MULLER, Anthony Nicolas, Iberia Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller


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Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged
in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 315-317.  Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914,
by Century Historical Association.

Muller, Capt. Anthony Nicholas, district attorney, New Iberia, Iberia parish, La.--was born July 5,
1871, at the family plantation home, Belle Place,'' on Bayou Teche, Iberia parish, La.; son of
Nicholas and Felicie (Hebert) Muller, the former of whom was born in Alsace Lorraine, France,
1826, and died at his plantation home in Iberia parish, La., July 19, 1892.  He came to America in
1842, with an older brother, Jean.  Each of the brothers had learned the tailer's trade previous to
coming to this country, and during a number of years following their arrival were employed at
various occupations connected with plantation work in southern Louisiana.  Nicholas Muller
became permanently located in Iberia parish about 1856, and opened a tanning and cotton ginning
business in connection with the operation of a plantation purchased about this time.  He became a
naturalized citizen July 13, 1873.  His undertakings prospered, and he remained resident on this
plantation, located on Bayon Teche, in Iberia parish, and conducted the enterprises before
mentioned throughout the remainder of his active life.  Felicie (Hebert) Muller, the mother, was a
daughter of Edouard Athanas Hebert and Aspasie Babin.  The maternal great-grandfather
Edouard Hebert, came from Nova Scotia to Louisiana, accompanied by two brothers at the time
of the general immigration of Acadians.  He at that time located in Iberia parish, which has since
been the home of his descendants.  Ex-Gov. Hebert was one among the ancestors of the subject of
this sketch.  The Babin family came with Acadians and settled in St. Martin parish, where many
representatives of the family now reside.  The paternal grandfather, Jean Paul Muller, died at the
age of 98 years, and his wife at the age of 103  The maternal grandfather died at the age of 75
years, and his wife at the age of 97 years.  Capt. Anthony Nicholas Muller, the subject of this
sketch, was ninth of 9 children born to his parents.  Two of these children died previous to the
birth of the last, and a third, the oldest brother, died Feb. 15, 1914.  The remaining 6 are all living
at this time.  In his earlier education Anthony Nicholas was instructed by his sister, Mrs.
Broussard.  Afterward, Sept. 3rd, 1886, he entered the Jesuit college at Grand Coteau, from
which he graduated with the degree of B. S. in 1890.  June 21, 1891 he received the degree of B.
A. from the same institution, and in 1912 the same school conferred upon him the degree of LL.
D.  In 1891 he became a clerk in the seed house of Richard Frotscher, and later entered the
service of A. Baldwin & Co., limited, hardware merchants at New Orleans.  During all of the time
he passed in the service of these firms he was engaged in the study of law, at night, and on April
18, 1893, he was admitted to the bar.  In June of that year he left the service of A. Baldwin & Co.
to take up the management of his brother's plantation near New Iberia, and Nov. 23, of the same
year opened law offices at the latter city in the same building in which he is now located but
naturally in much less commodious quarters than he now occupies.  He gave his undivided
attention to his law practice until 1898, when, upon the beginning of hostilities in the
Spanish-American war, being at the time captain of the local militia company, he enlisted with his
company in the service of the government, which became Co. C., 1st Louisiana volunteer infantry. 
The regiment to which this company was attached was in camp at New Orleans May 1 to June l,
1898, when the regiment was transferred to Mobile, Ala.  June 5 it was moved to Miami, Fla., and
Aug. 10 transferred to Jacksonville, Fla., remaining at this latter station until mustered out of
service Oct. 3, 1898.  At the time of being mustered out, Capt. Muller was presented with a
gold-headed cane, given by the entire regiment, as a token of esteem.  Capt. Muller has served 14
years as a member of the Louisiana national guard.  As soon as discharged from military service at
Jacksonville, he returned to New Iberia and resumed his law practice, to which he has since
devoted his abilities, and with most pleasing results.  Capt. Muller is affiliated with the democratic
party, and from 1896 to 1904 he served as a member of the democratic Congressional committee. 
