville.  Her second husband was professor S. B.
Barton, at one time of Center College, and well known as a teacher of
Danville and Louisville.  She was descended from the Pitkin family, that
has furnished many illustrious men to the nation including William Pitkin,
the founder of the family in America, who was appointed by the king
attorney general of Connecticut, Chief Justice William Pitkin, Colonel
Joseph Pitkin, of the Crown Point expedition, and Captain Richard Pitkin,
of the Revolutionary army.
     In 1859 Professor Barton removed with his family to Louisville and
thus Judge Du Relle became a resident of the city when a lad of seven
years.  He acquired his early education under the direction of his
step-father in Louisville and at the Walnut Hill school, near Lexington,
later attended school in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and in 1869 was
graduated at the Hopkins grammar school in New Haven, Connecticut, with
one exception the oldest school in the United States.  As a member of the
class of 1872 he entered Yale College, but at the end of the sophomore
year returned to Louisville, where for a short time he was employed in a
clerical capacity.  He then engaged in teaching in the sixth ward school
and devoted his evenings to the study, after which he attended a full
course of lectures in the law department of the University of Louisville,
where he was graduated in 1874.
     Judge Du Relle was immediately admitted to the bar and began
practice.  The man who builds for a lifetime builds slowly and well. His
advancement is usually by fixed degrees.  He makes each forward step with
a care that conduces to both safety and progress, and depends not upon
fortuitous circumstances, but upon honest, hard work.  Among Louisville's
many carefully trained lawyers there is none who more willingly
acknowledges his indebtedness for advancement to faithful labor, and to
lessens learned in the school of experience than Judge Du Relle.  After
practicing for a time alone he formed a partnership with H. C. Brannin
and practiced successfully in the courts of Louisville, impressing himself
on the bar as a lawyer of fine attainments and admirable adaptability to
his profession.  In 1882 he was appointed assistant United States district
attorney for Kentucky, in which capacity he served until June 8, 1886,
when he resigned.  In 1889 he was re-appointed to the same position under
the administration of President Benjamin Harrison and served until 1891,
when he again resigned in order to give his attention to his private
practice.
     Judge Du Relle's practice in the federal courts evidenced his fitness
for the exercise of judicial functions, and he was frequently designated
to act as special master commissioner in the hearing of important
railroad and other cases of corporate litigation.  In the important
contested election case of Doyle vs. Toney, he appeared as counsel for
Honorable St. John Boyle.  The suit resulted in favor of Judge Sterling B.
Toney, but under such circumstances that he declined his seat on the
appellate bench.  Major George B. Eastin was then appointed to fill the
vavancy, and at the regular election became the Democratic candidate for
the office.  Mr. Du Relle, whose conduct of the contested election case
won him high honor and distinction, was made the candidate of the
Republican party and Judge John G. Simrall became an independent candidate.
The result of the election showed that the Republican was chosen by the
handsome majority of more than thirteen hundred votes over both opponents
and in the beginning of 1896 he took his place upon the bench.  His legal
learning, his analytical mind, the readiness which which he grasps the
points in an argument,--all combine to make him one of the most capable
jurists that has ever graced the court of last resort, and the public and
the profession acknowledge him the peer of any member of the appellate
court.
     On the 3d of June, 1886, the Judge wedded Miss Louise Leib, daughter
of Fred Leib, of Louisville.  Her death occurred November 23, 1895, and
two children, Frederic and Louise Marie, were left to share with the
husband and father his great loss.  Earnest effort, close application
and the exercise of his native talents have won Judge Du Relle prestige
as a Kentucky lawyer--a fact which is highly complimentary, for no bar
has numbered more eminent and prominent men.

Du_Relle Barton Peirce Pitkin Brannin Boyle Toney Eastin Simrall Leib
=
Boyle-KY Livingston-NY NJ CT NH

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/jefferson/durelle.g.txt