Isidore W. Gajan, Iberia Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller



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Isidore W. Gajan.  One of the most reliable and progressive members of the
Iberia Parish Bar, who stands high in professional ability and as a man of
broad business and financial judgment, is Isidore W. Gajan of New Iberia. 
Not alone is he prominent as a member of his profession, but of recent
years has been one of the rising forces in the democratic party, where he
has assumed a strong and broad influence.

Mr. Gajan was born January 22, 1887, on a plantation in the parish of
Vermilion, Louisiana, and is a son of Marcelin and Elodie (Ducote) Gajan. 
His father, born in 1842, in the province of Lanquedoc, France, was reared
and educated in his native community where he served an apprenticeship to
the trade of cabinetmaker.  He was still a very young man when he
immigrated to the United States, settling at Marksville, Avoyelles Parish,
whence he moved to Vermilion Parish.  In this country he followed the
trade of carpenter and builder, and gradually developed into a successful
contractor, being engaged in this line at the time of his death at New Iberia
in 1896.  Mr. Gajan married Elodie Ducote, who was born in 1848, in
Avoyelles Parish, and died at New Iberia, January 16, 1924, and they
became the parents of the following children:  Mary, of New Orleans, the
widow of Henry Moss, a planter and stockraiser who died in Vermilion
Parish;  Emile, a sugar planter and refiner who died at Schriever, Louisiana,
March 16, 1922, and who was also engaged in the real estate business; 
Louis M., a realtor of New Iberia, who died June 21, 1920;  Joseph O., a
planter and real estate dealer of Iberia Parish;  Emily, of New Orleans, the
widow of William H. Laughlin, a pattern maker, who died in November,
1918, at New Orleans; and  Isidore W.

Isidore W. Gajan received his early education in the public schools of Iberia
Parish and was graduated from the New Iberia High School as a member of
the class of 1906.  Following this he attended the academic department of
Tulane University, from which he was graduated after two years,
subsequently spending three years in the law department of the same
institution.  He received his degree of Bachelor of Laws as a member of the
class of 1912, in July of which year he was admitted to the bar, and since
that time has been engaged in a general civil and criminal law practice at
New Iberia, his offices being situated in the Clerc Building on Main Street. 
He has built up a large and representative clientele and is generally
conceded to be one of the able and reliable attorneys of the parish.  For one
year, during 1921-1922 he served as city attorney of New Iberia and at
present is the attorney representing the tax collector of Iberia Parish.  He
holds membership in the Iberia Parish Bar Association.  Politically a
democrat, Mr. Gajan has been prominent in the ranks of his party for some
years.  He was secretary of the Iberia Parish Democratic Executive
Committee for six years, has been chairman of the same committee since
1920, and is now chairman of the Sixteenth Judicial District Committee, is
a member from Iberia Parish of the State Central Democratic Committee,
and secretary of the Third Congressional District Executive Committee of
the democratic party.  His religious connection is with St. Peter's Roman
Catholic Church, and fraternally he belongs to New Iberia Council No.
1208, Knights of Columbus, and present lecturer; New Iberia Lodge No.
554, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of which he was lecturing
knight for two years; and the Woodmen of the World.  He is the owner of
a comfortable residence on Lee Street.

On February 9, 1916, at New Orleans, Mr. Gajan was united in marriage
with Miss Josephine Maniscalco, daughter of Joseph and Virginia (Marino)
Maniscalco, the latter of whom resides in New Orleans, while the former, a
merchant, died there.  Mr. and Mrs. Gajan have one son:  Isidore W., Jr.,
who was born October 31, 1916.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 300, by Henry E. Chambers.  Published
by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.