Capdevielle, Paul

Submitted by Mike Miller

Capdevielle, Paul.--One of the most distinguished citizens of Louisiana is Hon. Paul Capdevielle, of New Orleans, in which city he was born and reared, and where he has always resided. The date of his birth was recorded Jan. 15, 1842, and he is of French lineage. His parents were Augustin and Virginia (Bertrand) Capdevielle. His father came from his native land, France, to New Orleans, when he was a young man, at the age of 18, in the year 1825, and in that city became a merchant of prominence. For many years Augustin Capdevielle held conspicuous place among the leading business men and citizens of New Orleans. During the administrations of Presidents Pierce and Buchanan he held the position of appraiser general of customs at New Orleans. He died in 1876, at the age of 69 years. In 1836 he married in New Orleans, Virginia Bertrand, who was born in that city. She died in 1892. She bore her husband 3 sons and 2 daughters. They were Dr. Auguste Capdevielle; Paul Capdevielle; Marie; Virginia, who married Theodore Buddecke; Armand Capdevielle, who was one of the proprietors and the editor of the well-known French newspaper, The Bee, of New Orleans. Hon. Paul Capdevielle was educated at the Jesuits' college, New Orleans, whence he was graduated in 1861. In Nov., 1861, he became a member of the New Orleans guard regiment of infantry, and in 1862 he joined Boone's Louisiana battery. He was captured July 9, 1863, at Port Hudson. Very soon afterward he was paroled, and later on joined Legardeur's battery, and served the Confederacy till the close of the war, when he was paroled, May 2, 1865, at Greensboro, N. C. He walked in return to his home, and there took up again the life of the civilian by applying himself to the first offered employment. Diligently employing his time and energies and meanwhile took up the study of law. April 8, 1868, Mr. Capdevielle graduated in law from the Tulane university, and thereafter, until 1892, he was actively and successfully engaged in the practice of law at New Orleans. He rose rapidly in his profession and in the business life and public affairs in New Orleans. In 1892 he gave up the practice of law to devote his time to increasing business affairs, especially to his duties as president of the Merchants' Insurance Co., which did a very large business for a number of years, but was finally sold and liquidated. He was its president for 13 years. In 1877 Mr. Capdevielle was appointed, by Gov. Nicholls, a member of the state school board, and while he was a member of this board the entire school system of the state was organized along lines of effectual work. Subsequently Mr. Capdevielle was appointed a member of the New Orleans levee board. In 1899 he was elected mayor of New Orleans. This position he held for 5 years, expiring in December of 1904. As mayor he was one of the most popular officials who had ever filled that exalted and responsible position. His administration marked an important epoch in the municipal history of New Orleans. Aside from labor and other troubles, which were satisfactorily adjusted, there devolved upon Mayor Capdevielle the difficult task of steering the drainage and sewerage and water system of the city through their most important constructive planning, which was performed with conservative and business like direction. He broke the ground for the first excavations for the sewerage and drainage system of the city. But there were many other important municipal affairs which arose during his administration. Among these were the river front and belt railroad conservations, and all were handled in sagacious manner. While he was mayor he publicly received President McKinley when the president visited the city at the time of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana purchase. In Nov., 1904, Mr. Capdevielle was appointed, by Gov. Blanchard, auditor of public accounts of the state of Louisiana, and in 1908 he was elected to succeed himself in this office, and again in 1912. He is now serving his third term in this position, in which he has distinguished himself for careful and painstaking attention to the affairs of the state. Mr. Capdevielle was decorated, in 1902, by the French government, with the Cross of the Legion of Honor, and in the same year another high honor came to him, when King Oscar of Norway and Sweden decorated him, as one of a very limited few, with the Cross of Commander of the Order of Saint Olaff, a distinction rarely accorded an American citizen. Upon him was conferred, by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Cross of Honor, and in 1904 the St. Louis university conferred upon him the degree of LL. D. Mr. Capdevielle is a devout Christian. His religious faith is that of the Roman Catholic church. He is a member of the St. Vincent de Paul society, of the Sodality of the Virgin, of the Knights of Columbus, of the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks, and other fraternal organizations. He was at one time president of the Pickwick club. In 1878 he married Marie Emma Larue, and they are the parents of the following children: Paul, Auguste, Yvonne, Christian, Edith and James.

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 87-89. Edited by Alcee Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.

Note: Original Sourcebook has a photograph of Mr. Capdevielle in advanced age.