Edward Daigle, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Frances Ball Turner (gturner@worldaccessnet.com)


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From the History of Louisiana by Chambers
Vol. III, pg. 84

Edward  Daigle.  The men of most striking achievement frequently begin
their careers apparently with fewer opportunities and advantages than many
who never get so far along the road of success.  Edward Daigle, of Church
Point, merchant, banker, rice planter and a man of varied affairs, is said
to have started his business career as clerk in a country store at wages of
ten dollars a month.  He has become the active head of a number of
organizatinos becaues he has had the force and ability to direct such
enterprises.

Mr. Daigle was born on a farm near Church Point, in what was then St.
Landry Parish, now Ward Three of Acadia Parish, on May 22, 1873.  His
father, Joseph Ernest Daigle, was born in St. Landry Parish, in 1850, and
for a number of years was on a small farm near Church Point.  In 1892 he
moved to that village and established the general store of J. E. Daigle &
Son, the son being Edward Daigle.  Their business greatly prospered, and in
1911 was reorganized and incorporated as J. E. Daigle & Son, Ltd.  Edward
Daigle at that time became president.  J. E. Daigle was also one of the
organizers in 1902 of the Commercial Trust & Savings Bank at Church Point,
and was one of its directors until 1919, when he helped organize and became
a director of the Farmers Bank & Trust Company at Church Point.  He was a
director of the People's Lumber Company and the People's Ginning Company,
was a leader in democratic politics and community affairs, serving on the
school board and on the police jury.  In many ways he was one of the most
prominent men in that section of the parish, and was so regarded when he
died in 1921.  He married Maria Breaux, a native of St. Landry Parish.

Their son, Edward Daigle, had only a common school education.  When he was
sixteen years of age he began earning his ten dollars a month as clerk in
the store of Edgar Barrousse at Bayou Plaquemine.  With this training and
experience he joined his father in 1892 at Church Point as member of J. E.
Daigle & Son.  In this business his talents and genius as a merchant showed
to the best advantage.  Since the death of his father he has been president
of what is now known as the J. E. Daigle Son & Company, Ltd.  This
organization owns and operates one of the finest country stores in
southwest Louisiana.  The firm established the first cotton gin at Church
Point.  This plant is now owned by the People's Ginning Company, of which
Edward Daigle is president.  That company operates two cotton gins at
Church Point.  Mr. Daigle and his son are also in partnership, under the
name Edward Daigle & Son, in the cotton business.  Mr. Daigle is a director
and was one of tthe organizers of the Peole's Warehouse Company and the
People's Lumber Company, of which his brother, the late Theodore Daigle,
was president.  He is a director of the Farmer's Loan and Mortgage Company
of Lake Charles, and was one of the organizers and served as vice-president
from 1902 to 1919 of the Commercial Trust & Savings Bank at Church Point.
In 1919 he was the leading factor in organizing and has since been
president and cashier of the Farmer's Bank & Trust Company of Church Point.

He is president of the Edward Daigle Farming Company, Inc., which operates
farms and does an extensive business buying and selling farm land.
Individually Mr. Daigle operates two large rice farms in Acadia, one in
Jefferson Davis Parish and a cotton farm in St. Landry Parish.  He is
president and was one of the organizers of the Bayou Plaquemine and the
Wycoff Drainage District of Acadia Parish, and he assisted in organizing
the Ward Three Highway District.  His influence and means have been fully
at the disposal of many enterprises for the general advancement,
particularly good roads.  He was for eight years a member of the Acadia
Parish police jury, representing Ward Three, is a member of the Church
Point City Council, and from 1912 to 1916 represented Acadia Parish in the
Legislature.  He was identified with all phases of the war program.  Mr.
Daigle takes his vacations chiefly to enjoy a hunting trip.  He married in
October, 1895, Miss Eva Barousse, of Branch, Louisiana, her parents were
Edgar and Florence (Hayes) Barousse, both natives of St. Landry Parish, and
are now deceased.  Her father was a very active figure as a business man,
being a merchant at Bayou Plaquemine and Church Point, and was one of the
organizers of the Commercial Bank & Trust Company at the latter place and a
director of the Rayne State Bank.  Mr. and Mrs. Daigle have eight children,
several of whom are associated in some capacity in their father's business.
Edward E., the eldest, is secretary-treasurer of J. E. Daigle Son &
Company, and is a partner in Edward Daigle & Company, cotton dealers.  He
is married and has one daughter, Wanda.  The younger children are Lionel;
Leonie Myrtle; Juanita, a teacher; Ruth, Sylvia, Windsor and Valentine.