Clerc, Reno Ferdinand; Iberia Parish;  now Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller



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Clerc, Reno Ferdinand, of New Orleans, was born in New Iberia Nov. 14, 1875,
the son of Charles Caesar and Josaphine (Simon) Clerc.  His father was born in
Switzerland and his mother in France.  The father came to this country when a
young man, and the mother came with her parents when she was but a girl.  They
were married in Louisiana.  For a while after their marriage they resided in
New Orleans, and when the war of secession came on New Iberia was their home. 
At the latter place they continued to reside until 1889, in which year they
and their son, Renè Ferdinand, who is the youngest of 6 children, went to
Europe, where they spent 18 months, and then returned to the United States and
located in New Orleans, where the father died in 1892 at the age of 64 years,
and where the mother, now aged 73, still resides.  The father was a wholesale
cattle dealer while residing at New Iberia, and was successful in business. 
The son was 14 years of age when his parents located in New Orleans.  His
education was obtained in the schools of New Iberia and New Orleans and
finished at Holy Cross college.  At the age of 16 he began the battle of life
in the schools of New Iberia and New Orleans and finished at for himself as a
clerk in a wholesale grocery establishment at New Orleans.  Finally he became
a traveling salesman for groceries and was on the road for several years and,
until in company with others, he established the wholesale grocery concern of
Clerc Co., Ltd., of New Orleans.  Upon withdrawing from that firm, which still
later liquidated, Mr. Clere became connected with the wholesale grocery
company of Schmidt & Zeigler, Ltd., of which firm he was vice-president, and,
disposing of his interest in the firm, Mr. Clerc became a manufacturer's
agent, his present form of business.  In August of 1912 he was appointed by
President Taft United States appraiser of customs, port of New Orleans, a
position he now holds.  He is a 32d degree Scottish Rite Mason and a member of
the Mystic Shrine, of the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks and the United
Commercial Travelers of America.  In 1899 Mr. Clerc wedded Miss Florence, the
daughter of E. J. and Emily (Ketty) Carstens, of New Iberia, La.  In the main,
Mr. Clerc's business career has been that of a wholesale grocer.  He has
achieved gratifying success, and in public affairs he has always taken a
commendable interest.  He is third vice-president of the New Orleans board of
trade, in which organization he has been an active member for several years.

Source:  Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events,
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp.
103-104.  Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century
Historical Association.