Golsan, J. L.

 
Submitted by Mike Miller

J. L. Golsan is a native of Alabama, where he was born in 1854, a son of J. H. and Mary B. (Broadnex) Golsan, the ancestors of both being Southern people. The father was a merchant of Alabama. J. L. Golsan spent some time in the common schools in his youth and succeeded in acquiring a good practical education, sufficient to fit him for the duties of life, but finished his literary course in Henry college, Virginia, which he attended one term (1869), afterward entering an institution at Auburn, Ala., from which he graduated, and in 1873 spent one term in the University of Virginia. Succeeding this he went to New Orleans, entering the law office of Hayes & Webb, under whom he studied the profession until 1877, when he was admitted to the bar before the supreme court. He opened an office in St. Francisville, and from the start has taken considerable interest in political affairs. He first filled the position of magistrate for two years, receiving his appointment from Governor Nicholls, and in 1880 was elected to the lower house of the state legislature to fill the unexpired term of Dr. I. N. Ball, and was on the judiciary committee, the visiting committee of charitable institutions of the state, and in other ways was an active legislator. He favored a measure which proposed to grant privileges to other lotteries. In 1884 he was elected to the position of district attorney of the Fifth Judicial district, and was honored with a re-election in 1888. In 1881 he was married to Miss Emma, daughter of Rev. A. G. Barkswell of Ohio, by whom he has six children, five of whom are living: Belle, Gordon, Lela, Mary and Florence. Mr. Golsan is one of the vestrymen of the Episcopal church, is a man of sterling traits of character, and his personal friends are legion. He is very charitable in judgment of his fellows, is of a very social and pleasant disposition and his home is noted for its hospitality. He is a candidate for re-election to the position of district attorney, and his past record is a sufficient guarantee for his fitness for the office.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 1), pp. 448-449. Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.