Jacques Dupre
Encyclopedia
Jacques Dupré was a Louisiana State Representative, State Senator and the eighth Governor.
Born in New Orleans the eldest son of Laurent Dupré de Terrebonne and Marie Josephine Fontenot, Dupré grew up in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
. When he was ten years old, his father died and his mother remarried.
In 1791, he and his brothers received Royal Spanish
grants on Bayou
Boeuf
. The next year Dupre married Theotoste Roy of Pointe Coupee Parish in Opelousas. They raised seven children on a ranch northwest of Opelousas. Beginning in 1815, Dupre served as a Major in the 16th Regiment of the Louisiana Militia. He saw combat at the Battle of New Orleans
along with two of his sons.
First elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives
in 1816, Dupré was re-elected in 1822 and 1824. In 1828, Dupré was elected to the Louisiana Senate. In 1830, Dupré was chosen as President of the Senate when Governor Pierre Derbigny
died and Senate President Armand Beauvais
assumed the duties of Acting Governor. When Beauvais resigned two months later, Dupré became Acting Governor. He was the second Acting Governor within the year and there was constitutional crisis over the lack of an elected Governor. The result was that a special election was called in 1831. The dispute over who succeeds the governor in case of his death would not be solved until the office of Lt. Governor was created by a new constitution in 1845.
As governor, Dupré oversaw the incorporation of the first railroad, a canal company and a bayou improvement company, the Merchant’s Insurance Company of New Orleans and a company to granulate sugar by a new process. During his administration there is also a prohibition of further immigration of free persons of color into the state and the expulsion of all those who entered since 1825. Also in 1830, the seat of government returned to New Orleans from Donaldsonville.
Dupré did not run for Governor in 1831 and when Andre B. Roman
was elected, Dupré returned to the State Senate where he served 16 more years.
On September 14, 1846, Dupré died and was buried in Opelousas.
His death from this day was never known.
He was also uncle of
Tyger Albair Dupre
Born in New Orleans the eldest son of Laurent Dupré de Terrebonne and Marie Josephine Fontenot, Dupré grew up in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
St. Landry Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is at the heart of Acadian/Cajun culture and heritage in Louisiana. The parish seat is Opelousas. According to the 2010 census, the population of St. Landry Parish is 83,384.St...
. When he was ten years old, his father died and his mother remarried.
In 1791, he and his brothers received Royal Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
grants on Bayou
Bayou
A bayou is an American term for a body of water typically found in flat, low-lying areas, and can refer either to an extremely slow-moving stream or river , or to a marshy lake or wetland. The name "bayou" can also refer to creeks that see level changes due to tides and hold brackish water which...
Boeuf
Boeuf River
The Boeuf River is a tributary of the Ouachita River in the U.S. states of Arkansas and Louisiana. The river is about long.The Boeuf River's name comes from the French word , which means "bull"....
. The next year Dupre married Theotoste Roy of Pointe Coupee Parish in Opelousas. They raised seven children on a ranch northwest of Opelousas. Beginning in 1815, Dupre served as a Major in the 16th Regiment of the Louisiana Militia. He saw combat at the Battle of New Orleans
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and the vast territory the United States had acquired with the...
along with two of his sons.
First elected to 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...
in 1816, Dupré was re-elected in 1822 and 1824. In 1828, Dupré was elected to the Louisiana Senate. In 1830, Dupré was chosen as President of the Senate when Governor Pierre Derbigny
Pierre Derbigny
Pierre Augustin Charles Bourguignon Derbigny was the sixth Governor of Louisiana. Born in 1769, at Laon near Lille, France, the eldest son of Augustin Bourguignon d'Herbigny who was President of the Directoire de l'Aisne and Mayor of Laon, and Louise Angelique Blondela.Derbigny studied law at...
died and Senate President Armand Beauvais
Armand Beauvais
Armand Julie Beauvais was a Justice of the Peace, a Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, President of the Louisiana Senate and the seventh Governor of Louisiana.He was born September 6, 1783 in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana...
assumed the duties of Acting Governor. When Beauvais resigned two months later, Dupré became Acting Governor. He was the second Acting Governor within the year and there was constitutional crisis over the lack of an elected Governor. The result was that a special election was called in 1831. The dispute over who succeeds the governor in case of his death would not be solved until the office of Lt. Governor was created by a new constitution in 1845.
As governor, Dupré oversaw the incorporation of the first railroad, a canal company and a bayou improvement company, the Merchant’s Insurance Company of New Orleans and a company to granulate sugar by a new process. During his administration there is also a prohibition of further immigration of free persons of color into the state and the expulsion of all those who entered since 1825. Also in 1830, the seat of government returned to New Orleans from Donaldsonville.
Dupré did not run for Governor in 1831 and when Andre B. Roman
Andre B. Roman
Andre Bienvenue Roman was Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives and the ninth Governor of Louisiana.-Early years:...
was elected, Dupré returned to the State Senate where he served 16 more years.
On September 14, 1846, Dupré died and was buried in Opelousas.
His death from this day was never known.
He was also uncle of
Tyger Albair Dupre
External links
- Cemetery Memorial by La-Cemeteries