History of New Martinsville, (Wetzel County) West Virginia United States of America

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John Fletcher Lacey, representative, was born at New Martinsville, Va., May 30, 1841; son of John M. and Eleanor Lacey; grandson of John M. Lacey, and a descendant of Spencer Lacey and John Lacey, his father, both of whom served in the Revolutionary war. In 1855 he removed with his parents to Oskaloosa, Iowa, and continued his studies at private schools. At the outbreak of the civil war he enlisted as a private in the 3d Iowa volunteer infantry, was taken prisoner at the battle of Blue Mills, and in November, 1861, was paroled at Lexington with General Mulligan's command and discharged in November, 1861. He then studied law under Samuel A. Rice, attorney-general of Iowa. In 1862 he was exchanged as a prisoner, and re-enlisted in the 33d Iowa infantry, of which Samuel A. Rice was made colonel. He was commissioned 1st lieutenant and captain, 1863; assistant adjutant-general on the staff of Colonel Rice, 1863, and was transferred to Gen. Frederick Steele's staff when General Rice was mortally wounded April 30, 1864, and served until his discharge, Sept. 19, 1865, having participated in the engagements at Helena, Little Rock, Terrenoir, Elkin's Ford, Prairie d'Ann, Poison Springs, Camden, Jenkins's Ferry and Fort Blakely. He was admitted to the bar in 1865, and practised at Oskaloosa. He was a representative in the state legislature in 1870, temporary chairman of the Republican state convention in 1898, and Republican representative from the sixth district of Iowa in the 51st, 53d, 54th, 55th, 56th, 57th and 58th congresses, 1889-91, and 1893-1905. He wrote: Lacey's Railway Digest; Lacey's Third Iowa Digest and other legal reference works.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of New Martinsville, (Wetzel County) West Virginia

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