Albert Estopinal
Encyclopedia
Albert Estopinal, Sr. was a sugar cane planter
from St. Bernard Parish
, Louisiana, who served as a Democrat
in both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature
between 1876 and 1900 and in the United States House of Representatives
from Louisiana's 1st congressional district
from 1908 until his death at the age of seventy-four.
off the coast of Spain. Settlers in Louisiana from the Canaries are known as Islenos
. Felicia was Joseph's second wife. Both were both natives of St. Bernard Parish, the last of the sixty-four Louisiana parishes to be named. Estopinal attended public and private schools in St. Bernard Parish and New Orleans.
in December 1862, the opening exchange of what became in July 1863 the decisive Battle of Vicksburg
, Mississippi
, in which he commanded a squad which transported prisoners from Indianola
in Sunflower County
in northwestern Mississippi, to Libby on the Gulf Coast.
On three occasions, Estopinal led the movement of prisoners to the Confederate
capital at Richmond
, Virginia. After Vicksburg, Estopinal was assigned to the quartermaster
's department in Meridan
in eastern Mississippi and then to the campaign in Mobile
, Alabama, during which he was attached to the 22nd Louisiana Regiment Heavy Artillery. He surrendered and was paroled at Meridian. Throughout the war Estopinal was neither wounded nor taken prisoner.
By the time Estopinal went to Congress, his colleagues addressed him as "General," but the biographical sketches do not indicate his rank beyond the beginning duty as orderly sergeant. The use of "General" in this instance may have been honorary.
. Albert and Elisha had ten children, including Albert, Jr., Fernando, Joseph, Benjamin, René, Clement, David, Leonidas, Frederick, and Lelia.Albert Estopinal, Jr.
, became a St. Bernard Parish politician too, serving as parish judge and as sheriff at the time of his father's death. Estopinal, Jr., was later allied with the political boss
Leander Perez
, who unsuccessfully fought segregation
in the mid-20th century.
By 1870, Estopinal acquired Kenilworth Plantation, built in 1759 and used originally as a military outpost in St. Bernard Parish. Under Estopinal, Kenilworth consisted of 1,600 acres plus another 400 noncontiguous acres. It was located on the route of the New Orleans & Gulf Railroad. Kenilworth was considered at the time to have been one of the best managed properties in St. Bernard Parish, with acreage devoted to vegetables as well as sugar, the principal cash crop
.
, when he served a two two-year terms from 1868 to 1872 as the St. Bernard Parish tax assessor. In 1872 and again in 1874, he was elected sheriff
of St. Bernard Parish. From 1876 to 1880, he was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
, elected to a single four-year term.
In 1879 and 1898, Estopinal was a member of the two Louisiana state constitutional conventions. A third would be held two years after his death. From 1880 to 1900, he served in the Louisiana State Senate
, having been elected to five four-year terms.
From 1900 to 1904, Estopinal was the Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
under Governor William Wright Heard
, a native of Union Parish
in north Louisiana who spent the bulk of his career in New Orleans. Estopinal succeeded Robert H. Snyder
of Tensas Parish
as lieutenant governor. Snyder had served under Wright's predecessor, Murphy James Foster, Sr.
In 1908, Estopinal was the chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee; a powerful position in a then one-party state. From 1908 to 1919, he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and served until his death in office.
Few Louisiana politicians served in as many offices as Estopinal and far as long a period of time. He was in office continuously from 1868 to 1919 except for the period from 1904 to 1908.
During his service in the Louisiana House, he was assigned to the Education and Parochial Affairs committees. During his last term in the Louisiana Senate, he was chairman of the committee handling state government audits and oversight functions.
Estopinal was elected to Congress upon the death of Adolph Meyer
. In the spring of 1919, he died in office, just a few months into his sixth term. His tenure corresponded with the administrations of Theodore Roosevelt
, William Howard Taft
and Woodrow Wilson
. He served on the Naval Affairs Committee. In 1912, he was an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention
, which met in Baltimore
, Maryland, and nominated the successful Woodrow Wilson-Thomas Marshall
ticket, a slate which easily prevailed in heavily Democratic Louisiana and nationwide as well. At the convention, Estopinal was a member on the Committee on Rules and Order of Business.
In Congress, Estopinal missed about one-half of all roll call votes between 1908 and 1919. He cast no votes during March 1919, the month preceding his death.
In addition to the offices previously cited, Estopinal served on the St. Bernard Parish Police Jury, equivalent to the county commission
in other states. The dates of police jury service are not included in the sketch of Estopinal in A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography. Another source, however, indicates that he was the police jury president after 1884 and was still in that position in 1892, when Estopinal was also a state senator. At the time, it was possible to serve simultaneously in the state legislature and a part-time parish office. Such double-dipping continued into the 20th century. Another who served simultaneoulsy in two positions was Earl Williamson
, a local politician in Caddo Parish
in north Louisiana, who was both a police juror and the mayor of Vivian
. Estopinal was also a founding member of Lake Borgne Levee District.
