James B. Eustis

James Biddle Eustis
United States Senator from Louisiana
In office January 12, 1876 – March 4, 1879
Preceded by	William P. Kellogg
Succeeded by	Benjamin F. Jonas
In office March 4, 1885 – March 4, 1891
Preceded by	Benjamin F. Jonas
Succeeded by	Edward D. White
United States Ambassador to France
In office 1893–1897
President	Grover Cleveland
Preceded by	T. Jefferson Coolidge
Succeeded by	Horace Porter
Member of the Louisiana Senate
In office 1874-1878
Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
In office 1872
Personal details
Born	(1834-08-27)August 27, 1834 New Orleans, Louisiana
Died	Newport, Rhode Island
Political party	Democratic

James Biddle Eustis (August 27, 1834 – September 9, 1899) was a United States Senator from Louisiana.

Biography

Born in New Orleans, he was the son of George Eustis (1796–1858) and Clarice Allain. His father was a lawyer who served as a Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. James pursued classical studies, graduated from the Harvard Law School in 1854, was admitted to the bar in 1856 and commenced practice in New Orleans. He served as judge advocate during the Civil War in the Confederate Army and resumed the practice of law in New Orleans.

He was elected a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives prior to the Reconstruction acts, and was one of the committee sent to Washington, D.C. to confer with President Andrew Johnson on Louisiana affairs. He was again a member of the State house of representatives in 1872, and was a member of the Louisiana Senate from 1874 to 1878.

Eustis was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy in the term commencing March 4, 1873, caused by the action of the Senate in declining to seat rival claimants William L. McMillen and P. B. S. Pinchback. Eustis served from January 12, 1876 to March 4, 1879; he was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection, and was professor of civil law at the Tulane University Law School from 1877 to 1884, then called the University of Louisiana. He was again elected to the U.S. Senate and served from March 4, 1885 to March 4, 1891; he was not a candidate for reelection, and practiced law in Washington, D.C., in 1891.

From 1893 to 1897 he was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France, and then settled in New York City. He died in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1899; interment was in Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky.

George Eustis, Jr., James's brother, was a United States Representative from Louisiana.

His grandson was diplomat Charles Bohlen.

Bibliography

• James B. Eustis at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved on 2008-02-13

External links

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United States Senate
Preceded by William P. Kellogg (– November 1, 1872) Vacant (1872–1876)	U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Louisiana January 12, 1876 – March 4, 1879 Served alongside: Joseph R. West, William P. Kellogg	Succeeded by Benjamin F. Jonas
Preceded by Benjamin F. Jonas	U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Louisiana 1885–1891 Served alongside: Randall L. Gibson	Succeeded by Edward D. White
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by T. Jefferson Coolidge	U.S. Ambassador to France 1893–1897	Succeeded by Horace Porter