1925 Biography - Albert L. East

Albert L. East, M. D., is a native son of East Baton Rouge Parish, within whose borders of the capital city of Baton Rouge, and here he has found an excellent field for successful service in the profession of his choice. With residence and professional headquarters in the Village of Zachary, he has built up a substantial and representative general practice in this section, and won place as, one of the prominent physicians and surgeons of his native parish, where the East family has been one of prominence and influence. John East, grandfather of the Doctor, was born near Clinton, East Feliciana Parish, and there passed his entire life, he having been not only an extensive planter, but also having given many years of earnest service as a clergyman of the Baptist Church, besides which he represented Louisiana as a soldier in the Mexican war. The original American representatives of the East family came from England and settled in Kentucky. Rev. John East's wife likewise died in East Feliciana Parish, her family name having been Collins and the lineage tracing hack to sterling Irish origin.

Dr. Albert L. East was born on a plantation in East Baton Rouge Parish, April 24, 1877, and is a son of Dr. Augustus L. East, who was born in Texas, where his parents maintained their residence only a few years, he having been reared on the old homestead in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, and having been graduated in the medical department of what is now Tulane University, in New Orleans. For more than thirty years he was engaged in active general practice at The Plains, East Baton Rouge Parish, and he was one of the distinguished physicians and surgeons and honored and loved citizens of this parish at the time of his death. He served during the Civil war as surgeon of a Louisiana regiment of the Confederate frees. He was a leader in the local ranks of the democratic party, was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the United Confederate Veterans, and he and his wife, both of whom died at "The Plain," were earnest members of the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. East, whose maiden name was Arabella Long, was born in the City of New Orleans. Of the children the first born was Anna, who died in infancy; John was a student in the medical department of Tulane University at the time of his death, when twenty-eight years of age; Augustus L., Jr., died in childhood; Belle, who died at the age of thirty-two years, was the wife of Harry Johnston. M. D., who is engaged in the practice of his profession at Baton Rouge; Nettie is the widow of John V. Piker and resides at Slaughter, East Feliciana Parish, where her husband had been a prosperous farmer; William L. died in childhood; Dr. Albert L., of this sketch, was the next in order of birth and Dr. Samuel T. is a leading physician at Norwood, East Feliciana Parish,

Public and private schools in East Feliciana and East Baton Rouge parishes afforded Dr. Albert L. East his preliminary education, and in 18% he entered the medical department of Tulane University, where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1899 and with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He initiated the practice of his profession at The Plains, the place of his birth, and in his large village and rural practice he has gained unstinted success and prestige in the district in which he was born and reared. Here he owns a fine plantation estate of 900 acres, on which he maintains his residence, near the Village of Zachary, and in his progressive farm operations he is giving special attention to the raising of the best types of live stock, in which he gives preference to Jersey cattle. He is health officer of the Town of Zachary, and gave many years of service as health officer of East Baton Rouge Parish. He has active membership in the Parish Medical Society, the Louisiana State Medical Society and the American Medical Association, and he has insistently kept in touch with the advances made in medical and surgical science. He volunteered for service in the Medical Corps of the United States Army at the time of the World war, but was retained on the reserve list, as his professional services in his home parish were deemed of paramount importance at the time. He is a stalwart in the camp of the democratic party, and he and his wife are zealous members of the Presbyterian Church at The Plains, in which their marriage was solemnized.

June 21, 1899, recorded the marriage of Dr. East and Miss Annie Young, daughter of the late Dr. Isaac T. and Jennie (Lilley) Young. both of whom died at The Plains, where Doctor Young had been a representative physician for a long period prior, to his death, in 1920. Mrs. East is a graduate of the Silliman Collegiate Institute at Clinton, Louisiana. Dr. and Mrs. East have six children: Albert L. Jr., Isaac V., John L., Annie Voting, James L. and Arabelia L. The oldest son, Albert L., Jr., completed the work of his junior year in the University of Louisiana, where he was a member of the Students Army Training Corps in the World war period, and he is now successfully engaged in the automobile business at Zachary. Isaac V. graduated in the class of 1924 at the Louisiana State University, and is now attending the Ohio State University at Columbus, Ohio. John L. is a student in the University of Louisiana at the time of this writing, in 1924.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from A History of Louisiana, by Henry E. Chambers, published in 1925, volume 2, pages 118-119.