Hon. Allen Joseph Ellender; Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** ************************************************ Hon. Allen Joseph Ellender, one of the ablest attorneys practicing at the bar of Houma, and member of time House of Representatives of Louisiana, is a man who holds the confidence and commands the respect of all who have the honor of his acquaintance. Although still in the very prime of vigorous manhood, he has traveled far on the road that leads to success, and is recognized as one of the most representative men of the parish. A native son of Terrebonne Parish, Representative Ellender was born here, September 24, 1891, and his father, Wallace R. Ellender, was also a native of this same parish. The Ellender family is an old one in this country, and was founded by Germans who came here during the Colonial epoch, and settled in what is now Brooklyn, New York. The paternal grandfather, Thomas Ellend er, was born at Lebanon, Ohio, in 1810, and died in Terrebonne Parish, in 1884. When still a young man he came South to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and was there married to Katherine Rody, born in that city in 1818. A few years afterwards they moved to Terrebonne Parish, and she also passed away in this parish, having survived her husband for two years. Wallace R. Ellender was born December 31, 1855, and is now residing at Bourg, this parish, having resided in the parish all of his life. A very successful man, he has become one of the leading sugar planters of Terrebonne Parish. His extensive plantation, known as Hope Farm, is located on Bayou Terrebonne, ten miles south of Houma, and this valuable property comprises 3,800 acres, and he is still operating it at a large annual profit. In political faith he is a democrat. The Roman Catholic Church holds his membership. He married Miss Victoria Jarveaux, who was born at Bourg, Terrebonne Parish, June 26, 1873. The following children have been born to them: Allen Joseph, who is the first of the family; Claude J., who is junior member of the law firm of Ellender & Ellender of Houma, served as an ensign in the United States Navy during the World war, and was stationed at Pehham Bay, New York; Walterine, who resides at Houston, Texas, is the wife of Charle s Caillouet, an electrical engineer; Wallace R., Jr., who is a student in the agricultural department of the Louisiana State University; Willard, who is a student of the medical department of Tulane University, New Orleans. Reared by careful parents, Allen Joseph Ellender was sent to both the private and public schools of Terrebonne Parish, and subsequently to Saint Aloysius College, New Orleans, from which he was graduated in 1909, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He took his legal training in the law department of Tulane University, and his degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1913, in June of that same year he was admitted to the bar, and in the following September opened his offices at Houma. Since then he has been engaged in a general civil and criminal practice, and has built up a wide and valuable connection, and established his reputation as a resourceful and skillful lawyer of high integrity. His offices are conveniently located in the Bank of Terrebonne and Savings Bank Building, Main Street, Houma. In preparing for his degree of Master of Arts, Mr. Ellender attended summer sessions of the Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, in 1910, 1911 and 1912. Always active in politics, Mr. Ellender soon developed into one of the leaders of the local democratic party, and served as city attorney of Houma from October, 1913, to October, 1914, but resigned to assume the duties of district attorney of the Twentieth Judicial District of Louisiana, comprising Terrebonne Parish, and filled this office for one year. In 1921 he represented Terrebonne Parish at the Constitutional Convention held at Baton Rouge. In April, 1924, he was elected a member of the Lower House of the Louisiana State Legislature for a period of four years, to represent Terrebonne Parish. Mr. Ellender is attorney for the Bank of Terrebonne and Savings Bank of Houma, and has acted in this capacity since 1914; and he is secretary and treasurer of the Houma Brick and Box Company, which he organized in November, 1923. He owns a very fine residence on East Park Avenue, and this is one of the most desirable homes in the city. In addition to it he owns farms aggregating 600 acres in Terrebonne Parish and other real estate at Houma. He belongs to Houma Lodge No. 1193, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Houma Chamber of Commerce; Houma Rotary Club; Louisiana State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. During the late war he volunteered, and was mustered into the service in April, 1918, and trained at Camp Martin, New Orleans, in the heavy artillery. His honorable discharge from the service bears the date of December 1, 1918. Those who have followed the career of this brilliant man and upright attorney are watching with great interest for his record as a representative in the State Assembly. Knowing him and his capabilities as they do, they feel confident that in that body he is going to gain added laurels, and prepare the way for higher honors at the hands of the people. The constituency of Terrebonne Parish is awakening to the fact that it is absolutely necessary to elect men of unblemished honor and real Americanism to the public offices in order to preserve this country for Americans, and to uphold the highest ideals of our forefathers. In him they believe they have found a man who will never fail them. On March 19, 1917, Mr. Ellender was married, at New Orleans, to Miss Helen Calhoun Donnelly, a daughter of John B. and Mary Jane (Hinds) Donnelly. Mr. Donnelly died at New Orleans, but his widow survives and still resides in the Crescent City. He was born in County Clare, Ireland, and was a civil engineer by profession, having been graduated from Dublin University. Mrs. Ellender was graduated from the Girls' High School, New Orleans, following which she attended Newcomb College, New Orleans, but is not a graduate of this last named institution. Mr. and Mrs. Ellender have one child, Allen J., Jr., who was b orn to them February 7, 1921. A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 250, by Henry E. Chambers. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.