John Collins Gordy, Iberia Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Frances Ball Turner ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** from the History of Louisiana by Chambers, pub. 1925 Vol. III, pg. 245 JOHN COLLINS GORDY, an ex-service man of the World war period, has devoted the brief time since his release from military duty to a business career, and has achieved definite success in southern Louisiana, where he is superintendent of the Jefferson Island Mining Company. Mr. Gordy, was born at Abbeville, in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, September 8, 1897. The Gordy family is of Scotch ancestry, and made its first American settlement in Maryland. Minos T. Gordy, grandfather of John C., was born in Franklin, Louisiana, where he spent most of his life as a planter, and he died at Abbeville. He held the rank of captain in the Confederate army, and was all through the war. Captain Gordy married a Miss Brown, a native of Kentucky, who died at Abbeville. Their son, Minos T. Gordy, was born at Franklin, in St. Mary Parish, in September, 1868, was reared at Franklin and acquired a liberal education, attending Louisiana State University and graduating in law from Tulane University at New Orleans. For a third of a century he has been one of the able men in his profession, and is still conducting an extensive practice in civil and criminal law, with home and offices at Abbeville. Several public honors and responsibilities have been accorded him, and in all he has proved his intellectual qualifications and his integrity. For two terms, eight years, he was district attorney, and for an eight year period, including two terms, he served as judge of the Seventeenth Judicial District of Louisiana. Judge Gordy is a democrat, a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Masonic fraternity. He married Laura Haynes, who was born at Whittaker, Mississippi, in 1868. Of their three sons John C. is the oldest. Walter H., assistant superintendent of the Jefferson Island Salt Mining Company, was a student and a member of the Students Army Training Corps at the Alabama Polytechnic Institute at Auburn during the World war. The third son, Minos T., is a student at Center College, Danville, Kentucky. John Collins Gordy was reared in Abbeville, where he attended public and private schools, graduating from high school in 1912. Subsequently he entered Louisiana State University, and while there was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Just a short time before completing the work of his senior year he left college, in 1917, to enter the emloy of W. B. Knox, civil engineer, as draghtsman and instrument man. About a year later, in April, 1918, he enlisted in the United States Marines, and was sent for training to Paris Island, North Carolina, for nine months. He was then transferred to the Aviation Corps, and remained until honorably discharged in July 1919, having been commissioned a provisional second lieutenant. On his return to Abbeyville (sic) Mr. Gordy took charge of the Live Oak plantation until October, 1920, at which date he identified himself with the Jefferson Island Salt Mining Company at Jefferson Island. At first he was time keeper, and was promoted to office manager in January, 1923, and to superintendent in July, 1923. The mill, mine and offices are on Jefferson island in Iberia Parish. This is one of the largest salt mines in the state, the average production being 500 tons daily. About one hundred and seventy-five hands are employed in different departments of the business. Mr. Gordy is a democrat, a member of the Episcopal Church, and an entered apprentice Mason and a member of New Iberia Lodge No. 554, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. On June 17th, 1924, Mr. Gordy married Miss Laura E. Pegues, of Mansfield, Louisiana. Frances (Ball) Turner Vancouver, WA