Biography of 	QUERBES, Andrew, Orleans then Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller April 1998

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Querbes, Andrew, president of the First National Bank, and of the First 
Savings Bank & Trust Co., of Shreveport, was born in New Orleans, La., 
July 10, 1864.  His father, Antoine Querbes, was born and reared in 
Montpelier, France, whence he emigrated to New Orleans, and became a 
merchant, in about the year 1850.  When the French army invaded Mexico 
to place Maximilian on the imperial throne, Mr. Querbes enlisted as a 
soldier.  At the conclusion of that campaign he returned to New 
Orleans, remaining in that city until he went to Mandeville, La., to 
resume his occupation of merchant.  His wife, Louisa (Alerieux) 
Querbes, also a native of France came with him to this country, in 
1850, 10 years after their marriage.  They were the parents of 7 
children, all of whom died in childhood, except Andrew Querbes, the 
subject of this sketch.  The father died in 1884, aged 70 years, and 
was buried in Mandeville.  Mrs. Querbes passed away at the age of 77 
years.  Andrew the youngest of the family, was reared in Mandeville, 
received the rudiments of an education in the schools of that town, and 
improved his studies under private tutors.  After the death of his 
father, he took charge of the estate, continued its business for 2 
years, and in 1886, removed to Shreveport, and established himself in 
that city in the grocery trade, gradually enlarging the scope of his 
affairs until he was at the head of one of the largest wholesale firms. 

In 1906 he was called to the vice-presidency of the First National 
bank, and in 1910 was elected its president.  When the First Savings 
Bank & Trust Co. of Shreveport was organized in July, 1912, Mr. Querbes 
was elected president.  In several important financial and commercial 
institutions of the city of his adoption, and in other parts of the 
state of Louisiana, Mr. Querbes is largely interested.  He is president 
of the Louisiana State Bankers' association; treasurer of the Chamber 
of Commerce and of the French Society of Shreveport since 1890.  Public 
affairs claimed his attention as a man having at heart the welfare of 
his fellow-citizens, leading them to call him to successive positions 
of trust and honor within the gift of the electorate of Shreveport and 
of the parish of Caddo.  He was member of the police jury from 1896 to 
1900; mayor of the city of Shreveport, serving to the close of the year 
1906, having filled 2 terms of 2 years each.  In Feb., 1889, occurred 
the marriage of Mr. Querbes and Miss Alexandrine Ricou, daughter of 
Justin Ricou, of Shreveport.  Her father, a native of France, came over 
to Louisiana, settled in Caddo parish, in which his daughter was reared 
and educated save for a period of study at Kankakee, Ill.  Mr. and Mrs. 
Querbes have 3 children:  Andrew, Jr., who is in the employ of the 
Armour Packing Co.;  Justin R., student at the Louisiana state 
university, and  Randolph A., attending the University of Colorado.

Source:  Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, 
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, volume 3,
pp. 368-369.  Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit. D.  Published in 1914, by 
Century Historical Association.