Fitzpatrick, Andrew

Submitted by Mike Miller

Andrew Fitzpatrick. This young and enterprising business man and attorney of the Crescent city, was born in New Orleans in 1866. He is the only son of Andrew J. and Ellen (Cummings) Fitzpatrick. His mother is a native of New Orleans and the daughter of Patrick Cummings. Andrew J. Fitzpatrick was a native of Tully, County Kildare, Ireland, and was born on March 14, 1837. He died on July 15,~ 1887, leaving behind a reputation for unblemished characteristics worthy of the emulation of all true-hearted, public-spirited citizens. Mr. Fitzpatrick was indeed a true man and gentleman, renowned for sterling integrity, unflinching perseverance, judiciousness of judgment, and a fearless determination of purpose. In 1872 he went into the hide business as a member of the firm of Fitzpatrick & Hall, hide and wool dealers. All his business ventures were successful, and he became well known as a correct financier, who championed questions affecting the public weal with the same ardor and good judgment as he pursued in business concerns. He was repeatedly proffered public preferments, and in 1882 accepted election as alderman from the First ward, retiring at the close of the Behan administration. As a councilman he was always on the alert, spending much time and even his own means for the good of New Orleans. Mr. Fitzpatrick is well represented by his intelligent family. His three daughters and one son were well educated and stand high in their native city. His son, Andrew Fitzpatrick, is a rising young man of New Orleans. He graduated from the Jesuit college in the classical course in 1884 with the degree of A. B., and distinguished himself by carrying off nearly all first-place premiums. He subsequently pursued a course in law in Tulane university, graduating with the degree of LL. B. in 1886. During the same year he received the degree of A. M. from his alma mater. He immediately entered the practice of law, and after a year's professional work, in which he received diplomatic handling of cases, and manifested abilities to become a jurist of the highest order, his father's death occurred, and he relinquished his practice and became his father's successor in business. Since he assumed charge of it the firm name has been changed from Fitzpatrick & Hall to Fitzpatrick & Co., and the business has been extended even beyond its former bounds. Mr. Andrew Fitzpatrick is marked for his intellectual culture, genial disposition, high social qualities, business capabilities and keen insight into public affairs. At the age of twenty-one years he was chosen as a member of the gubernatorial convention that nominated Francis T. Nicholls for governor. In 1888 he was tendered the nomination for member of legislature from the First ward by the Young Men's Democratic association, which was successful, but declined to accept it. He became a candidate as delegate to the gubernatorial nominating convention in November, 1891, but was defeated because of his opposition to the Louisiana lottery. He was appointed by the governor as a delegate to represent Louisiana in the trans-Mississippi commercial congress, consisting of all states and territories west of the Mississippi river, held on May 19, 1891, in the city of Denver, Colo. Mr. Fitzpatrick and all his family are consistent members of the Catholic church, and he is a member of the Catholic Knights of America. He was delegated by the Catholics of Louisiana and the alumni association of the Jesuits' college to represent them in the American Catholic congress that met in Baltimore, Md., November 11, 1889. 0n Wednesday, May 11, 1892, he was elected president of the Irish-American club, one of the largest and most influential clubs in New Orleans. He was tendered the nomination to the state legislature and city council to represent the Anti Lottery league in April, 1892, but declined to accept. He is a member of the chamber of commerce of New Orleans.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 1), p. 416. Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.