Biography of 	ROMAIN, (Maj.) Armand, Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller April 1998

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Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions,
and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 382-383.  Edited
by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century Historical
Association.

Romain, Maj. Armand, lawyer, was born in the city of New Orleans, Feb. 22,
1871.  His father was Armand Victor Romain, the well known educator, also a
native of the Crescent City, his birth occurring in 1835 and his death in
1872.  The latter was a son of Andrew G. and Elizabeth (Plagnol) Romain,
the former of whom was born in Normandy, educated in England, came to
America when a young man, and first sojourned at Boston.  Thence he came to
New Orleans where he married Elizabeth Plagnol who bore him 3 sons,  Andrew
G.,  Armand Victor, and  Frederick C., all now deceased.  The senior Andrew
G. Romain was an eminent accountant and auditor and was appointed by Pres.
Jackson to assist in liquidating the New Orleans branch of the United
States bank, and he held other positions of responsibility in early banks
of New Orleans.  His death occurred here at the age of 65 years.  His son
Armand Victor Romain, was educated in private and public schools, and at
the age of nineteen became principal of the New Orleans boy's high school,
of which he was a graduate.  At 21 his ability as an educator brought him
to superintendency of the New Orleans public schools.  At the opening of
the Civil war he was vice-president of the Jefferson college.  Although he
had opposed secession he cast his lot with the Confederacy, and served a
short while as a soldier.  Returning from this service, Mr. Romain
established the Romain classical and commercial institute at New Orleans,
which he successfully conducted up to his death.  It became one of the
notable private schools in this section of the South, many of his students
becoming capable and prominent business and professional men.  Prof. Romain
was a noted mathematician, and was offered professorships in Harvard and
other colleges, but he declined all such offers, preferring to remain in
New Orleans and at the head of his own institution of which he was justly
proud.  He rose to a high rank as an educator, and had death not come at
the early age of 37, his life as a teacher would have illumined the pages
of educational history in Louisiana.  His wife, who survives him in her
75th year now resides with her only son.  Her maiden name was Egerie Poché,
and she came of the same family as did the distinguished associate-justice
of the supreme court, Felix P. Poché.  She became the mother of 3 children,
namely,  Aline, the wife of Prof. H. S. Chenet of New Orleans;  Louise,
unmarried, and  Armand Romain, the immediate subject of this sketch.
Armand Romain was reared in New Orleans where he received his education in
private and public schools.  At Tulane university in 1890 he received the
degree of B. S.  He began the study of law under Judge Felix P. Poché and
later received the degree of LL. B. from Tulane in 1892.  Maj. Romain has
risen to a high rank in his profession, and has acquired a large and
valuable clientele.  He has taken a keen interest in public affairs and in
1896 was elected to the state senate as an independent candidate.  This
position he resigned in 1898 to accept an appointment by Pres. McKinley as
major of United States volunteers for service in the Spanish-American war.
He served in the Santiago campaign from August, 1898, until in the summer
of 1899.  In 1896 Maj. Romain made an unsuccessful contest as the
republican candidate for congress.  In 1912 he was a delegate at large from
Louisiana to the republican national convention at Chicago where he
supported Pres. Taft for renomination, and in the following election
managed Pres. Taft's campaign in Louisiana.  Maj. Romain is a 32nd degree
Scottish Rite Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine.  In 1898 he married
Miss Jessica Coleman, the daughter of Mr. H. Dudley Coleman of New Orleans.
 Her father was elected as a republican to congress from the 2nd
congressional district, and served 1 term, 1890-92.  Mrs. Romain died in
1908 leaving 2 sons,  Coleman and Victor.