LECHE, (Hon.) Paul, Assumption, then Ascension Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller


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Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, 
Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 633-634.  Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  
Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.

Leche, Hon. Paul, of Donaldsonville, judge of the court of appeals, was born in Assumption 
parish, La., July 19, 1857; the son of J. B., and Rose Emma (Bourg) Leche.  The family name, 
originally ''Lesch," from Germany, was altered to its present French pronunciation in the 
years that elapsed after the emigrants from the Vaterland had left a long line of descendants 
in Louisiana, the land that had been first colonized by pioneers from France, and when the 
inhabitants found it more congenial to their idiomatic tastes to call out and write foreign 
names in a way easy to set down and remember.  And thus, the Teutonic "Lesch'' euphoniously 
became the Gallic ''Leche.''  Two brothers,  Thomas and  Anton Lesch, came over to Louisiana 
with one of the shiploads of colonists sent over by John Law.  They first settled near the 
mouth of the Arkansas river, but becoming dissatisfied, they built a raft and drifting down 
the Mississippi river, landed at the settlement of the German coast, in the parish of St. 
John the Baptist.  The brothers were given a cordial welcome, and invited to join the colony.
They were industrious and thrifty, and prospered.  Anton married a French girl, by whom he 
had 1 daughter, Catherine, who became the wife of a carpenter named Engel, a family name that 
eventually was changed to "Hingle."  Thomas Lesch married, also, and was the father of a large 
family, to which belonged Adam and Maria (Keller) Leche, parents of J. B. Leche, who was the 
father of Judge Paul Leche.  The Judge is youngest of a family of 7 children.  One of them, 
Lelia, who was Mrs. Armand Willoz, of New Orleans, is dead (her husband has also passed away).
The remaining 6 are; Celine, widow of N. Bel, of New Orleans;  Malvina, wife of S. S. Streck, 
a steamboat captain, residing in New Orleans;  Marie, wife of W. L. Turner, a plantation 
manager;  Corinne, married to Prof. Leche, of New Orleans;  J. J., a druggist in New Orleans, 
and  Paul Leche, of Donaldsonville.  The distinguished jurist of whom this sketch is written, 
was educated at Spring Hill college, near Mobile, Ala., graduating in 1877.  After educating 
himself in law, he passed a very successful examination before the state supreme court, and 
was admitted to the bar in May, 1879.  From 1900 to 1912, he was district judge, having been 
elected, without opposition for 3 successive terms, until his election to the court of appeals, 
second district, first circuit, of the state of Louisiana, a position he still occupies.
Judge Leche was 5 years mayor of Donaldsonville (1894-1899), also parish superintendent of 
schools (1888-1899).  He is a member of the Roman Catholic church, is affiliated with the 
Knights of Columbus, and is past state deputy Supreme Knight, and is on the supreme board 
of directors.  Judge Leche is also member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
Feb. 4, 1880, he married Miss Louise Willoz, daughter of Henry and Alice (Skates) Willoz, 
of New Orleans.  Mr. Willoz was a bookkeeper for many years, latterly in the employ of the 
cigar manufacturing firm of U. Koen & Co.  To Judge Leche and wife 1 son, Carl, was born, who 
is a graduate of Spring Hill college, and is at present a student at the Louisiana State 
university, Baton Rouge.