LACAZE, (Hon.) Albert J., St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller.

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Lacaze, Hon. Albert James, of Wallace, St. John the Baptist parish, was
born in that locality Feb. 6, 1863, and is a son of John and Eleanore
(Roussel) Lacaze, the former of whom was born in France and the latter
in the same locality as was the son.  The father came to America in
1827, at the age of 20 years, on the same ship that brought Leon Godchaux to this country.  The latter, as is well-known, began business
as a peddler, and accumulated a large fortune.  John Lacaze also began
business in Louisiana as a peddler, and after about 7 years opened a
general store in St. John parish.  After successfully conducting this
latter enterprise about 4 years, he moved his store to St. James parish
and there established a bakery business in connection with the store,
handling these successfully for about 9 years, when he returned to
St. John parish and purchased Norma plantation, of about 450 acres, upon
which he successfully operated as a sugar planter during about 25 years,
prospering greatly.  However, he has now become interested in commission
business at New Orleans, and this latter connection finally brought
about heavy losses that largely depleted the family fortunes.  He died
at the family home in St. John parish in the year 1909. The maternal
grandparents were born in Louisiana, as also the maternal
great-grandparents.  The maternal great-great-grand parents came
to Louisiana from Nova Scotia.  The mother died in 1891, at the family
home in St. John parish.  Six children were born to the parents, as
follows:  John, the first-born, died of yellow fever at the age of 3
years;  Azele, mother of 1 child, Alice, who now lives with her father
in Vermilion parish;  Louise was married to John V. Micolo, of
New Orleans, but both she and her husband are now deceased, leaving 1
child, a daughter, who is now teaching in the public schools of
St. James parish;  George E., was married to Miss Maggie Scanlan, of New Orleans, and engaged in business in that city as a commission merchant,
in partnership with his brother-in-law, John V. Micolo.  Both he and his
wife are now deceased, leaving 1 child, Laura, who is married to Jesse
Taylor, of New Orleans, in the service of the T. & P. R. R.;  Albert
James, the subject of this sketch;  Amelie is now the wife of Joseph E.
Reine, who is connected with the business of the Colonial Sugars
Refining Co., at Gramercy, La.  They have 3 children, namely:
Marguerite,  Robert, and  George.  Albert Lacaze received his
earlier education at private schools in the vicinity of his birthplace.
Later he attended school at St. Louis for a time, and afterward took a
commercial course at Soule' college, New Orleans.  At the age of 19
years he entered commercial life as a clerk in the commission house of
his brother-in-Jaw and brother, Micolo & Lacaze, at New Orleans.  After
3 years in this connection, however, he returned to the plantation as
assistant to his father.  In 1884 he started in business as a planter on
his own account, but 2 years later was obliged to move to Iberville
parish to supervise some of his father's business there in connection
with Acadia plantation, which the father owned.  After 2 years he
returned to St. John parish and resumed his planting business.  Three
years later, in 1890, he was elected a member of the lower house of the
state legislature and shortly after the expiration of his term of
service in that body was appointed levee inspector, under the
administration of Gov. Blanchard, and has remained incumbent of that
office to this time.  In 1902 he purchased "Farm Home," near Wallace,
and has utilized this place mainly as a tenant farm.  In 1914 Mr. Lacaze
was again elected to the Louisiana legislature to fill the unexpired
term of P. N. Bossier, who had removed to St. James parish.  During his
previous term in the general assembly he served on the parochial affairs
and penitentiaries committees.  Mr. Lacaze has voted the democratic
ticket from the time of casting his first ballot, and in the
course of his career has served some years as a justice of the peace,
and 4 years as a member of the police jury.  He has a number of times
filled the post of a commissioner of elections, and during the past 16
years has been a member of the parish democratic executive committee.
He is affiliated with the Catholic church and is a member of the Woodmen
of the World and the Imperial Order of Red Men.  July 1, 1886,
Mr. Lacaze was married to Miss Berthe Vial, daughter of Charles and
Melvina (Songe) Vial, of St. John parish.  They have 1 child, Leonard,
now attending primary school.  Mrs. Lacaze's parents were born in
France, but she owes her nativity to St. John parish.

Source:  Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events,
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, volume 3, pp.
699-701.  Edited by Alc e Fortier, Lit. D.  Published in 1914, by
Century Historical Association.