John Bruce (judge)

John Bruce (February 16, 1832 – October 1, 1901) was a United States federal judge.

Born in Stirlingshire, Scotland, Bruce received an A.B. from Franklin College in 1854 and read law to enter the bar in 1856. He was in private practice in Keokuk, Iowa from 1856 to 1862. He was in the United States Army during the American Civil War, from 1862 to 1865. He was a farmer in Prairie Bluff, Alabama from 1866 to 1872, serving as a member of the Alabama House of Representatives from 1872 to 1874.

On February 23, 1875, Bruce was nominated by President Ulysses S. Grant to a joint seat on three United States District Court districts in Alabama, Northern, Middle, and Southern, all vacated by Richard Busteed. Bruce was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 27, 1875, and received his commission the same day. On August 2, 1886, Bruce was reassigned to preside over only the Northern and Middle Districts, continuing to serve in this capacity until his death, in 1901, in Walters Park, Pennsylvania.

Sources

• John Bruce at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.