He also has served almost continuously to the present time as a member of the New Iberia
Democratic executive committee.  In April, 1900, he was elected district attorney, but resigned
Sept. 1, 1903.  In 1908 he was again elected district attorney, and in 1912 was reelected to
succeed himself in that office, which he holds at this time.  April 27, 1905, Capt. Muller was
married to Miss Leocade LeBlanc, eldest daughter of J. G. LeBlanc, clerk of court.  Capt. and
Mrs. Muller have 3 living children, namely:  Marie Marcelle,  Anthony Nicholas, Jr., and  Maude
Marguerite.  Mrs. Muller died June 26, 1911.  Capt. Muller is a democrat and his democracy is of
the Jeffersonian, tariff-for-revenue-only kind.  He is a member of the Roman Catholic church and
is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Knights of Columbus, and Knights
of Honor; also with the Spanish Lake club, the Attakapas club, and the Mutual Benevolent
association, Societee Bienfaisance et d'Assistance Mutuelle.  Capt. Muller is deservedly popular
with the people among whom he lives.  All that he has accomplished--and this is much--has been
brought about entirely through his own unaided efforts.  While studying law he was necessarily
otherwise employed throughout a long working day as a clerk, and then diligently pursued his
studies at night, instead of giving his time to amusements and diversions.  To men of this stamp
justly belong the best of those substantial rewards which come to those who have patiently
labored on in the full discharge of their duties and obligations, confident that the results will be
logical and fully compensative for all intelligent endeavor expended in the legitimate and honorabe
direction of their utimate attainment.  Capt. Muller's maternal ancestors were among the residents
of Louisiana at earliest times.  Joseph G. LeBlanc, Mrs. Muller's father, now clerk of court at
New Iberia, was born in St. Martin (now Iberia) parish, La., July 9, 1852; son of Edmond and
Locade LeBlanc, the former of whom was born in Bayou Lafourche, 1808, and died in Iberia
parish 1897.  The mother, Locade LeBlanc, also was born on Bayou Lafourche and died in New
Iberia at the age of 90 years.  Joseph G. LeBlanc was fourth of 13 children born to his parents,
only two of whom are living at this time, these being Joseph G. and E. Homer.  The ancestors of
the LeBlanc family came with the Acadians from Nova Scotia and located in Louisiana at the time
of the general exodus from Acadia, Nova Scotia.  Joseph G. LeBlanc attended both public and
private schools in Iberia parish, and upon the completion of his education engaged in farming in
Iberia parish until 1883, when he removed from the farm to New Iberia and there entered the
sawmill business, to which he devoted his energies until 1896, in which year he was elected clerk
of court of Iberia parish, to which office he has been successively reelected since his first term, his
present term expiring in 1916.  In 1873 Joseph G. LeBlanc was married to Miss Angele Decuir, a
daughter of J. Alcide Decuir, who was born and reared on Bayou Teche.  To Mr. and Mrs.
LeBlanc 12 children were born, of whom 7 children are living at this time, these being:  J. G., Jr., 
Agnes,  Edward,  Irma,  Lucile,  Aline, and  Robert.  Mr. LeBlanc has been a life-long democrat. 
He is affiliated with the Roman Catholic church and is a member of the Woodmen of the World
and the French Benevolent society.  Edmond LeBlanc, the father, was a large plantation owner
and, previous to the Civil war, owned upward of 100 slaves.  He devoted his ability to the
vocation of a planter throughout life.  Louis E. LeBlanc, a brother of Edmond, served in the
Confederate army as a lieutenant of the 8th Louisiana volunteer infantry, and was killed at
Richmond.  Gervais, another brother, also was a member of a Louisiana regiment during the Civil
war.  The LeBlanc family is one of the oldest in the parish of Iberia, and the name is intimately
connected with the history of that locality.