Biography of Lea, Judge James N. (?????) Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller September 2000 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** The following sketch of Judge James N. Lea was written by Thomas L. Bayne. "Judge James N. Lea was a native of Louisiana and was educated here until about 1830, when he entered Yale college, from which he graduated with distinction in 1834. He studied law about three years lad then entered upon the practice in 1837 or 1838. At that time the bar had upon its rolls such men as Eustis, Grymes, Benjamin, John and Thomas Slidell, Rost and Soule', followed a little later by gentlemen who were his most intimate associate, and friends, such as E. A. Bradford, Elmore and King, Thomas Allen Clarke, Finney, Mott, Rozier and others. Judge Lea was constantly prone to turn aside from the study of law to the Latin and Greek classics and English literature. Es was a good student and a charming companion. His mind was richly stored with learning of the ancient and modern times, and among his friends he was recognized as one of the most instructive and agreeable conversationalists of the age. In 1848 or 1849 he was called to preside over the second district court of this parish, which then had exclusive jurisdiction of all probate matters and in addition, a general jurisdiction. He discharged his duties with great ability, with dignity and courtesy, without prejudice and with perfect integrity. The reports show that in many cases the supreme court adopted entirely his opinions in confirming his judgments. In this new field of duty he became widely known and was universally respected. In 1855 he was elevated to the supreme court and carried there a mind stored with rich and varied learning in the civil and common law." Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 485. Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.