George Washington appointed South Carolina judge John Rutledge as Chief Justice of the United States during a congressional recess in 1795. Rutledge was already an Associate Justice.
New Jersey judge William J. Brennan was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 through a recess appointment. This was done in part with an eye on the presidential campaign that year; Eisenhower was running for reelection, and his advisors thought it would be politically advantageous to place a northeastern Catholic on the court. Brennan was promptly confirmed when the Senate came back into session.
-PJ
A recess nomination by Ike. Appointment by the Senate, when in session. My point exactly. No appointment possible directly.
As for Washington— that’s way back— will have to check on the actual Congressional Record (as such, back then).