Chenet, Henry S.; St. John Baptist Parish, Louisiana

Submitted for the LA GenWeb Archives by Mike Miller, Apr 1998


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Chenet, Henry S., A. M., the well-known educator of Louisiana, was born in St.
John the Baptist parish and is the son of J. Eugene and Myrthé (Poche) Chenet,
both of the same parish.  Myrthé Poche was a granddaughter of Perique Chenet,
who originated the Perique tobacco, and although the name is the same, this
Chenet was no relative of Henry S. Chenet's ancestors.  Henry S. Chenet's
grandfather was a member of the Louisiana legislature for several terms during
the 40s and held a commission as captain in the United States army in the war
with Mexico.  Henry S. Chenet received his early education in his native
parish, from which he went to the high school at Troy, Mo., and from there to
the Louisiana State university at Baton Rouge, graduating from there in the
full classical course in 1884 with the degree of A. B.  One year was spent in
postgraduate work in the same institution, studying Greek, Latin, chemistry
and botany, for which the degree A. M. was conferred in 1885.  At that time
Mr. Chenet intended  to study medicine, but in 1887 he was invited to found an
academy in Morgan City, La., which he did with such success that he was turned
from the medical to the teaching profession.  Mr. Chenet remained in Morgan
City 2 years, when he accepted a position in St. John the Baptist parish,
which he held for 3 years, and then, in Sept., 1892, he founded the Chenet
institute in New Orleans.  This institution is located at 3507 Magazine street
and ranks as one of the best college preparatory schools in the South.  It is
affiliated with Tulane university and with the Louisiana State university at
Baton Rouge, and through these is practically accredited to all of the
colleges and universities in the country.  Students have gone from this
school, without examination, into the Universities of Michigan, Pennsylvania,
Cornell and Harvard.  In this institution there are 6 teachers, and in
addition to the grammar school students the course includes the English
branches, Greek, Latin, French, Spanish, mathematics, natural sciences,
history and literature.  Mr. Chenet believes in and practices in the best
sense the principles of the golden rule and is liberal and tolerant in
religious matters, but not a communicant of any church.  He has always been
interested in politics, but has never taken an active part in party
management.  As an evidence of his standing as a friend of higher education it
may be noted that Mr. Chenet has been a member of the board of supervisors of
the Louisiana State university for 19 years, serving under Govs. Foster,
Heard, Blanchard, Sanders and Hall.  In 1892 Mr. Chenet was married to Miss
Aline Romain, daughter of Mr. A. V. Romain, of New Orleans, and to Mr. and
Mrs. Chenet the following children have been born:  Melville,  James Elmore,
Henry S., Jr., and  Aline.

Source:  Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events,
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp.
101-102.  Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century
Historical Association.

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