Biography of 	O'DONNELL, Lawrence, Ireland, then Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller April 1998

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O'Donnell Lawrence, well known attorney, jurist, yachtsman, and 
public-spirited citizen of New Orleans, was born in Ireland, and came to 
the United States with his mother when a lad of 6 years.  The father had 
preceded the mother and son by some years, in coming to the "land of 
liberty," and served the cause of the stars and stripes throughout the 
Mexican war.  After having lived some time in the city of Boston, the 
father located at New Orleans, and it was here that the wife and son 
joined him in establishing the home at the South's metropolis, with the 
growth and development of which the small boy from the Emerald Isle was 
destined to bear the part of a man among men.  It was in this old city 
that the days of his youth were passed.  The father soon became familiarly 
known among his associates as "John O'Donnell.''  Mrs. O'Donnell's maiden 
name was Mary Rochfort.  Lawrence O'Donnell received his early education 
in the public schools of the city of New Orleans, and when this had been 
completed the youngster became a cabin boy on a towboat.  In this position 
his mechanical endowments came into play and the youth was soon occupying
the place of assistant engineer on the boat.  After a time the associations
of river life appeared incompatible with his ideals as to his future, and 
the young man set to work qualifying himself for clerical work, thereafter 
holding several successively advancing positions with mercantile 
establishments in the city.  In this environment his predominating 
attributes soon became more or less manifest, and he was drawn into 
the arena of politics, where his associations and activities soon landed 
him in the berth of assistant clerk of the old probate court, where he 
remained 4 or 5 years.  Meantime the assistant clerk had taken up the 
study of law, and a little after his departure from the clerk's desk  
Lawrence O'Donnell was admitted to the bar and began practice as an 
attorney in the city of New Orleans.  Removing to Plaquemines parish, 
Lawyer O'Donnell shortly became a prominent factor in the public life 
of that section of the State, a little later entering upon a 4-year term 
as district judge at the parish site.  When his encumbency of this office 
had expired Judge O'Donnell again became a citizen of New Orleans. 
serving 4 years as attorney for the board of health.  Following this he
served with marked ability as a member of the Louisiana state senate for 
one term, and later became assistant city attorney at New Orleans, 
remaining encumbent of this post through several years.  During all of 
this time Judge O'Donnell had continued in the practice of law, and on 
March 6, 1913, he was admitted to practice before the supreme court of 
the United States.  He has long been interested in both sugar and rice 
planting, and is the author of the central factory plan, being first, 
too, to put this idea into practical operation.  The judge has attained 
enviable prominence as an orator.  He first won distinction as an 
eloquent and convincing debater in the state senate, and his speeches 
there, as well as his pleadings before the bar, and public addresses, 
have been noted for their brilliance and sparkling native Irish wit.  
Naturally, a man of such activities must have some diversion, and this 
Judge O'Donnell finds in yachting.  He is ex-commodore of the Southern 
Yacht club, the second oldest organization of this kind in the United
States, and was owner of the famous sailing yacht, ''Lady Sarah," also, 
the ''Florence," and the ''Semper Idem," the latter having been presented
by the late Albert Baldwin.  Judge O'Donnell is a 32nd degree Mason and 
a Noble of the Mystic Shrine.  Although reared a Catholic, he is 
non-sectarian in church belief and contributes to all churches alike.  
He is an active member of the Louisiana State Historical society and 
the American Bar association, and is affiliated with various organizations 
in the city and state.  A man of his attainments, varied activities, 
and wide acquaintance, must encounter many pleas for assistance, both 
public and private, and calls for aid in a diversity of projects and 
undertakings, and it is especially notable that Judge O'Donnell's moral 
aid and hearty personal cooperation, as well as his pocketbook, may 
always he relied upon in any legitimate and commendable work designed 
for the public weal or relief of private distress.  Apart from his 
eminent professional abilities, the hand of goodfellowship, genial 
good cheer, and hearty and generous commendation, have brought the 
name of Judge O'Donnel into wide popularity and well-merited honor.  
In early manhood he was married to Miss Elizabeth Cheneville, and 5 
sons and 2 daughters have been born to them as follows:  Edwin O.,  
Alexander C.,  Robert J.,  Walter Lawrence,  Sidney and  Florence 
(now Mrs. M. T. Williams), and Miss Juliette.

Source:  Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, 
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), 
pp. 330-332.  Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century 
Historical Association.