John Sinclair Leary facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John S. Leary
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Leary in 1887
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| Born | August 17, 1845 |
| Died | December 9, 1904 (aged 59) |
| Alma mater | Howard University |
| Occupation | Lawyer, politician, professor |
| Political party | Republican |
John S. Leary (born August 17, 1845 – died December 9, 1904) was an American lawyer and politician. He had a mixed heritage. He is known as one of the first Black lawyers in North Carolina.
Leary was a member of the state's law-making group, the state legislature, from 1868 to 1870. He also served as an alderman (a local government official) in Fayetteville. Later, he held important jobs in the United States government. In 1890, he became the first leader (dean) of the law school at Shaw University.
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John S. Leary's Early Life
John S. Leary was born on August 17, 1845, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. His parents were Matthew Leary and Julia Memriel. John's grandfather, Jeremiah Leary, was from Ireland. He married Sally Revels, who had both Native American (Croatan) and Black heritage. Both Jeremiah Leary and Sally's father, Aaron Revels, fought in the American Revolutionary War.
John had at least three siblings: Lewis Sheridan Leary, Henrietta, and Michael Leary, Jr. Sadly, Lewis died in 1859 during John Brown's famous raid on Harpers Ferry. Through his grandmother Sally Revels, John was a cousin to Hiram Rhodes Revels. Hiram Revels was the first African American to serve in the United States Senate.
John's father, Matthew Leary, Sr., was a very successful businessman. He was one of the wealthiest African Americans both before and after the American Civil War. His business did so well that by 1848, he had good financial standing. By 1870, he owned property worth $6,000. Matthew Leary, Sr. passed away on March 22, 1880, at 82 years old. John's brother, Matthew Leary, Jr., also entered politics. He became a government clerk in Washington, D.C., and died on January 26, 1892.
John went to school in Fayetteville for about eight years before 1861. After school, he learned the skill of making saddles and harnesses. He worked in his father's shop, where his father had worked for many years.
John S. Leary's Career and Achievements
In 1868, Leary was chosen to represent Cumberland County in the North Carolina House of Representatives. He was reelected for a second term in 1870. As a lawmaker, he voted against unfair financial deals, even though he was in the minority group.
In 1871, he began studying law at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. He earned his law degree (LL.B.) in 1873. He graduated with several notable classmates. These included Joseph E. Lee, who became Jacksonville, Florida's first Black lawyer.
After graduating, John Leary was allowed to practice law in North Carolina in May 1873. This made him Fayetteville's first Black lawyer and North Carolina's second. Leary later helped start the law school at Shaw University. He became its leader (dean) in March 1890. After him, Edward A. Johnson took over as dean. Johnson was Shaw's first graduate and later the first African-American member of the New York State Assembly.
Political Involvement
After his time in the state legislature, Leary was very active in politics. He served as an alderman in Fayetteville from 1876 to 1877. He attended every State Republican Convention in North Carolina from 1867 to 1894. He was also a representative at the national Republican conventions in Chicago in 1880 and 1884.
On May 1, 1881, he was appointed as a United States deputy collector. This was a government job in the Internal Revenue Department, where he helped collect taxes. He held this position for four years. In 1890, he ran for Congress in Fayetteville as a Republican but lost the election.
Community and Civil Rights Work
Leary was also involved with many important social and civil rights groups in North Carolina. He was a key member of the Statewide Convention of Colored People in Goldsboro in 1882. He was the president of the North Carolina Industrial Association, a group that worked for labor rights, in the early 1880s.
He was also a member of the Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization. He was an honorary commissioner from North Carolina to the 1884 World's Fair in New Orleans. He was a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
In 1892, he moved to Charlotte, becoming that city's first Black lawyer. He continued to work as a lawyer there until his death. Later in his life, he tried to get higher government jobs but was not successful. In 1896, he strongly supported Daniel Lindsay Russell's successful campaign for Governor of North Carolina. Leary hoped to be appointed as an assistant U.S. district-attorney as a reward.
Family and Passing
John Leary was married twice. His first wife was Alice B. Thomas from Raleigh, North Carolina. She passed away on October 13, 1880. They had two children, but both died when they were young. His second wife was Nannie E. Latham from Charlotte, North Carolina. They married on July 14, 1886.
Leary passed away on December 9, 1904, in Charlotte. His funeral was held at St. Michael's and All Angels' Episcopal church.