While still living in 1892, Estopinal was hailed in a biographical memoir, accordingly: "Honorable Mr. Estopinal is well and favorably known throughout the state of Louisiana, as a wide-awake, thoroughgoing man. He has served his parish in a great many responsible positions, and highly deserves the respect and esteem with which he is regarded."
Estopinal's legislative colleague James Benjamin Aswell
of Natchitoches
, a former president of Northwestern State University
, delivered a moving eulogy on the House floor on behalf of his friend:
Representative Ladislas Lazaro
of Ville Platte
in Evangeline Parish
, described his colleague as:
Other lawmakers offered remarks of sympathy on the passing of Estopinal, including some from outside Louisiana.
Plantations in the American South
Plantations were an important aspect of the history of the American South, particularly the antebellum .-Planter :The owner of a plantation was called a planter...
from St. Bernard Parish
St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana
St. Bernard Parish is a parish located southeast of New Orleans in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Chalmette, the largest city in the parish. As of 2000, its population was 67,229. It has been ranked the fastest-growing county in the United States from 2007 to 2008 by the U.S....
, Louisiana, who served as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
between 1876 and 1900 and in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Louisiana's 1st congressional district
Louisiana's 1st congressional district
Louisiana's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The district comprises mostly land on the North Shore and South Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, although it also contains areas west of Lake Pontchartrain. The district includes some or all of the...
from 1908 until his death at the age of seventy-four.
Early life
Estopinal was born in St. Bernard Parish, which is located to the east of New Orleans. He was a son of Joseph Estopinal (1816–1881) and the former Felicia Gonzales (1821–1865). Their ancestors came from the Canary IslandsCanary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
off the coast of Spain. Settlers in Louisiana from the Canaries are known as Islenos
Isleños
Isleño is the Spanish word meaning "islander." The Isleños are the descendants of Canary Island immigrants to Louisiana, Cuba, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and other parts of the Americas....
. Felicia was Joseph's second wife. Both were both natives of St. Bernard Parish, the last of the sixty-four Louisiana parishes to be named. Estopinal attended public and private schools in St. Bernard Parish and New Orleans.
Confederate Army service
In 1862, at the age of seventeen, Estopinal left school to enlist as a soldier in the St. Bernard Guards of the 28th Louisiana Regiment. He began as an orderly sergeant in Company G. He fought in the Battle of Chickasaw BayouBattle of Chickasaw Bayou
The Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, also called Walnut Hills, fought December 26–29, 1862, was the opening engagement of the Vicksburg Campaign during the American Civil War. Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton repulsed an advance by Union Maj. Gen. William T...
in December 1862, the opening exchange of what became in July 1863 the decisive Battle of Vicksburg
Battle of Vicksburg
The Siege of Vicksburg was the final major military action in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mississippi River and drove the Confederate army of Lt. Gen. John C...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, in which he commanded a squad which transported prisoners from Indianola
Indianola, Mississippi
Indianola is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,066 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sunflower County.-History:...
in Sunflower County
Sunflower County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 34,369 people, 9,637 households, and 7,314 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 10,338 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
in northwestern Mississippi, to Libby on the Gulf Coast.
On three occasions, Estopinal led the movement of prisoners to the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
capital at Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Virginia. After Vicksburg, Estopinal was assigned to the quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
's department in Meridan
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
in eastern Mississippi and then to the campaign in Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, Alabama, during which he was attached to the 22nd Louisiana Regiment Heavy Artillery. He surrendered and was paroled at Meridian. Throughout the war Estopinal was neither wounded nor taken prisoner.
By the time Estopinal went to Congress, his colleagues addressed him as "General," but the biographical sketches do not indicate his rank beyond the beginning duty as orderly sergeant. The use of "General" in this instance may have been honorary.
Family and business
After the war Estopinal for five years engaged in merchandising at New Orleans. In 1868, he married the former Elisha Legier (1850–1925), the daughter of Francis and Octavia Legier of New Orleans. Educated in France, Francis Legier earned his livelihood as a merchant in New Orleans. He was also a former municipal street commissioner in New Orleans before the establishment of the mayor-council governmentMayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
. Albert and Elisha had ten children, including Albert, Jr., Fernando, Joseph, Benjamin, René, Clement, David, Leonidas, Frederick, and Lelia.Albert Estopinal, Jr.
Albert Estopinal, Jr.
