Biography of 	Gross, Josiah Drake, Missouri, then Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller August 2001

**********************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
**********************************************  

Josiah Gross was born at Drake, Missouri.  His father, Henry A. Gross, M. D., a native 
of Denmark, graduated from the St. Louis Medical College, served as medical examiner 
for Missouri troops and also as surgeon during the Civil war, and was until his death 
in 1901 a leading physician in Gasconade County.  He married Lucinda Lee, daughter of 
Greenberry Lee and Luvicy Smith.  His grandfather belonged to the famous Lee family of 
Virginia who pioneered into Kentucky about 1774.  Jonathan Smith, father of his grand
mother, was a noted citizen of Kentucky and was captain of the Kentucky troops who 
participated in the battle of New Orleans in 1812.  Willis Lee, Drury Lee and Jonathan 
Smith are listed as the first taxpayers in Lexington, Kentucky.

Green B. Lee came to Missouri in its earliest days and was, like others of his family, 
the Squire Lee who administered justice, collected the taxes and helped to found western
United States.

Josiah Gross studied at Columbia University, Missouri, taught in the public schools 
four years before his majority, came to New Orleans, studied law at Tulane University,
receiving the degree of LL. B. and later took a post-graduate course at Loyola University,
receiving the degree of LL. M.  He belongs to many associations, is author of several 
novels and has long had a leading place among civil lawyers in New Orleans.  He is a 
member of the American Bar Association.  He belongs to many fraternal organizations, 
Germania Lodge, Concorde Chapter and other bodies of Masonry.  He married Caroline 
Zilchi in 1892, and has one daughter, wife of Maxime Landry, and a son, Benjamin, who 
is in the internal revenue service.

NOTE:  The sketch is accompanied by a black and white photograph/drawing of the subject.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 293-294, by Henry E. Chambers.  Published by
The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.