Shelby-Lawrence-Talladega County AlArchives Biographies.....Leeper, James Theophilus 1832 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 September 12, 2011, 11:02 pm

Source: See below
Author: Smith & De Land, publishers

    JAMES THEOPHILUS LEEPER, Judge of Probate, was born in Moulton, Lawrence
County, Ala, September 23, 1832.

    In his extreme youth his parents moved to Talladega County, where their son
was given a common-school education.

    In 1848, young Leeper moved to Shelby County, but in 1850, returned to
Talladega to be employed as clerk in the probate office a position he held for a
year and a half. Coming again to Shelby, he was employed in the same capacity.
In 1854 he was admitted to the bar. In 1855 Mr. Leeper assisted M. H.
Cruikshank, Register in Chancery for Talladega, with the duties of his office.
The next year he was himself appointed Register for Shelby County by Chancellor
James B. Clark, of Eutaw. In connection with his duties as Register he entered
upon the practice of the law, in co-partnership with his father, Samuel Leeper,
who was one of the most successful practitioners in this circuit.

    Mr. Leeper was elected a member of what is known as the "Parson's
convention" of 1865.

    In 1865 he was appointed by Governor Parsons solicitor for this circuit; in
1866 he formed a law partnership with Mr. Lewis; two years later he was
appointed Register in Chancery for the District of three counties, Jefferson,
St. Clair and Shelby, by Chancellor Woods, afterward Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States. The year following (1869), Mr. Leeper was
appointed Judge of Probate for Shelby by Gov. W. H. Smith. He has held the
office continuously since, by three popular elections, and, when his present
term expires in 1892, will have occupied that and other important appointment
and elective positions of trust and emolument for the greater part of forty-four
years.

    Judge Leeper is a son of Samuel and Elanora (Stone) Leeper, and is one of a
family of nine, of whom eight are now living. Samuel Leeper was born in Georgia
in 1800: taken to Tennessee when but nine years of age; came to Alabama in 1821,
and settled in Lawrence County. In early life he was a merchant, but afterward
studied law, and twice represented Shelby County in the Legislature. He died in
1871. One of his sons, Francis L. Leeper, is a Presbyterian minister in Tennessee.

    On the 1st of November, 1857, Judge Leeper was united in marriage to Miss
Antoinette M. Bandy; and of the nine children born to them only five are
living—three sons and two daughters. The eldest son, Samuel B. Leeper, assists
in his father's office. The Judge is a Royal Arch Mason, and an Odd Fellow.

    In 1867 Judge Leeper joined the Presbyterian Church, and four years later
was made an elder of the same, which position he has filled with that dignity
and singleness of purpose which distinguishes his life.

    He is frank, open, easy and social in manner. His courtesy is never varying,
his sincerity is self-vindicating, and the native courage of his life attracts
men of all degrees and conditions. No man ever lived in the county who carries a
wider personal influence than he. The popular vote which fixed the county on the
side of Prohibition, was the result of his calm but firm espousal of that
policy. He acts only after mature deliberation, and seldom changes his opinion.

    As a Judge of Probate, he possesses the unbounded confidence of his
constituency.

    Prior to the late war, Judge Leeper was an active Whig in politics and
opposed secession.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Northern Alabama: Historical and Biographical
Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land
1888

PART III.
HISTORICAL RESUME OF THE VARIOUS COUNTIES IN THE STATE.
MINERAL BELT.


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