Roy R. Theriot
Encyclopedia
Roy R. Theriot, Sr. was the Democratic
state comptroller
of Louisiana
from 1960-1973. Previously, Theriot was the mayor of Abbeville
, the seat of Vermilion Parish in south Louisiana from 1954-1960.
Theriot was born in Erath
in Vermilion Parish to Lastie Theriot and the former Emerite Barras. He was educated in Erath public schools, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
(at the time Southwestern Louisiana Institute), and the Tulane University Law School
in New Orleans. He began his law practice on June 7, 1939. He took a role in civic affairs and organized the Abbeville Dairy Festival, first held in September 1949. The celebration was renamed the "Louisiana Cattle Festival" in 1979. Theriot also organized the Acadian
Boucherie Breakfast, which began in January 1960, as a means to preserve the Cajun French
culture.
On June 7, 1947, he married the former Helen Roberts (1924–1990). The couple had three children: Barbara Ellen Theriot (1949), Roy R. Theriot, Jr. (1952), and Samuel H. Theriot (1954).
From 1952-1956, Theriot was the sergeant-at-arms
of the Louisiana House of Representatives
. In 1954 he was also elected the Mayor of Abbeville
. In 1959, he won the Democratic nomination for Louisiana comptroller over several opponents, including future U.S. Representative Joe D. Waggonner, Jr., of Plain Dealing
in Bossier Parish, northwestern Louisiana. In the Democratic runoff election, Theriot defeated Marion C. Henderson (1920–2010) of Colfax
, the seat of Grant Parish
. He then defeated the first and only Republican
candidate ever to seek the administrative position, Robert Lee Clark, Jr., an accountant
from Many, Louisiana
, the seat of Sabine Parish, who had been a presidential elector for Dwight D. Eisenhower
in 1952. Theriot received 86.7 percent of the April 19, 1960, general election
vote, compared to Clark's 13.3 percent.
In December 1963, Theriot faced a primary with fellow Democrats George Dupuis, Andrew J. Falcon (1923–1991), and Arthur LeBlanc. He then prevailed in a January 1964 runoff with Falcon. In later elections in 1967 and 1972, Theriot faced minimal or no opposition. Theriot became comptroller in the second administration of Governor James Houston "Jimmie" Davis
and served throughout the John J. McKeithen tenure and the first year of Edwin Washington Edwards' first term.
The Theriots were devout Catholic
s and their remains are entombed
in St. Mary Magdalen Mausoleum
in Abbeville. They are honored through the Roy and Helen Theriot Memorial Endowed Scholarship in the College of Liberal Arts
at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
.
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...
state comptroller
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
of 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...
from 1960-1973. Previously, Theriot was the mayor of Abbeville
Abbeville, Louisiana
Abbeville is a town in and the parish seat of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, United States, 150 miles west of New Orleans. The population was 12,257 at the 2010 census...
, the seat of Vermilion Parish in south Louisiana from 1954-1960.
Theriot was born in Erath
Erath, Louisiana
Erath is a town in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,187 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Abbeville Micropolitan Statistical Area.Erath is home of the Acadian Museum....
in Vermilion Parish to Lastie Theriot and the former Emerite Barras. He was educated in Erath public schools, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
(at the time Southwestern Louisiana Institute), and the Tulane University Law School
Tulane University Law School
Tulane University Law School is the law school of Tulane University. It is located on Tulane's Uptown campus in New Orleans, Louisiana. Established in 1847, it is the 12th oldest law school in the United States....
in New Orleans. He began his law practice on June 7, 1939. He took a role in civic affairs and organized the Abbeville Dairy Festival, first held in September 1949. The celebration was renamed the "Louisiana Cattle Festival" in 1979. Theriot also organized the Acadian
Acadian
The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France...
Boucherie Breakfast, which began in January 1960, as a means to preserve the Cajun French
Cajun
Cajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
culture.
On June 7, 1947, he married the former Helen Roberts (1924–1990). The couple had three children: Barbara Ellen Theriot (1949), Roy R. Theriot, Jr. (1952), and Samuel H. Theriot (1954).
From 1952-1956, Theriot was the sergeant-at-arms
Serjeant-at-Arms
A Sergeant-at-Arms is an officer appointed by a deliberative body, usually a legislature, to keep order during its meetings. The word sergeant is derived from the Latin serviens, which means "servant"....
of 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 1954 he was also elected the Mayor of Abbeville
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
. In 1959, he won the Democratic nomination for Louisiana comptroller over several opponents, including future U.S. Representative Joe D. Waggonner, Jr., of Plain Dealing
Plain Dealing, Louisiana
Plain Dealing is a town in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States best known as the birthplace of former U.S. Representative Joe D. Waggonner, Jr. The population was 1,071 at the 2000 census...
in Bossier Parish, northwestern Louisiana. In the Democratic runoff election, Theriot defeated Marion C. Henderson (1920–2010) of Colfax
Colfax, Louisiana
Colfax is a town in and the parish seat of Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States. The town, founded in 1869, is named for the vice president of the United States, Schuyler M. Colfax , who served in the first term of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant, for whom the parish is named. Colfax is part of...
, the seat of Grant Parish
Grant Parish, Louisiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 18,698 people, 7,073 households, and 5,276 families residing in the parish. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 8,531 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
. He then defeated the first and only 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...
candidate ever to seek the administrative position, Robert Lee Clark, Jr., an accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
from Many, Louisiana
Many, Louisiana
Many is a town in and the parish seat of Sabine Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,889 at the 2000 census. The town was named for John B. Many, the commander of nearby Fort Jesup.-History:...
, the seat of Sabine Parish, who had been a presidential elector for Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
in 1952. Theriot received 86.7 percent of the April 19, 1960, general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
vote, compared to Clark's 13.3 percent.
In December 1963, Theriot faced a primary with fellow Democrats George Dupuis, Andrew J. Falcon (1923–1991), and Arthur LeBlanc. He then prevailed in a January 1964 runoff with Falcon. In later elections in 1967 and 1972, Theriot faced minimal or no opposition. Theriot became comptroller in the second administration of Governor James Houston "Jimmie" Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
and served throughout the John J. McKeithen tenure and the first year of Edwin Washington Edwards' first term.
The Theriots were devout 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"...
s and their remains are entombed
Entombed
Entombed, or entomb, may refer to:* To entomb is to inter a body in a tomb.* Entombed , a pioneering Scandinavian death metal band* Entombed , a video game from Ultimate Play the Game* Entombment of Christ...
in St. Mary Magdalen Mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
in Abbeville. They are honored through the Roy and Helen Theriot Memorial Endowed Scholarship in the College of Liberal Arts
College of Liberal Arts
College of Liberal Arts may refer to, among other things, any of the following:*De La Salle University College of Liberal Arts*Georgia Institute of Technology Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts*Kobe College of Liberal Arts...
at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
.