Bio: Leon Gauthier, Webster Par., Louisiana
Source:  Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890
Submitted by: Gwen Moran-Hernandez
Date: April 2000



**********************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
**********************************************
 


===


===RECEIVED TOO LATE FOR INSERTION IN PROPER PLACE.

Leon Gauthier.  From the biography of every man there may be gleaned 
some lessons of genuine worth, for here we discover the secret of 
success of failure.  In the history of Leon Gauthier, one of Avoyelles 
Parish's active and progressive planters, is found much to comment.  
He was born in this parish near Mansura January 19, 1822, to Leo and 
Emilie (Lemoine) Gauthier, the birth of the former occurring in 1796 
and his death on February 8, 1846, his most estimable widow passing 
from life in the month of September, 1952, at Borodino.  The father 
was a successful cotton planter, his land being situated on Bayou Des 
Glaises, at Borodina, and as a man and law-abiding citizen he commanded 
the respect of all who knew him.  Leon Gauthier, whose name heads this 
sketch, received an excellent education in a private school in Mansura, 
in the parish of Avoyelles, his instructor being Jerome Callegari.  
On October 22, 1839, he was married to Clarissa Gremillion, but she 
left him a widower on May 11, 1857, at Borodino, having borne him four 
sons and two daughters, of which family only one daughter now survives.  
Her father was Francois Gremillion and her mother Eulalie Rabalais 
both of whom were called to their long home in this parish.  Mr. 
Gauthier's second marriage took place on January 19, 1858, and was 
to Miss Delphine Scallan, a daughter of Louis and Adel (Gremillion) 
Scallan, their deaths also occurring in the parish of Avoyelles.  By 
his second wife Mr. Gauthier became the father of nine sons and three 
daughters, of whom six sons and three daughters survive.  Since 1840 
Mr. Gauthier has been associated with the planting interest of this 
section, his operations being at Borodino, near Moreauville, but since 
the month of May, 1882, he has been the owner of Cedar Grove plantation 
on Bayou Des Glaises, two miles above Bordelonville, where he is now 
living with his family.  He has held a number of important official 
positions, has discharged his duties in a highly satisfactory manner 
and in every respect has been a beau ideal public officer.  In 1851 
he was appointed assessor of the parish by F. B. Coco, recorder, was 
elected justice of the peace in 1852, was elected on the Whig ticket 
in 1853 as a member of the State Legislature from the parish of 
Avoyelles, in which capacity he served during 1854-55 at Baton Rouge, 
La.  In 1860 he was he was elected a member of the police jury and in 
1864 was appointed by Gen. Rindolph as Shreveport Confederate tax 
collector and in July of the same year went to Shreveport on a small 
steamer, paying $175 in State currency for his passage on board the 
"St. Crispon."  On this trip, which took three days and nights, he 
landed safely at his destination, depositing $125,000 safely in the 
bank.  During the war period he was also public auctioneer, at one 
time selling a yoke of oxen for $400 in three equal installments.  
In 1879 he was appointed tax collector for the parish of Avoyelles 
by Gov. F. T. Nichols, and in 1889 was elected sheriff and tax 
collector on the Democratic ticket for four years, receiving a 
majority of 184 votes.  He has been true to every trust during his 
official career, and as a man and citizen has not his superior in 
this section of the country