MEDLENKA, Joseph George,  Houston, TX., then Acadia Parish, Louisiana
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Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged
in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 294-295.  Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914,
by Century Historical Association.

Medlenka, Joseph George, attorney-at-law, Crowley, Acadia parish, La., was born at Houston,
Tex., Jan. 11, 1870; son of Anton W. and Christina (Bohn) Medlenka, natives, respectively, of
Austria and Germany.  Joseph George Medlenka attended the public schools of Houston, Tex.,
until 12 years of age, when he entered the service of the Western Union Telegraph Co., at
Houston as a messenger boy.  At the age of 15 years he became a telegraph operator, and 1 year
later was made operator at the station of Rayne, La.  In the following year he was sent to
Crowley, La., as agent at that station, for Louisiana Western R. R., remaining at this latter post
about 5 years.  From 1892 to 1896 he was engaged in merchandise business at Crowley, and in
the latter year was elected a justice of the peace.  During his business career he had applied his
spare moments to the study of law, and later studied under the direction of P. J. Chappuis.  March
23, 1899, he took an examination before the Louisiana supreme court, and passed very
satisfactorily.  Immediately following his admission to the bar he began the practice of law at
Crowley, where he has since remained in legal practice.  Mr. Medlenka is a member of the Roman
Catholic church and is affiliated with the Democratic party, in which connection it may be
mentioned that he has served the people of Crowley as a member of the city council.  In 1893 he
took an active part in the organization of the Crowley building and loan association, and since
1895 has occupied the office of secretary of the association.  In 1899 he also participated in the
organization of the Bank of Acadia, at Crowley, and has been a member of the board of directors
of this bank from the time of its organization.  At this time he also is second vice-president of the
Bank of Acadia.  Mr. Medlenka has taken a very active interest in all matters concerning the
public welfare of Acadia parish, and Crowley in particular, and is now president of the Crowley
board of trade, which office he has held since 1907.  In addition to these various connections, Mr.
Medlenka is interested in farming.  He is a member of the Louisiana State Bar association, and of
the Commercial Law League of America; also, a member of Louisiana Council of American
Judicature society for Louisiana, being one of 7 attorneys selected to represent the state of
Louisiana in this important connection.  Nov. 12, 1889, Mr. Medlenka was married to Miss
Leonie Fremaux, of Acadia parish, and 2 children have been born to their union, these being
Leonie and Leon.  Mr. Medlenka may properly be termed a self-made man, and very distinctly so. 
All he has accomplished--and his achievements are by no means small--has come about as the
logical result of his own unaided efforts, and this, too, with the serious handicap of meager
educational advantages in his youth.  He is a worthy member of that splendid and dependable
fraternity of American citizens who have blazed their way through the wilderness of the
multitudinous distractions of youth and early manhood with their faces determinedly set toward
the goal of honorable achievement.  Mr. Medlenka is now senior member of the law firm of
Medlenka & Bruner, Mr. Howard E. Bruner, elsewhere referred to in this work, being the junior
member of the firm, which is generally accorded recognition as one among the most able in that
part of Louisiana.  The firm has offices at Crowley, La.

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