Stafford, Ethelred Macaulay

Submitted by Mike Miller

Stafford, Ethelred Macaulay, lawyer and state senator, is a native of Louisiana, the city of New Orleans being his birthplace. He was born July 13, 1875, the son of Ethelred R. and Mary (Burke) Stafford. Mr. Stafford's father was born in South Carolina and brought to Louisiana when a boy by his father, Ethelred Stafford, who came of an old family of South Carolina, members of which were patriots of the American revolution, and he became a prominent planter and extensive land owner in Louisiana. The life pursuit of Mr. Stafford's father was that of constructing railroads as a contractor. He died in New Orleans in 1890 at the age of 59 years. Both he and his wife died on the same day, an incident in keeping with a wish of both of them. They were a devoted couple in wedlock, kind and considerate of each other as were they of their children, who numbered 3 sons and 3 daughters. She was born in Dundee, Scotland, and brought to the United States by her parents when she was 12 years of age. Her mother bore the maiden name of Macaulay. Paternally Mr. Stafford is of English lineage, and maternally purely Scotch. Of excellent parentage, he had the heritage of exemplary training in youth; was reared in New Orleans, and educated in the public schools. The study of law he took up in Tulane university, but on account of failing health, he was compelled to leave the university without graduating. In 1898 he passed an examination before the Supreme court and was admitted to practice law. Mr. Stafford is a veteran of the Spanish-American war in which he served as quarter-master of the Washington artillery, battery B, preferring to serve in that capacity than to that of 1st lieutenant of a Mississippi regiment, organized in Louisiana, to which he had been elected. Peace having been declared, Mr. Stafford received an honorable discharge from military service, and at once entered upon his career as a lawyer in New Orleans. From an early period in life he has taken an active part in politics as a democrat. In 1898 he was elected to the state senate and served 1 term with credit to himself and constituents. In 1899 he was fire commissioner from the fourth district of New Orleans. In this office he served acceptably for 3 years. In 1900 Mr. Stafford won distinction for the manner in which he, as captain of company K, 1st Louisiana regiment, restored peace and order in the region of riotous strikers. In 1912 he was again elected to the state senate, in which legislative body he had previously won the reputation of an able legislator. Among the many bills he introduced and which became laws, perhaps the most noted is the present employers' liability law, which in effect changed the jurisprudence in the matter of assuming of risk on the part of the employee. A like bill in many respects, for 20 years or more, repeatedly failed of passage in the legislature, a fact which taken into consideration indicates the influence and capability of Sen. Stafford in securing the passage of this bill of his own authorship and introduction. Capable as a lawyer, strong as a lawmaker, popular as a man, yet Mr. Stafford is plain and unassuming, un-ostentatious and unpretentious. In Masonic circles Mr. Stafford sustains prominent relations, being a 32nd degree Mason and also a member of the Mystic Shrine. In 1900 he was united in marriage with Miss Eugenia A., the daughter of Mr. W. G. Tebault, of New Orleans. NOTE: Original source has a photograph of Mr. Stafford.

Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 413-414. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.