Alexander Mouton, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller


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The name of Alexander Mouton is well known, not only in Louisiana, but throughout the United
States.  Alexander Mouton was born November 19, 1804, in what was then Attakapas, on Bayou
Carencro, which was the dividing line between Attakapas county and county of Opelousas, on the
road now leading from the present town of Lafayette to Grand Coteau.  He died February 12,
1885.  Mr. Mouton was the ninth governor of the state of Louisiana, and the first democrat to
occupy the executive chair.  He was a lineal descendant of an early Acadian family, and was
proud of his origin.  His mother, Marthe' Bordat, was the daughter of Dr. Antoine Bordat,
ex-surgeon of the French army, and Marguerite Martin, who was first married in Acadia, now Nova
Scotia, to a gentleman named Robichaux, who came to New Orleans with many other refugees who
were driven from their country by the British government on account of their allegiance to
France, which had possessed and controlled it prior to England's conquest of Canada.  Mrs.
Robichaux married a second time, in New Orleans, Dr. Bordat, of that city, who subsequently
removed to the birthplace of Governor Mouton.  Governor Mouton's father was a son of Salvator
Mouton, who was also an Acadian refugee.  Educational advantages in the section of Louisiana in
which Governor Mouton spent his youthful days were at that time very limited, a few indifferent
country schools affording the only opportunities for instruction of the rising generation.  The
population consisted nearly solely of Acadian descendants, and the French language was
universally spoken and for many years the only language taught in the schools of that locality,
so that it was difficult for one to obtain a thorough English training.  Governor Mouton was,
however, a precocious youth, and he proved himself equal to the emergency.  He acquired,
unaided, a good knowledge of the English language, and from the fluency with which he spoke he
might have been considered a thorough classical scholar.  The days of his boyhood were
uneventful, and consisted in the regular routine of events attending the youthful days of a
country boy.  At an early age young Mouton evinced a great interest in public affairs, and
probably, to this is due the fact that he chose as his vocation law, as the entrance to the
political arena has been, in the United States, chiefly through the doors of this profession.
In 1821 Governor Mouton went to St. Martinsville, the seat of the parochial government of St.
Martin parish, and studied law in the office of Charles Antoine, an attorney of St.
Martinsville.  Charles Antoine died shortly after Governor Mouton entered his office, and young
Mouton finished his law study with Edward Simon, a distinguished jurist, who was at one time
associate justice of the supreme court of Louisiana.  Being admitted to the bar in 1825, Mr.
Mouton commenced the practice of his profession in Lafayette parish, which had been
incorporated in 1823.  He only practiced a short while, however, when he retired to his country
home, seemingly preferring the freedom and ease of a country life to the tedious routine of an
attorney's duties.  In 1828 the citizens of Lafayette parish, looking around for a man of
energy and ability to represent them in the state legislature, chose Mr. Mouton.  His services
were eminently satisfactory, and he succeeded himself in that body for three consecutive terms,
and was speaker of the house during the sessions of 1831-32.  From 1832 until 1838 Governor
Mouton resided on his plantation.  He was on the presidential electoral ticket during the
presidential campaigns of 1828, 1832 and 1836.  In the latter part of 1838 he was elected for
the fourth time to the lower house of the state legislature.  In January, 1837, he was elected
by that body to fill the unexpired term of Judge Porter in the United States senate, and
succeeded himself for the long term.  While in congress he was a member of the committee on
private land claims and patents.  Mr. Mouton was nominated for governor of his state in 1842,
and he resigned his 
seat in the senate March 1. of that year, and, being elected, he entered upon his executive
duties January 30, 1843.  Commenting upon the condition of public affairs in the state at the
time, Governor Mouton in his first message to the legislature remarked:
"We can justly attribute the evils we suffer to no other cause than to ourselves.  Louisiana,
under a good government, and poised on her own resources, would leave nothing to be wished for
by her sons.  It is but too common to look abroad for causes which are to be found immediately
among ourselves.  It is too customary to look to the general government for relief in distress,
whilst that relief should have been sought at home.  By the manly exercise of our own
faculties, availing ourselves of our own advantages, and calling to our aid the sovereign power
of the state, we could over. come all our difficulties."  His public utterances were noted for
their strength and wisdom.  The Governor's remarks upon the fearful condition of the state
treasury, its cause and remedy, are full of facts and suggestions.  He recommended as a remedy
for this great evil legislative prevention, as far as possible, of the revival of the banking
system as heretofore organized.  A new constitution for the state having been adopted May 14,
1845, involving a complete change of officers, Governor Mouton's term was brought to a close at
the expiration of his third year.  Leaving the executive chair, Governor Mouton again retired
to private life and never again participated actively in political affairs. January, 1852, he
was chairman of the great southwestern railroad convention.  He was also a delegate to the
national convention, held in Cincinnati, 1856.  In 1858 he was selected president of the
vigilance committee for the Attakapas country, which was organised to rid that section of the
county from an organized band of marauders who set the laws at defiance.  In 1860 he was a
delegate to the national convention, held at Charleston, S. C., for the nomination of president
of the United States.  In 1861 he was a delegate and president of the secession convention that
met in Baton Rouge.  This may be said to have ended his public career, although he was
afterward a candidate for a seat in the confederate states congress.  The latter days of
Governor Mouton's life were spent on his plantation in Lafayette parish.  There he lived a
retired life, rarely leaving his home, save occasionally making a trip to New Orleans, since
the extension of the Morgan railroad, which afforded the traveling facilities which he could
not previously command, for which he had a peculiar partiality, railroads being confessedly his
hobby.  Age pressed more heavily upon the governor in consequence of the severe loss he
sustained in the war, by the death of his gallant son, Gen. Alfred Mouton, at Mansfield, La.,
through the treachery of a body of federal soldiers, who, after surrendering, fired upon and
killed him.  The devastation of his native place also added to the misfortunes which seemed to
accumulate at that period of life when he was least able to sustain himself under the burden.
Governor Mouton was a man of remarkably prepossessing appearance; tall and commanding in
figure, every feature of his countenance plainly expressed the great courage and resolution
characteristic of his nature.  Dignified and courteous in his manner, slow and deliberate in
conversation, Governor Mouton laid no claim to oratorical power, preferring to listen to others
rather than express his own views and opinions.  He had that happy faculty of setting at ease
those whom he entertained, and was a most congenial host.  Governor Mouton was married in 1826,
to Mjss Zelia Rousseau, the daughter of Jaquez Dupre', the most wealthy stockraiser in
Opelousas county in his time.  He was also prominent in public affairs, and acted as president
pro tem, of the state senate and ex-officio lieutenant-governor, subsequently becoming acting
governor in 1830, succeeding A. Beaurias, who was acting governor after the death of Governor
Derbigny.  By his first marriage Governor Mouton had five children:  Gen. Alfred Mouton, a
graduate of West Point, who was killed at Mansfield, 1864;  Mathilde, who married Frank
Gardner, the defender of Port Hudson;  Idieda, who married J. S. Mouton, a sugar planter of 
Lafayette parish;  Cecilia, who died unmarried.  After the death of his first wife the Governor
married, while a senator in Washington City, 1842, Miss Emma K. Gardener, daughter of Col.
Charles K. Gardener, officer in the United States army.  To the latter union four sons and two
daughters were born:  Charles,  Paul,  George,  Rufus,  Ann Eliza and Marie.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 488-489.  Published by the
Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.