James Speed
United States Attorney General
United States Attorney General
Born: March 11, 1812
Birthplace: Louisville, Kentucky
Father: Judge John Speed 1772 – 1840
(Buried: Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky)
Mother: Lucy Gilmer Fry 1788 – 1874
(Buried: Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky)
Wife: Jane Cochran 1816 – 1888
(Buried: Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky)
Married: April 23, 1840 in Louisville, Kentucky
Signature:
Children:
Major John Speed 1842 – 1920
(Buried: Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky)
Henry Pirtle Speed 1845 – 1909
(Buried: Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky)
Charles Speed 1848 – 1935
(Buried: Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky)
Lucian Breckinridge Speed 1850 – 1912
(Buried: Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky)
James Fry Speed Jr. 1852 – 1932
(Buried: Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky)
Edward S. “Sippie” Speed 1854 – 1861
(Buried: Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky)
Joshua F. Speed 1855 – 1922
(Buried: Oakhill Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Michigan)
Political Party:
Before – 1860: Member of Whig Political Party
1860 – 1887: Member of Republican Political Party
Education:
Graduated from Saint Joseph’s College
Studied law at Transylvania University
Occupation before War:
1833 – 1856: Attorney in Louisville, Kentucky
1841: Met Abraham Lincoln in Louisville, Kentucky.
1847: Kentucky State Representative
1849: Delegate to Kentucky State Constitutional Convention
1851 – 1854: Alderman for Louisville, Kentucky
1853 – 1854: President of Louisville, Kentucky Aldermen
1856 – 1858: Law Professor at University of Louisville
1858 – 1861: Founding Attorney for firm of Stiles and Harbison
Civil War Career:
1861 – 1864: Commander of Louisville Kentucky Home Guard.
1861 – 1863: Kentucky State Senator
1862: Introduced bill to confiscate property of people in Kentucky, supporting the Confederacy.
1864 – 1866: Attorney Justice of United States Justice Department.
Occupation after War:
1864 – 1866: Attorney Justice of United States Justice Department.
Advocate for allowing African American Males the right to vote.
1866: Resigned as United States Attorney General in July.
1866 – 1872: Attorney in Louisville, Kentucky
1866: Kentucky Delegate to National Union Convention
1867: Unsuccessful Candidate for United States Senator
1868: Unsuccessful Candidate Republican Vice President Nomination
1870: Unsuccessful Candidate for United States Congress.
1872 – 1879: Law Professor at University of Louisville Law School
1872: Kentucky Delegate to Republican Party Nomination Convention
3rd Class Companion Military Order of the Loyal Legion United States
Died: June 25, 1887
Place of Death: Louisville, Kentucky
Age at time of Death: 75 years old
Burial Place: Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville Kentucky
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