Bio: MODISETTE, James O.; Webster, then Jefferson Davis Parish, La. Submitted by: Mike Miller Date: 4-30-98 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 303-305. Editedby Alc e Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century HistoricalAssociation.-- Modisette, James O., successful and prominent attorney, Jennings, JeffersonDavis parish, La.--Was born at the farm home of his parents in Websterparish, La., July 27, 1881; son of Henry Harrison and Anne Eliza (Vaughan)Modisette, both of whom are natives of Georgia, which state they left at anearly age with their respective parents, the Modisette family at that timelocating in northern Louisiana and the Vaughan family in southern Arkansas,the families being only a short distance apart. Henry Harrison Modisette,the father, has followed the vocation of a planter in Webster parishthroughout his active life. The paternal grand- parents, were Judge Samueland Elizabeth (Harrison) Modisette. Judge Modisette was a successfullawyer and served as county judge of Franklin county, Ga. After locatingin Webster Par., Louisiana., however, he devoted his energies to the vocation ofa planter, and, previous to the Civil war, in which his fortune wasdepleted, was a large land and slave owner. The maternal grandfather,William Henry Vaughan, followed the business of a planter in Georgia and socontinued after having located in southern Arkansas. James O. Modisettewas sixth of 12 children born to his parents, 9 of whom survive at thistime, and his education and success in life have been brought aboutentirely through his own unaided efforts. He for a brief time attended acountry school in Webster Par., Louisiana. and again, in Columbia county, Ark.,he for a similar time attended a like school, but so small was theaggregate result of these transitory terms of instruction that at the ageof 14 years the boy was not able to read or write with practicablefacility. At this time he made resolutions to get an education, and studied at home unaided and attended short terms of country schools taughtby Jerome Taylor, Jesse Barnard, Bonnie Davis, and Dr. J. C. Walker, untilhe reached the age of 18, when he began, after a time, to sell books, andmade some money, and soon thereafter he went to Oklahoma to work in hisuncle's store in Wynnewood, Okla., where he remained but a few weeks. Later he managed to enter the high school at Ravia, Okla., and thereeagerly pursued his studies until he had graduated from that institution,following which he became a missionary teacher to the Indians in Oklahoma,in the service of the U. S. government. After some time in this work hebecame an instructor in a public school in Arkansas during one year, andthen entered the state normal school at Natchitoches, La., from which hegraduated in 1905. Following his graduation from the normal school, duringthe school term of 1905-06 he occupied the position of principal of thehigh school at Cheneyville, La., and during the succeeding term, 1906-07, was principal of the Campti, La., high school. During the time he wasengaged in teaching he was also taking a correspondence course with theUniversity Extension law school and studying law under a private tutor asopportunity was afforded. In 1907 he entered the third year senior classof the Illinois college of law at Chicago, from which he graduated in 1908with the LL. B. and LL. M. degrees. In 1909 this last mentionedinstitution conferred on Mr. Modisette the degree of D. C. L., adistinction which he may properly highly appreciate. In 1908 he began thepractice of law at Little Rock, Ark., but after two months in that locationremoved to Shreveport, La., and was admitted to practice in the latterstate. After a few months at Shreveport, in the summer of 1908 he removedto Jennings, La., where he has since been continuously engaged in legalpractice, with the exception of eight months passed in Los Angeles, Cal.,1912-13, where he was admitted to practice in the courts of California. During the time of this stay in California he maintained his office atJennings, La., to which he returned in June 1913. Mr. Modisette is marriedto Miss Zada McDowell, a daughter of M. J. McDowell of New Orleans, and oneson has been born to their union, namely, Marion Harrison Modisette, bornDec. 27, 1911. Mr. Modisette is affiliated with the Democratic party, buthas never sought or desired public office. He is a member of the Unitarianchurch. During some time past he has been serving as a member of theJennings school board. He is affiliated with the Benevolent and ProtectiveOrder of Elks, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a member also ofthe Rebekah degree; the Masonic fraternity--Blue lodge and Royal Arch, andthe Order of the Eastern Star, of which latter he has been Worthy Patronduring the past three years. Also, he is a member of the Jennings chamberof commerce, the civic league, and the Men's Fellowship society ofJennings. Mr. Modisette has taken post-graduate work at Louisiana stateuniversity. He has a large and constantly increasing legal practice, andenjoys a most substantial and desirable clientele, being generallyrecognized as a leading and able member of the bar of the new parish ofJefferson Davis. As has already been stated in different words, Mr.Modisette is distinctly a self-made man, having acquired not only hisprofessional education without aid, but even his academic knowledge. Amongthe people of the locality in which he lives he is regarded as a man ofsterling traits of character--as being not only a capable lawyer, but alsoa citizen both able and willing to acquit himself with conspicuous fidelityin every eventuality involving integrity and a sane perspective of theobligations of manhood.-end-