Luke Lea (American politician, born 1879)

Luke Lea
United States Senator
from Tennessee
In office
March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1917
Preceded byJames B. Frazier
Succeeded byKenneth D. McKellar
Personal details
Born(1879-04-12)April 12, 1879
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedNovember 18, 1945(1945-11-18) (aged 66)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Resting placeMount Olivet Cemetery,
Nashville, Tennessee
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Mary Louise Warner (m. 1906–1918, her death)
Percie Warner (m. 1920–1945, his death)
Children5
EducationUniversity of the South
Columbia Law School
OccupationAttorney
Newspaper publisher
Businessman
AwardsArmy Distinguished Service Medal
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1918–1919
RankColonel
Unit114th Field Artillery Regiment
Battles/warsWorld War I

Luke Lea (April 12, 1879 – November 18, 1945) was an American attorney, politician and newspaper publisher. A Democrat, he was most notable for his service as a United States Senator from Tennessee from 1911 to 1917. Lea was the longtime publisher of The Tennessean newspaper in Nashville, and a United States Army veteran of World War I. In 1919 he led an unauthorized and unsuccessful attempt to kidnap the recently exiled German Kaiser Wilhelm II.