Albert Estopinal, Jr. , was an attorney and politician from St. Bernard Parish in south Louisiana whose career extended from the 19th to the 20th centuries.-Early life and education:...
, became a St. Bernard Parish politician too, serving as parish judge and as sheriff at the time of his father's death. Estopinal, Jr., was later allied with the political boss
Political boss
A boss, in politics, is a person who wields the power over a particular political region or constituency. Bosses may dictate voting patterns, control appointments, and wield considerable influence in other political processes. They do not necessarily hold public office themselves...
Leander Perez
Leander Perez
Leander Henry Perez, Sr. , was the Democratic political boss of Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes in southeastern Louisiana during the middle third of the 20th century. Officially, he served as a district judge, later as district attorney, and as president of the Plaquemines Parish Commission...
, who unsuccessfully fought segregation
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
in the mid-20th century.
By 1870, Estopinal acquired Kenilworth Plantation, built in 1759 and used originally as a military outpost in St. Bernard Parish. Under Estopinal, Kenilworth consisted of 1,600 acres plus another 400 noncontiguous acres. It was located on the route of the New Orleans & Gulf Railroad. Kenilworth was considered at the time to have been one of the best managed properties in St. Bernard Parish, with acreage devoted to vegetables as well as sugar, the principal cash crop
Cash crop
In agriculture, a cash crop is a crop which is grown for profit.The term is used to differentiate from subsistence crops, which are those fed to the producer's own livestock or grown as food for the producer's family...
.
Political career
Estopinal's public service began after the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, when he served a two two-year terms from 1868 to 1872 as the St. Bernard Parish tax assessor. In 1872 and again in 1874, he was elected sheriff
Sheriffs in the United States
In the United States, a sheriff is a county official and is typically the top law enforcement officer of a county. Historically, the sheriff was also commander of the militia in that county. Distinctive to law enforcement in the United States, sheriffs are usually elected. The political election of...
of St. Bernard Parish. From 1876 to 1880, he was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
, elected to a single four-year term.
In 1879 and 1898, Estopinal was a member of the two Louisiana state constitutional conventions. A third would be held two years after his death. From 1880 to 1900, he served in the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
, having been elected to five four-year terms.
From 1900 to 1904, Estopinal was the Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
The Office of Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana is the second highest state office in Louisiana. The current Lieutenant Governor is Jay Dardenne, a Republican...
under Governor William Wright Heard
William Wright Heard
William Wright Heard was the 32nd Governor of Louisiana from 1900 to 1904.-Early life:Heard was educated in a local school in Union Parish. In years to come, he remembered the challenges of educating children that rural residents met...
, a native of Union Parish
Union Parish, Louisiana
Union Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Farmerville....
in north Louisiana who spent the bulk of his career in New Orleans. Estopinal succeeded Robert H. Snyder
Robert H. Snyder
Robert H. Snyder was a Democratic politician from St. Joseph, the parish seat of Tensas Parish in northeastern Louisiana....
of Tensas Parish
Tensas Parish, Louisiana
Tensas Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is St. Joseph. In 2010, the population of Tensas Parish was 5,252; it is the least-populous of all sixty-four parishes....
as lieutenant governor. Snyder had served under Wright's predecessor, Murphy James Foster, Sr.
Murphy J. Foster
Murphy James Foster, Sr. , was a Louisiana politician who served two terms as the 31st Governor of Louisiana from 1892 to 1900.Early and personal life...
In 1908, Estopinal was the chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee; a powerful position in a then one-party state. From 1908 to 1919, he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and served until his death in office.
Few Louisiana politicians served in as many offices as Estopinal and far as long a period of time. He was in office continuously from 1868 to 1919 except for the period from 1904 to 1908.
During his service in the Louisiana House, he was assigned to the Education and Parochial Affairs committees. During his last term in the Louisiana Senate, he was chairman of the committee handling state government audits and oversight functions.
Estopinal was elected to Congress upon the death of Adolph Meyer
Adolph Meyer
Adolph Meyer was a member of the U. S. House of Representatives representing the state of Louisiana. He served nine terms as a Democrat from 1891 until his death in office in 1908.-Biography:...
. In the spring of 1919, he died in office, just a few months into his sixth term. His tenure corresponded with the administrations of Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
and Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
. He served on the Naval Affairs Committee. In 1912, he was an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention
1912 Democratic National Convention
The 1912 Democratic National Convention was held at the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore from June 25 to July 2, 1912. It proved to be one of the more memorable United States presidential conventions of the twentieth century. The main candidates were House Speaker Champ Clark of Missouri and...
, which met in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland, and nominated the successful Woodrow Wilson-Thomas Marshall
Thomas Marshall
Thomas Marshall may refer to:*Thomas Marshall , abbot of Colchester*Thomas Marshall , English scholar...
ticket, a slate which easily prevailed in heavily Democratic Louisiana and nationwide as well. At the convention, Estopinal was a member on the Committee on Rules and Order of Business.
In Congress, Estopinal missed about one-half of all roll call votes between 1908 and 1919. He cast no votes during March 1919, the month preceding his death.
In addition to the offices previously cited, Estopinal served on the St. Bernard Parish Police Jury, equivalent to the county commission
County commission
A county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...
in other states. The dates of police jury service are not included in the sketch of Estopinal in A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography. Another source, however, indicates that he was the police jury president after 1884 and was still in that position in 1892, when Estopinal was also a state senator. At the time, it was possible to serve simultaneously in the state legislature and a part-time parish office. Such double-dipping continued into the 20th century. Another who served simultaneoulsy in two positions was Earl Williamson
Earl Williamson
Earl Guyton Williamson, Sr. was a prominent businessman and politician in northern Caddo Parish, Louisiana, from the 1930s until the 1970s...
, a local politician in Caddo Parish
Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Caddo Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Shreveport; as of 2000, the population was 252,161...
in north Louisiana, who was both a police juror and the mayor of Vivian
Vivian, Louisiana
Vivian, is a town in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States and is home to the Red Bud Festival. The population was 4,031 at the 2000 census...
. Estopinal was also a founding member of Lake Borgne Levee District.
Death and legacy
Estopinal died at Kenilworth and is interred at St. Louis Cemetery III in New Orleans.The Political Graveyard indicates that Estopinal died in New Orleans, which is eighteen miles to the west of Kenilworth. Perhaps the website used the name "New Orleans" to refer to the general area, instead of the specific city.While still living in 1892, Estopinal was hailed in a biographical memoir, accordingly: "Honorable Mr. Estopinal is well and favorably known throughout the state of Louisiana, as a wide-awake, thoroughgoing man. He has served his parish in a great many responsible positions, and highly deserves the respect and esteem with which he is regarded."
Estopinal's legislative colleague James Benjamin Aswell
James Benjamin Aswell
James Benjamin Aswell, Sr. , was a prominent educator and a Democratic U.S. representative from Louisiana, who served from 1913 until his death, which occurred twelve days into his tenth term.-Life and career:...
of Natchitoches
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
, a former president of Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
, delivered a moving eulogy on the House floor on behalf of his friend:
General Estopinal's life should be an inspiration to young men everywhere. He was clean of mind and pure in heart. His ideals were lofty and his purpose always noble. As a man, he was a prince among men – suave, gracious, courtly, and dignified. No one ever doubted his sincerity or questioned his integrity. He never quibbled or dodged.
High spirited and courageous, he feared no man; yet considerate and forgiving, he loved his fellow man with a passionate love. Modest to the point of timidity, his personality commanded respect and impelled admiration. To know him was to love him; to work with him was to trust and follow him; to think of him now is to praise and honor him.
A gallant and fearless Confederate soldier of unfaltering bravery during the Civil War, a trusted public officer for forty-seven years, no man ever enjoyed more continuous love and confidence than did Albert Estopinal in Louisiana.
We mourn with his bereaved family, but we console them with the reflection that his long and honorable career leaves behind him for them a brilliant record of distinguished service of which they and the whole country may well be proud.
Representative Ladislas Lazaro
Ladislas Lazaro
Ladislas Lazaro was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Louisiana.Born near Ville Platte, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, son of Alexandre Lazaro and Marie Denise Ortego...
of Ville Platte
Ville Platte, Louisiana
Ville Platte is a city in and the parish seat of Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,145 at the 2000 census. Its name is derived from the French ville plate, or "flat town."-History:...
in Evangeline Parish
Evangeline Parish, Louisiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,434 people, 12,736 households, and 9,157 families residing in the parish. The population density was 53 people per square mile . There were 14,258 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
, described his colleague as:
well-nigh perfect in proportion and build. His features were of finest line, his bearing was one of gracious dignity and unostentatious knightliness, his gentlemanish came from the heart out. It was inbred; it was the warp and woof of his spirit. Intellectully, I think we must justly say that he was profound. He had a thoroughly disciplined mind. He was broad minded, practical and quick. He was a close student of history. I don't mean simply that he knew history; I mean that he understood it. He caught the significance of events as applied to human life and destiny. He was honest and sincere, and detested hypocrisy. He believed in his country and its Constitution, and his Americanism was 100 percent. Thus, Mr. Speaker, he was prepared to be and was a good lawmaker . . .
Other lawmakers offered remarks of sympathy on the passing of Estopinal, including some from outside Louisiana.