Grace, John D.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Grace, John D., of New Orleans, is one of the most able lawyers in Louisiana, and is considered one of the foremost practitioners of admiralty and maritime law in the United States. Mr. Grace is a native of Louisiana. He was born in the city of New Orleans, June 23, 1862, and was reared in his native city, where he was educated in the Catholic schools, and then took up the printer's trade, which he mastered, becoming skilled in plain and ornamental work. At one time he was the youngest sub-printer in the employ of the old New Orleans Daily Times. He excelled as a printer, but was not to devote his life to the printer's trade. His father was in his day noted as a steamboatman, owning and operating some of the finest steamboats that ever plied the Mississippi out of New Orleans, and his vocation had an effectual influence on the career of the son, for after following the printer's trade until he had achieved success in this calling (and here we record the fact that whatever Mr. Grace has undertaken he always sought to do well, and has accomplished his purposes), he turned his attention to marine engineering, and for many years has held a United States license as a chief engineer for condensing engines, the highest type of marine steam engine. By making a thorough study of navigation, he finally became competent as a pilot, and has held for several years a United States license as a first-class pilot, being, it is said, the only lawyer in America holding such licenses. Mr. Grace had a fixed purpose in mind while seeking a practical knowledge of the construction and operation of water craft of every description. It was to better qualify himself for the practice of admiralty and maritime law, for it was his purpose to become a lawyer, and one especially competent in this great system of law. He studied law in New Orleans, and was admitted to the bar in 1887, since which time he has been in the active practice of law in New Orleans. While his practice has been general, he has given particular attention to admiralty and maritime law, in which he has won exceptional distinction. Mr. Grace lectures on admiralty and maritime law in Tulane university, and has done so during the past 3 years. When United States District Judge Eugene D. Saunders was on the bench of the United States District Court he appointed Mr. Grace as one of a committee of 4 to formulate the rules of practice in that court, which was done by the 4 appointees in a very satisfactory manner. On the occasion of the laying of the cornerstone of the new postoffice building in New Orleans, Mr. Grace was one of the two speakers at the time, his subject being "The Federal Constitution."

In politics Mr. Grace is a republican, but he has never sought political honors, preferring to devote his time and attention to his constantly increasing law practice. In church faith he is a Catholic. In 1889 was celebrated the marriage of John D. Grace and Miss Virginia Elizabeth Huye. Mrs. Grace was born in New Orleans, a daughter of George and Sarah Huye. Unto their union have been born 10 children. Mr. Grace is descended from Irish stock, and in his veins also mingles English blood. His father was John Morris Grace, who was born in Pendleton county, Ky., 1818, and was a son of Dr. Alexander and Mary (Morris) Grace. Dr. Grace was born in Ireland, and was a graduate physician. He located in Arkansas and thereafter in Kentucky, where he married Mary Morris, who was born in Kentucky and came of one of the oldest families of the Old Dominion state. She was of English lineage, and her parents, who came from Virginia, were pioneer settlers of Kentucky. John Morris Grace became a steamboat engineer when a young man; later a steamboat pilot and master, and then, as owner, he operated some of the best and most noted river craft out of New Orleans, in which city he died in 1872. In this city he married Eliza Hutchinson, who was born near Carlow, Queen's county, Ireland, and when a girl came with her parents to the United States, the family locating in New Orleans, where the parents died of yellow fever not long after their coming.

Unto John Morris Grace and Eliza (Hutchinson) Grace were born 4 sons and 5 daughters. Three of the daughters died early in life, and 2 of them married Kentuckians, lived in Kentucky, and one is now deceased. The eldest son, Matthew D. Grace, was a lawyer and died in New Orleans more than 25 years ago. The second son, John D., is the subject of this sketch. The other sons are Robert F., and William D. Grace, prominent printers and manufacturers, of New Orleans. The mother survived her husband many years, dying in 1912, at the age of 76 years.

Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 803-805. Edited by Alcee Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.