Chase, Thomas B.; Pensacola, FL; now Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller
Date: 1999-2000




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 Chase, Thomas B., insurance, Shreveport, La., was born at Pensacola, Fla.,
Nov. 29, 1843, son of George Edmon Chase, a native of Boston, Mass.  The
father was educated at West Point Military academy, and graduated in the same
class with Jefferson Davis, who afterward became president of the Southern
Confederacy.  His father died in 1844.  At the time of his death he was in
charge of the United States forces at Pensacola, Fla.  The paternal
grandfather, Thomas Chase, was a native of the state of Massachusetts.  The
progenitor of the Chase family in America came from England in the early part
of the 17th century and located in Massachusetts.  He was accompanied by 2
brothers.  The mother, Elizabeth (Flowers) Chase, was a native of New Orleans
and a daughter of Col. William Flowers.  Samuel Flowers, her brother, also
attained the rank of colonel in military service.  The Flowers family was
among the early settlers at New Orleans and became prominent in the affairs of
Louisiana at that time.  The family ancestors were of Quaker stock and
originally from England. James Flowers was the first representative of the
family to locate in Louisiana, at a very early date.  Thomas B. Chase, the
subject of this sketch, was but a few months old when the death of his father
occurred at Pensacola.  Thereafter the mother returned to New Orleans with her
3 children, of whom Thomas E. was the youngest.  His childhood and early youth
were passed in the city of New Orleans, where at the age of 18 years he
enlisted in the Confederate army as a member of Company C, Crescent regiment,
under Col. Marshall J. Smith.  He was wounded at the battle of Shiloh, and
later was paroled at the city of New Orleans, remaining out of the service
until 1863, when he returned to his regiment and served to the time of the
surrender, being then at Shreveport.  In July, 1865, he located at Shreveport
and during the succeeding 17 years devoted his energies to the occupation of a
bookkeeper in that city.  He then became connected with the business and has
remained in that business since that time, an experience in insurance
extending over 31 years.  Mr. Chase is without doubt one of the oldest men in
his line of business in Louisiana. He has been twice married, the first
marriage having been to Miss Helen Kline, and the second to a Miss Cornelia
Spearman, of De Soto parish.  No children have been born to either union.  Mr.
Chase took an active part in state, parish and city affairs in the days of
reconstruction in Louisiana, and has at all times since been actively
identified with the public welfare.  He is a confederate veteran, a 32d degree
Mason, and a past grand-commander of the Knights Templar, and has for many
years been prominently identified with Masonic affairs in Louisiana.

Source:  Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events,
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 99-100. 
Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century Historical
Association.