Louis H. Marrero
Louis Herman Marrero | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Near Kingston, Adams County, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | February 26, 1921 (aged 73) Marrero, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Soldier, politician, entrepreneur, banker, police chief, landowner |
| Years active | 1862–1920 |
| Known for | Governor of Saint Bernard Parish; Sheriff of Jefferson Parish; President of Jefferson Parish Police Jury; Louisiana state senator; President of Jefferson Commercial & Savings Bank; Director of Marrero Land and Improvement Association |
Louis Herman Marrero (July 17, 1847 – February 26, 1921) was a distinguished American figure known for his roles as a soldier, politician, entrepreneur, banker, police chief, and landowner. His political career encompassed various positions such as governor of Saint Bernard Parish from 1884 to 1896, Sheriff in 1896, President of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana between 1884 and 1916, and service as a Louisiana state senator from 1892 to 1896. Marrero also presided over the Jefferson Commercial & Savings Bank in Gretna, Louisiana and directed the Marrero Land and Improvement Association, Ltd.
Biography
Born on July 17, 1847, near Kingston in Adams County, Mississippi, Louis H. Marrero was the eldest child of Bastian A. Marrero of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana and Anna Lydia (Swayze) Marrero from Adams County. He had four younger brothers: Alonso, F. William, Eugene C., and Frank G. His paternal lineage traces back to Spanish settlers from the Canary Islands, who arrived in Louisiana in 1778 alongside other Isleños. Marrero received his education at Potter Private School and later attended the preparatory department at Centenary College of Louisiana at Jackson.
At age fifteen, he joined Company C of the 25th Louisiana Infantry and fought in significant engagements including Farmington and Corinth. Serving under Bragg’s army through Kentucky and Tennessee campaigns, he sustained injuries before being captured in 1863. He was held prisoner at Rock Island, Illinois until the conclusion of the Civil War in 1865.
Following the war, Marrero initially engaged in agriculture and produce marketing before moving to St. Bernard Parish in 1867 to assume the office of sheriff. By 1881, he continued his law enforcement duties within Jefferson Parish.
A committed Democrat, Marrero’s public service included roles such as President of the Jefferson Parish Police Jury from 1883 to 1896, membership in the Louisiana Senate between 1892 and 1896, participation on the Lafourche Parish Levee Board during the same period, Jefferson Parish Sheriff from 1896 to 1920, and delegate at the 1898 Constitutional Convention. He also led both the Jefferson Commercial & Savings Bank and the Marrero Land and Improvement Association.
Throughout his leadership in Jefferson Parish, Marrero was instrumental in attracting commercial enterprises and establishing supply outlets that catered to agricultural producers in the region.
He passed away on February 26, 1921, due to heart disease at his residence on Barataria Boulevard in Marrero. Funeral services took place at Immaculate Conception Church with interment at Metairie Cemetery.
Personal life
In 1868, Louis H. Marrero wed his second cousin Elodie Marrero. The couple had four children: three sons—Leo A., William Felix, and Louis H. Jr.—and a daughter who predeceased them before 1892. A devout Catholic and influential landowner, Marrero acquired extensive property near Ames Plantation during the late nineteenth century. He leased or sold portions to vegetable farmers and collaborated with his son Leo A. Marrero and other family members to establish the Marrero Land and Improvement Association. This organization was responsible for much of the development on the Westbank side of Jefferson Parish, notably within what became known as Marrero and Harvey.
Legacy
- The community of Marrero along with Louis H Marrero Park in Jefferson Parish were named to honor his contributions.
- Marrero Road—situated between Ames Boulevard and Barataria Boulevard on his primary land holdings—also commemorates his name.
External links
- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- Articles without Wikidata item
- 1847 births
- 1921 deaths
- Individuals from Adams County, Mississippi
- Louisiana Isleño heritage
- Americans of Spanish ancestry
- Louisiana Democratic Party members
- American banking professionals
- 19th-century landowners in the United States
- Catholic residents of Mississippi
- 20th-century American landowners
- 19th-century Louisiana State Legislature members
- American bankers