John S. Leary

John Sinclair Leary (August 17, 1845 – December 9, 1904) was an American lawyer, politician, federal official, and law school dean. He was of mixed ethnicity. He is described as one of the first black lawyers in North Carolina and was a member of the state legislature from 1868 to 1870. He was an alderman in Fayetteville and later held federal government appointments. He was the first dean of the law school at Shaw University in 1890.

Early life John S. Leary was born August 17, 1845, in Fayetteville, North Carolina Sally's father was Aaron Revels, and both Aaron Revels and Jeremiah Leary were veterans of the American Revolutionary War. Leary had at least three siblings, Lewis Sheridan Leary, Henrietta, and Michael Leary, Jr. Lewis was killed taking part in John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. Through Revels, Leary was a cousin to Hiram Rhodes Revels, the first African American to serve in the United States Senate.

Matthew Leary, Sr. was one of the wealthiest African Americans both before and after the American Civil War. His business was successful enough that as early as 1848 he was credit-rated and owned property worth $6,000 in 1870. Matthew, Sr. died March 22, 1880, at the age of 82. John's brother, Matthew Leary, Jr. went into politics as well and became a federal government clerk in Washington, D.C. and died On January 26, 1892.

John attended school in Fayetteville for about eight years before 1861. He then learned the trade of a saddler and harness-maker in his father's shop where his father had worked for a long time.

After graduation, he was admitted to practice in North Carolina Courts making him Fayetteville's first black lawyer and North Carolina's second black lawyer. Leary later helped establish the law school at Shaw University and served as its dean starting in March 1890. He was followed as dean by Edward A. Johnson, who was Shaw's first graduate and later the first African-American member of the New York State Assembly.

After his time in the state legislature, Leary was very active in politics. He was alderman in Fayetteville in 1876–1877. He was an alternate delegate to the 1880 Republican National Convention and a delegate to the 1884 Republican National Convention, both in Chicago. losing the race to Benjamin F. Grady.

Leary was also associated with many important social and civil rights groups in North Carolina. He was a prominent member of the Statewide Convention of Colored People in Goldsboro on March 29, 1882. where he continued to practice until his death. In 1896 he was key in supporting Daniel Russell's successful run for Governor of North Carolina and desired the position of assistant U.S. district-attorney as a reward.