James Oscar Labach ¹

  General Notes:

James was listed as the head of a family on the 1900 Census in Hamilton Co., OH. James O. LaBach is in the 1900 Census for Hamilton County, Ohio in the 28th Ward, Precinct A, as a white male analytical chemist, age 29, born in Indiana in April, 1871. He is a boarder.

James was listed as the head of a family on the 1910 Census in Fayette Co., KY. James O. LaBach is listed in the 1910 Census for Fayette County, Kentucky as a male white Professor of Chemistry, age 39, born in Indiana. His father was born in Kentucky and his mother in Indiana.

Copy of obituary notice, Lexington, Kentucky, Sept. 1, 1922.

DR. J.O. LA BACH PASSES TO REST Director Of Experiment Station Public Service Laboratories Had Been Ill A Month

Dr. James Oscar LaBach, director of public service laboratories at the Kentucky Experiment Station, with which he had been connected since 1901, died at 1 o'clock this morning at his home, 128 South Ashland avenue, after a month's illness.

Dr. LaBach is survived by his wife, formerly Miss Mary Shepherd Parker of Lexington; two children; his mother Mrs. Cornelia LaBach, and a brother, Major Paul LaBach.

Professor LaBach was born in Newcastle, Ind., April 22, 1871, a son of Dr. James Mayer and Mrs. Cornelia Ryker LaBach. He was a graduate of Carleton College, Northfield, Minn., and the University of Tennessee, where he received the degree of Master of Science. He was assistant chemist in food nutrition work at the University of Tennessee from 1895 to 1897.

In 1897, Professor LaBach became chemist for the Proctor and Gamble Company in Cincinnati and remained in their employ until 1901. In that year he became chief chemist of the Kentucky Food and Drug Control Laboratories with headquarters at the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Kentucky.
Professor LaBach became head of the food and drug control department in 1916, holding this position until 1918. Since 1918 he has been director of laboratories of the Kentucky State Board of Health.

Professor LaBach was a Democrat in politics, a member of the Presbyterian Church. He was author of numerous reports and bulletins published by the State of Kentucky and by the United States Government.

The funeral services will take place at the residence, 128 South Ashland Avenue, Saturday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock, Rev. T.L. Settle officiating. Burial will be in the family lot in the Lexington Cemetery.


RESOLUTION OF EXPERIMENT STATION COUNCIL:

The Experiment Station council adopted the following reolutions at a called meeting Friday: "The Experiment Station staff learns with regret of the death of Professor James Oscar LaBach, for many years chief chemist of the Kentucky food and drug control laboratories and later director of the public service laboratories of the Experiment Station.

"Professor LaBach inherited from his Huguenot ancestors qualities of heart and mind which gave direction to life, endeared him to his associates and won for him an enviable position in his chosen profession. Gifted with unusual mentality, he possessed an inexhaustible fund of chemical knowledge which was at all times at the service of his associates. Well chosen reading combined with broad intelligence, a disposition of great amiability and the gift of imparting information readily and clearly made him valuable to all seeking his assistance.

"The Experiment Station staff expresses its sincere sympathy to the bereaved wife and family.

DANIEL J. HEALY ALFRED M. PETER MARY L. DIDLAKE J.D. TURNER E.S. GOOD

James married Mary Shepherd Parker on 10 Oct 1917 in Asheville, NC. (Mary Shepherd Parker was born on 1 Oct 1880 in Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky, USA, died on 19 Mar 1973 in Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky, USA and was buried in Lexington Cemetery.)