Hon. William Schofield Rownd; Livingston, then Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Mike Miller, Aug. 2001

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Hon. William Schofield Rownd.  No citizen of Tangipahoa Parish is held generally in higher 
esteem, and none bears a more honorable public and private record, than Hon. William 
Schofield Rownd, of Hammond, a leader of the parish bar and ex-judge of the Twenty-fifth 
Judicial District of Louisiana.  Still in the very prime of life, his achievements have been 
numerous and his public service has been of a character to gain for him the utmost confidence 
of his associates and clients.

Judge Rownd was born near Springfield, Livingston Parish, Louisiana, September 8, 1882, and 
is a son of William B. and Tullia (Carter) Rownd.  His father, who was born in 1847, near Clio, 
Livingston Parish, was reared in his home community, and when only sixteen years old, in 
1863, enlisted in the Third Louisiana Cavalry, with which he served until the close of the war 
between the states.  As a young man he went to Springfield, Livingston Parish, and there 
engaged in numerous activities, including logging and farming.  He likewise found time for 
public service, and shortly following the war between the South and North acted as assessor 
of Livingston Parish, being also parish surveyor for many years.  In politics he was a 
democrat, and fraternally a Mason.  A lifelong member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
South, he was a very strong and generous supporter thereof.  While his residence was located 
at Springfield, his death occurred March 15, 1920, at a New Orleans hospital, where he had 
undergone an operation.  Mr. Rownd married Tullia Carter, who was born at Springfield, and 
died there December 25, 1884.  Three children were born to them:  Grace Amanda, who is 
unmarried and resides on the home farm near Springfield;  William Schofield, of this review; 
and  Marcus Carter, a Springfield attorney, a sketch of whose career will be found elsewhere 
in this work.

William Schofield Rownd was born on the home place, and received his early education in 
private and public schools of Livingston Parish.  He entered the Louisiana State University in 
September, 1906, and was graduated with the class of 1908, with the degree of Bachelor of 
Laws, being admitted to the State bar in May of the same year.  He began the practice of law 
in Livingston Parish, with offices at Springville, the county seat, and shortly after settling 
down to practice was elected a member of the House of Representatives to represent that 
parish.  After serving his four-year term he was re-elected for another four years, but in 
1914 resigned because of his election for a two-year term as judge of the Twenty-fifth 
Judicial District of Louisiana.  In 1916 he was re-elected for a term of four years.  At the 
expiration of this term Judge Rownd transferred his scene of activities to Hammond, where he
founded the law firm of Rownd & Hungate.  In 1923 Nathan B. Tycer was admitted to 
partnership, the firm then becoming Rownd, Hungate & Tycer, of which Judge Rownd was the 
senior member, the offices of the concern being situated in the First State Bank, Thomas 
Street.  Mr. Hungate has since died, and Mr. Tycer has withdrawn from the firm.  In June, 1924, 
Mr. Rownd became judge of the City Court of Hammond.  In various ways Judge Rownd has 
connected himself with the active life of the community and lent his abilities to the 
furtherance of projects which have redounded to the benefit of his fellow-citizens.  
Politically he is a democrat.  A member of Grace Memorial Episcopal Church of Hammond, he 
belongs to the board of vestrymen.  He is worshipful master of Livingston Lodge No. 160, F. 
and A. M., and belongs to Hammond Chapter No. 48, R. A. M.; Doyle Camp, W. 0. W., of Livingston 
Parish; Maurepas Lodge No. 154, K. of P., Maurepas, Louisiana; and to the Hammond Chamber of 
Commerce.  He is a member of the board of directors of the Albany (Louisiana) Bank.  Judge 
Rownd is the owner of a comfortable residence on Sanders Avenue, and of a considerable 
amount of real estate in Livingston Parish.  During the World war he served as chairman of the 
Legal Advisory Board of Livingston Parish, in addition to which he gave his assistance, moral, 
physical and financial, to the various drives.

On March 21, 1911, at Hammond, Judge Rownd was united in marriage with Mrs. May (Cooper) 
Allen, the daughter of Mayhew and Henrietta (Waddell) Cooper, the latter of whom resides 
with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. Cooper, who died at Springville, served as clerk of 
court of Livingston Parish for about twelve years, and as assessor of that parish for two 
years, and was a man universally respected.  Mrs. Rownd attended the Silliman Collegiate 
Institute and is possessed of numerous graces and accomplishments.  Judge and Mrs. Rownd 
are the parents of three children:  Iris Lucille, William Schofield, Jr., and  Tullius Carter, all 
attending the Hammond public school.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 190, by Henry E. Chambers.  Published by The American 
Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.