Drauzin Angelle
Encyclopedia
Drauzin Angelle was a farmer
and a politician
from St. Martin Parish
in south Louisiana
. As the chief deputy sheriff from 1924 until his death, Angelle became a Democratic
power broker in his largely rural sugar
-producing parish.
Born in the Fifth Ward of St. Martin Parish to Jean-Baptiste Angelle and the former Arthemise Dupuis , he was twice married. With the former Aminth Guidry, he had a daughter, Mozella. He then wed the former Agnes Guidry Dupuis on March 27, 1894, and they had eight children.
Their only son was Robert Joseph "Bob" Angelle
, who would serve in the 1920s as mayor of Breaux Bridge
in St. Martin Parish and thereafter in the Louisiana House of Representatives
from 1934-1964. Bob Angelle was also the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1957-1960. One of their seven daughters, Agnes A. Hardy, a schoolteacher and principal from Cecilia, was the mother of future Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
Paul Hardy
, the first Republican
to hold the second-ranking post in state government, having served from 1988 to 1992.Lieutenant Governor Paul Hardy was hence a grandson of Drauzin Angelle and a nephew of Speaker Bob Angelle.
Drauzin Angelle's only elected position was as a constable
of the Fifth Ward, a position that he held from 1914 to 1924, when he became the chief deputy under Sheriff Wade O. Martin, Sr.
, and continued in that capacity after Martin was elected in 1932 to the Louisiana Public Service Commission
. Angelle hence remained chief deputy under a number of sheriffs. The sheriffs ran for reelection every four years along with the governor's race, but Angelle as the power behind the sheriff remained chief deputy throughout three decades. Angelle was known as the organizer of "The Old Faction" and the "Father of the Fifth Ward".
Angelle was tied to the Long
faction
of Louisiana politics, as was Sheriff Martin. However, in the late 1950s, following the death of Wade O. Martin, Sr., Wade O. Martin, Jr.
, the Louisiana Secretary of State, quarreled with Governor Earl Kemp Long, who obtained legislative passage of bills to strip Martin, Jr., of much of the jurisdiction of his office. Drauzin Angelle died during the time of this Long-Martin rivalry. Later, Wade O. Martin, Jr., like Paul Hardy, switched his partisan affiliation from Democrat to Republican.
Angelle is interred at St. Joseph Catholic
Cemetery in Cecilia
, a town in northern St. Martin Parish.
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
and a politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from St. Martin Parish
St. Martin Parish, Louisiana
St. Martin Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is St. Martinville. As of the 2000 census, the population was 48,583.St...
in south Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. As the chief deputy sheriff from 1924 until his death, Angelle became a Democratic
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...
power broker in his largely rural sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
-producing parish.
Born in the Fifth Ward of St. Martin Parish to Jean-Baptiste Angelle and the former Arthemise Dupuis , he was twice married. With the former Aminth Guidry, he had a daughter, Mozella. He then wed the former Agnes Guidry Dupuis on March 27, 1894, and they had eight children.
Their only son was Robert Joseph "Bob" Angelle
Bob Angelle
Robert Joseph Angelle, known as Bob Angelle , was a businessman and politician from Breaux Bridge in St. Martin Parish, who was the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1957-1960, the last term of Governor Earl Kemp Long. Angelle was part of the powerful Long faction of Louisiana...
, who would serve in the 1920s as mayor of Breaux Bridge
Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
Breaux Bridge is a city in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population is 8,139 as of the 2010 census. It is part of the Lafayette Metropolitan Statistical Area....
in St. Martin Parish and thereafter in the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana House of Representatives
The Louisiana House of Representatives is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Louisiana. The House is composed of 105 Representatives, each of whom represents approximately 42,500 people . Members serve four-year terms with a term limit of...
from 1934-1964. Bob Angelle was also the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1957-1960. One of their seven daughters, Agnes A. Hardy, a schoolteacher and principal from Cecilia, was the mother of future 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...
Paul Hardy
Paul Hardy
Paul Jude Hardy is a Baton Rouge attorney who was the first Republican to have been elected lieutenant governor of Louisiana since Reconstruction...
, the first Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to hold the second-ranking post in state government, having served from 1988 to 1992.Lieutenant Governor Paul Hardy was hence a grandson of Drauzin Angelle and a nephew of Speaker Bob Angelle.
Drauzin Angelle's only elected position was as a constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
of the Fifth Ward, a position that he held from 1914 to 1924, when he became the chief deputy under Sheriff Wade O. Martin, Sr.
Wade O. Martin, Sr.
Wade Omer Martin, Sr. was a Louisiana planter, educator, and politician allied with the Huey Pierce Long, Jr., faction of the Democratic Party. Martin's longest tenure was as the former District 2 member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, having served for twenty-four years, beginning...
, and continued in that capacity after Martin was elected in 1932 to the Louisiana Public Service Commission
Louisiana Public Service Commission
Louisiana Public Service Commission is an independent regulatory agency which manages public utilities and motor carriers in Louisiana. The commission has five elected members chosen in single-member districts for staggered six-year terms...
. Angelle hence remained chief deputy under a number of sheriffs. The sheriffs ran for reelection every four years along with the governor's race, but Angelle as the power behind the sheriff remained chief deputy throughout three decades. Angelle was known as the organizer of "The Old Faction" and the "Father of the Fifth Ward".
Angelle was tied to the Long
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
faction
Political faction
A political faction is a grouping of individuals, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with a political purpose. A faction or political party may include fragmented sub-factions, “parties within a party," which may be referred to as power blocs, or voting blocs. The individuals...
of Louisiana politics, as was Sheriff Martin. However, in the late 1950s, following the death of Wade O. Martin, Sr., Wade O. Martin, Jr.
Wade O. Martin, Jr.
Wade Omer Martin, Jr. was the Democratic Secretary of State of Louisiana under five governors, having served from 1944 to 1976...
, the Louisiana Secretary of State, quarreled with Governor Earl Kemp Long, who obtained legislative passage of bills to strip Martin, Jr., of much of the jurisdiction of his office. Drauzin Angelle died during the time of this Long-Martin rivalry. Later, Wade O. Martin, Jr., like Paul Hardy, switched his partisan affiliation from Democrat to Republican.
Angelle is interred at St. Joseph Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Cemetery in Cecilia
Cecilia, Louisiana
Cecilia is a census-designated place in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,505 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lafayette Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Cecilia is located at ....
, a town in northern St. Martin Parish.