History of Natchitoches, (Natchitoches Parish) Louisiana United States of America

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Biographies:

Augustus Mary Martin, R.C. bishop, was born at Breton, St. Malo, France, Feb. 2, 1803; He was made sub-deacon at Beauvais in 1824, deacon in 1825, and was ordained at Rennes in 1828 by Mgr. Segney. He immigrated to the United States in 1841 and became a member of Bishop Blanc's household and acting chaplain of the Ursuline convent at New Orleans in 1842. He was pastor of St. Martin's church, Martinsville, 1843-45; of St. James's parish, 1845-47; and of St. Joseph's church, East Baton Rouge, 1847-53. He was appointed bishop of Natchitoches, July 29, 1853; and was consecrated in the cathedral at New Orleans, La., Nov. 30, 1858, by Archbishop Blanc, assisted by Bishops Porter and Van de Velde. Bishop Martin founded several convents and academies. In his last days he was attended by the Rev. Henry Bigley, S.J., whom he had adopted as a son when four years old. He died at Natchitoches, La., Sept. 29, 1875.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Henry Adams Bullard, jurist, was born in Groton, Mass., Sept. 9, 1781. He was graduated at Harvard in 1807, studied for the bar in Boston and Philadelphia, and while in the latter city met General Toledo who was organizing an expedition to revolutionize New Mexico. Bullard's knowledge of the Spanish language secured for him the position of secretary and aide to General Toledo, and as such he accompanied the expedition. After its disastrous failure, he established himself in the profession of law at Nachitoches, La. In 1822 he was appointed judge of the district court of Louisiana, in 1830 was elected a representative to the 22nd Congress, and was re-elected in 1832 to the 23rd Congress. In 1834 he was made judge of the supreme court of Louisiana, an office which he held until 1846, with an interregnum in 1839, when he served as secretary of state for Louisiana. In 1847 he was chosen professor of civil law in the law school of Louisiana. He was elected a representative to the 31st Congress in 1850 to fill an unexpired term, and served one session. He died in New Orleans, La., April 17, 1851.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Phanon Breazeale, representative, was born in Natchitoches, La., Dec. 29, 1858. He was educated under a private tutor, and was married July 15, 1884, to Marie Chopin. He studied law; was admitted to the bar, and engaged in practice. He was president of the board of school directors of Louisiana, 1888-'9l; district prosecuting attorney of Louisiana, 1892-'99, and a member of the state constitutional convention of 1898. He was elected a representative in the 56th, 57th and 58th congresses from the 4th Louisiana district as a Democrat, 1899-1905.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

David Gouverneur Burnet, president of Texas, was born in Newark, N. J., April 4, 1788; son of William Burner, surgeon-general of the Continental army. He left school before graduating and in 1806, joining Miranda's expedition, took up arms on behalf of Venezuelan liberty. He was lieutenant in command of a launch, and gave the order for the first shot fired in the campaign. Returning to the United States he engaged in mercantile pursuits, at Nachitoches, La., and some years later commenced the practice of law at Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1826 he took up his residence in Texas, and his first efforts were directed toward freeing the state from Mexican rule. He was a member of the San Felipe convention of 1833, which presented a memorial to the Mexican government, written by him, praying that Texas be separated from Coahuila. In 1834 he was appointed district judge of Austin, and on March 16, 1836, was chosen provisional president of the new republic formed upon the declaration of independence. Santa Anna drove the new government from Austin, and Burner escaped to Galveston, which he made the capital, and though he discharged the onerous duties of his position with great skill and prudence he did not escape the charge of treason. On Oct. 22, 1836, he turned the government over to Sam Houston, the president elected under the new constitution. In December, 1838, he was elected vice-president of the republic, and during the last year of his three years' term of office, owing to the illness of President Lamar, he once more occupied the presidential chair. He was defeated by Ex-President Houston in the presidential election of 1841. He took an active part in the civil war, and though he deplored secession he remained in the south with his people. In 1866 he was elected to the United States senate under President Johnson's plan of reconstruction, but was not permitted to take his seat. The latter years of his life were spent in retirement on his plantation near Houston, and his death occurred at Galveston, Texas, Dec. 5, 1870.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor