Draft:James H. McLeary

James H. McLeary (July 27, 1845 – January 5, 1914) was a justice of the Territorial Montana Supreme Court from 1886 to 1888, appointed by President Grover Cleveland.

Born in Smith County, Tennessee, McLeary's family moved to Texas in 1850s.

"He attended Soule University before joining the Confederate States Army from 1861 to 1865. He received his BA degree from Washington and Lee University in 1868 and graduated from the law school there and was admitted to the Texas bar in 1869. Justice McLeary married Emily Mitchell in December 1869 and they had one child who survived to adulthood. Emily died in 1872, and he married Mary King in August 1875. He and Mary had four children. He was elected to the Texas Legislature in 1873 and as Texas Attorney General in 1880. Justice McLeary was appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Montana Territory by President Grover Cleveland in 1886. He served in the Spanish-American war with the rank of Major. In 1901, he was appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. Justice McLeary returned to the US due to poor health in November 1913 and died in Washington DC on January 5, 1914 at the age of 68."