Bio: William E. Wasson, Caddo Parish La
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville,  1890

Submitted by: Suzanne Shoemaker


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WILLIAM E. WASSON has been justice of the peace of the Third Ward for the
past ten years, and as a citizen of prominence and influence ranks among
the first of the county.  He was born in Caddo Parish on February 6, 1845,
and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Jewett) Wasson, who were born near
Murfreesboro, Tenn., and in Johnson County, Ark., respectively, but both
died in this parish, he on August 30, 1862, at the age of sixty-two years,
and she in 1852, aged forty-five years.  The father received his literary
education in his native State, and also studied medicine in a college of
Nashville, moving afterward to Arkansas and settling in Johnson County.
After remaining there for some time he came to Caddo Parish, La., locating
first at Summergrove and later at Greenwood, which at that time was a more
promising place than Shreveport, and was one of the first physicians of
this region, remaining here until his death.  His practice soon extended
over a wide region, and his services were called into requisition in Texas
as well as Louisiana.  He was a Whig as long as that party was in
existence, and inherited Welsh and Scotch blood of his ancestors.  His wife
was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and to their union a family of
five children were born, three of whom lived to maturity, the subject of
this sketch being the second child that grew up.  A younger brother, Charles
E., is the editor of a paper in Riverside, Cal., and an older brother,
August C., who died in this parish, was a planter.  William E. Wasson
received his education in the college at Sulphur Springs, Tenn., but on
April 25, 1861, he enlisted int he Second Louisiana Infantry, and after
being with this regiment sixteen months, he was mustered out, and joined
Denson's cavalry, and was in the Trans-Mississippi Department until the
close of the war.  While east on the river he was in Virginia, and took
part in the engagement at Malvern Hill, and after coming west of the river
was at Helena, Little Rock, and was in numerous skirmishes and raids.
Although captured at Poplar Bluff he managed to make his escape at the end
of ten days at Collin's Mill.  After a hard service of nearly four years,
he came to Caddo Parish and commenced farming on a small plantation, and by
good management has become the owner of 7,240 acres, a considerable portion
of which is under cultivation.  In 1888 he was elected to the office of
justice of the peace, and has held the office, by re-election, up to the
present time.  February 24, 1886, he was married to Mrs. Elizabeth Wasson,
widow of his older brother, she being a daughter of C. Sullivan.  She was
born in Alabama, and by her first husband became the mother of three
children:  Nezque, Ardinia and Charles.  She is a member of the Missionary
Baptist Church, and he is a Mason, a member of the Farmers' Alliance, and
in his political views is a Democrat.