Emile Henry Lacombe Jr. was born on January 29, 1846, in New York City, New York, to Emile Henry Lacombe Sr. (d. 1851) and Elizabeth Edith Smith (d. 1861), both of whom were buried at Trinity Church Cemetery in Hamilton Heights, New York. He married Elizabeth Edith Tryon (1844–1885), who was laid to rest at Evergreen Cemetery in Morristown, New Jersey, and together they had one son, Rufus Tryon Lacombe (1876–1925), also buried at Evergreen Cemetery. Lacombe graduated from Columbia College in 1863 and from Columbia College Law School in 1865. During the Civil War, he briefly served in the Union Army from 1862 to 1863. Following the war, he practiced law in New York City from 1865 to 1875 and then served as Assistant Corporate Counsel for New York City from 1875 to 1884, followed by a year as Corporate Counsel. In 1888, he was appointed judge of the U.S. Circuit Courts for the Second Circuit, a position he held until 1911, during which he presided over notable cases including Edison Electric Light Co. v. U.S. Electric (1889). From 1891 to 1916, he served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, hearing landmark cases such as the Chinese Exclusion Case (1892), United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1895), Berwind-White Coal Mining Co. v. United States (early 1900s), and Parker v. Metropolitan Museum of Art (1904). He retired from the bench in 1916 due to age and health, after which he resumed legal practice in New York City until his death and also served as Referee in Chancery in 1919. Lacombe passed away on November 28, 1924, in New York City at the age of 78 and was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Morristown, New Jersey. His career reflects a lifelong commitment to law, public service, and the shaping of both patent and constitutional jurisprudence in the United States.
Obituary: Judge Emile Henry Lacombe Jr. (1846–1924)
New York City — Judge Emile Henry Lacombe Jr., a distinguished jurist and attorney whose career spanned nearly six decades, passed away on November 28, 1924, at the age of 78. Born in New York City on January 29, 1846, to Emile Henry Lacombe Sr. and Elizabeth Edith Smith, Judge Lacombe was educated at Columbia College, graduating in 1863, and earned his law degree from Columbia College Law School in 1865.
During the Civil War, he served briefly in the Union Army from 1862 to 1863. Following the war, he practiced law in New York City and held positions as Assistant Corporate Counsel and Corporate Counsel for the city. In 1888, he was appointed to the U.S. Circuit Courts for the Second Circuit, where he presided over important cases, including Edison Electric Light Co. v. U.S. Electric. In 1891, he became a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, serving until his retirement in 1916 due to age and health. During his tenure, he heard landmark cases such as the Chinese Exclusion Case, United States v. Wong Kim Ark, Berwind-White Coal Mining Co. v. United States, and Parker v. Metropolitan Museum of Art, shaping both patent and constitutional law in the United States.
After leaving the bench, Judge Lacombe returned to private practice, serving as a legal adviser and Referee in Chancery, and continued contributing to the legal community until his death. He is survived by his son, Rufus Tryon Lacombe. Judge Lacombe is remembered as a jurist of exceptional intelligence, fairness, and dedication, whose decisions reflected both technical expertise and a deep respect for the law. He is interred at Evergreen Cemetery in Morristown, New Jersey.
Obituary: Judge Emile Henry Lacombe Jr. (1846–1924)
New York City — Judge Emile Henry Lacombe Jr., a distinguished jurist and attorney whose career spanned nearly six decades, passed away on November 28, 1924, at the age of 78. Born in New York City on January 29, 1846, to Emile Henry Lacombe Sr. and Elizabeth Edith Smith, Judge Lacombe was educated at Columbia College, graduating in 1863, and earned his law degree from Columbia College Law School in 1865.
During the Civil War, he served briefly in the Union Army from 1862 to 1863. Following the war, he practiced law in New York City and held positions as Assistant Corporate Counsel and Corporate Counsel for the city. In 1888, he was appointed to the U.S. Circuit Courts for the Second Circuit, where he presided over important cases, including Edison Electric Light Co. v. U.S. Electric. In 1891, he became a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, serving until his retirement in 1916 due to age and health. During his tenure, he heard landmark cases such as the Chinese Exclusion Case, United States v. Wong Kim Ark, Berwind-White Coal Mining Co. v. United States, and Parker v. Metropolitan Museum of Art, shaping both patent and constitutional law in the United States.
After leaving the bench, Judge Lacombe returned to private practice, serving as a legal adviser and Referee in Chancery, and continued contributing to the legal community until his death. He is survived by his son, Rufus Tryon Lacombe. Judge Lacombe is remembered as a jurist of exceptional intelligence, fairness, and dedication, whose decisions reflected both technical expertise and a deep respect for the law. He is interred at Evergreen Cemetery in Morristown, New Jersey.
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