Formento, William Joseph

Submitted by Mike Miller

Formento, William Joseph, lawyer and notary, was born in the city of New Orleans, Feb. 26, 1869, and is a son of the late distinguished physician and surgeon, Felix Formento. His mother bore the maiden name of Celestine Voorhies. His father was born in New Orleans, March 16, 1837, and died here on the 4th of June, 1907, and was a son of Dr. Felix and Palmire (Lauve) Formento. The senior Dr. Formento was born in Turin, Italy, and graduated in Medicine at the Royal academy at Turin, and then came to this country in company with Jean Lafitte, a prominent character in early Louisiana history. He settled in New Orleans, where he practiced medicine and surgery with success until just after the Civil war, then returning to his native land, where he died at the age of 98 years. His son, the junior Dr. Felix Formento, also graduated in medicine from Royal academy of Turin, and was otherwise highly educated, being able to speak 6 languages. He served in the Austrian and Italian war on the medical corps of the Italian emperor; later took a postgraduate course in the University of Paris, and then returned to New Orleans on the outbreak of the war of secession, in which he served with distinction as a surgeon. He aided in the organization of the Confederate hospital at Richmond, Va., and at the age of 24 was chief of staff for this hospital. The war closed, Dr. Formento located in New Orleans, where he rose to prominence in his profession. For 12 years he was vice-president of the Louisiana state board of health; was the author of "School Hygiene,'' ''Abuse of Alcoholic Drinks" and other valuable publications. He was a recognized authority and expert in the treatment of yellow fever; was a vice-president of the international medical congress held at Geneva, Italy, and was president of the American Public Health association at a meeting held in Mexico in 1894. He was pioneer in the matter of skin-grafting, performing his first skin-grafting during the Civil war. His wife was a daughter of Bennett Pemberton Voorhies and Azelia (Gradenigo) Voorhies. The Voorhies family is of Dutch origin, came from the state of New York to Louisiana, and is one of the most prominent of this state. The Gradenigo family is Venetian in origin, and has long been a prominent Louisiana family. Celestine (Voorhies) Formento was born in Louisiana. William Joseph Formento, whose name introduces this sketch, was reared in New Orleans, where he received his preliminary education preparatory to entering the University of Louisiana. Later he attended for 2 years the University of New York, and then entered Springhill college (Alabama), from which he received his degree of A. B. in 1889, and his degree of A. M. in 1891. From Tulane university Mr. Formento obtained the degree of bachelor of laws in 1892, since which date he has practiced law in New Orleans. Mr. Formento has never sought political preferment. In politics he is a Democrat, but is not a partisan. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church and of the Chess, Checkers and Whist club. In 1908 Mr. Formento and Miss Laurence Lange were united in marriage.

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 164-165. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.