My Genealogy Hound

JUDGE JOHN R. GRACE was born May 27, 1834, in Trigg County, Ky. He is a son of William D. and Mary (Organ) Grace. The father was born in Caldwell, now Trigg County, January 24, 1813, and is now living on his farm, about three miles from Cadiz. The mother was a native of Wilson County, Tenn. She died August 30, 1834. John R. was reared in or near Canton, and attended the subscription schools of that locality, after which he attended the Lebanon High School one year. At about the age of nineteen he took up the study of law, under the preceptorship of Maj. Matthew Mayes, where he continued one year, after which he went to Louisville, and there entered the law department of the Transylvania College; there graduated in the class of 1855. He then came to Cadiz and engaged in the practice of his profession. In 1858 he was elected County Judge. Two years later he formed a partnership with Maj. Matthew Mayes, firm of Mayes & Grace. This partnership continued till 1865. He then formed a partnership with Henry C. Burnett, which continued till the death of the latter, which occurred in September, 1866. He continued the practice of this profession till 1868, when he was elected Circuit Judge of the Second Judicial District, comprising the counties of Trigg, Christian, Hopkins, Caldwell and Lyon. He was re-elected in 1874, and again in 1880; this position he still honorably fills. In 1880 the county of Muhlenburg was added to this circuit. In October, 1882, he was nominated on the Democratic ticket for Congress, representing the First Congressional District, and was defeated by Oscar Turner, the Independent candidate, by a small majority. Judge Grace was married in 1859, to Miss Emeline, daughter of Abner Terry, of Trigg County. This lady died in January, 1861, aged twenty-four years.