Munson, Charles L.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Charles L. Munson has been a member of the St. Francisville bar since 1908, and during the sixteen years of his practice has attained high rank in his profession. Whatever he has found to do he has done to the limit of his strength and abilities, both of which have been of the highest order, whether engaged in the practice of his calling, serving in positions of public trust, or operating one of the large plantations of West Feliciana Parish. No one has ever had cause to doubt his mental strength or straightforwardness in whatever field he has elected to enter.

Mr. Munson was born at Jackson, East Feliciana Parish, December 18, 1877, and is a son of Albert G. and May Addle (Lemon) Munson, and belongs to a family of English-Swedish origin, which first settled in North Carolina and then came to Louisiana. The grandfather of Charles L. Munson, Charles Munson, was born in East Feliciana Parish, where he spent his entire life as a planter and amassed a considerable fortune and property. He married Ann Perry, who was born in the same parish, and whose death occurred in Texas.

Albert G. Munson, who resides on his farm five miles north of Jackson, but in West Feliciana Paris was born in January, 1849, in West Feliciana Parish, where he was reared and received a college education. He commenced his career as a pharmacist at Jackson, where he conducted a drug store for fifteen years, removing then to Port Hudson, when he spent several years, as he did also at McComb Mississippi. He then assumed the heavy duties o~ managing the large cotton plantation owned by Capt. John F. Keller, continuing in this capacity until 1894 when he retired to his own plantation, which he has since continued to operate. He is a democrat in politics, and his fraternal affiliation is with the Masons. Mr. Munson married May Addle Lemon, who was born in 1859, in East Feliciana Parish, and to this union there were born the following children: Charles L.; Edward Omar, a dental practitioner by profession, who makes his home with his parents on the plantation; Hollis T., a substantial business man of Slaughter, Louisiana, who is a merchant, planter, ice manufacturer and cotton ginner, and also engaged in the milk cooling and cold storage business; Eva K., unmarried, a teacher in the public school at Slaughter, who makes her home with her parents; Joseph J., of Baton Rouge, a graduate of Louisiana State University, and now professor of sugar mechanics at that institution; Morris W., a graduate of the State University and an electrical engineer by calling, who resides with his parents; and Albert G., also a graduate of the State University as an electrical engineer, now an apprentice of the General Electric Company at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Charles L. Munson attended private schools at Jackson, following which he pursued a three-year course at Centenary College at the same place and subsequently took a course at the Soulé Business College, New Orleans, from which he was graduated in 1901. Later he entered Tulane University, New Orleans, where he completed his law course in 1907, and, being admitted to the bar in April, 1908, at once commenced practice at St. Francisville, where he has since been very successful in general and criminal law and in the handling of bankruptcy cases, his well-appointed offices being situated on Royal Street. A democrat in his political allegiance, Mr. Munson formerly served for a number of years as attorney for St. Francisville and Bayou Sara. He is a member and vestryman of Grace Episcopal Church, and as a fraternalist holds membership in Feliciana Lodge No. 31, A. F. and A. M.; and Bayou Sara Camp No. 483, W. 0. W., both of St. Francisville.

Mr. Munson is the owner of one of the leading plantations of his community, adjoining the Corporate limits of St. Francisville, where he has a modern residence.

On December 13, 1913, Mr. Munson married d St. Francisville Miss Mabel Bradford Leake, daughter of Capt. John W. and Isabelle (Fluker) Leake, both deceased, the former of whom had been an aid to General Scott during the war between the states. Mrs. Munson died September 9, 1918, leaving two sons: John Leake, born November 1, 1914; Charles L., Jr., born May 31, 1916. At Baton Rouge, March 19, 1921, Mr. Munson was united in marriage with Miss Lillian Lea, a graduate of the Feliciana Female Collegiate Institute of Jackson, and a daughter of Hampton M. and Rhoda J. (Worthy) Lea, the latter of whom makes her home with her daughter and son-in-law. Mr. Lea, who was a well-known planter and highly respected citizen of his community, died in East Feliciana Parish.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 94-95, by Henry E. Chambers. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.