Whitehead, Francis J.

 Submitted by Mike Miller

Francis J. Whitehead has manifested in his professional and civic stewardship the same fine spirit of loyalty that prompted him to volunteer for service as a soldier in the World war, and he is now numbered as a representative member of the bar of West Baton Rouge Parish, at whose judicial center, Port Allen, he has built up a substantial and important general law business. His secure vantage place in popular confidence and esteem is indicated by the fact that upon retiring from service as a member of the Lower House of the Louisiana Legislature he forthwith was chosen a member of the State Senate, to which he was elected, without opposing candidate, in the spring of 1924, as representative of the Eighteenth Senatorial District, which comprises Iberville, Pointe Coupee and West Baton Rouge parishes. He was in France and ready for active field service at the time of the signing of the armistice that brought the World war to a close, and held commission as captain of field artillery.

Francis J. Whitehead, attorney, captain and senator, was born in LaFourche Parish, Louisiana, June 25, 1888, and is a son of Gen. Nathaniel W. and Dora (Tompkins) Whitehead, the former of whom was born at Clinton, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, April 25, 1853, and the latter of whom was born at Lynchburg, Virginia, in the year 1863, her death having occurred at Thibodaux, LaFourche Parish, Louisiana, July 6, 1896. Both the Whitehead and Tompkins families are of sterling English stock, and were founded in Virginia in the earl Colonial period of American history.

Joseph Whitehead, grandfather of Captain White., head of this review, was born and reared in Louisiana, and his death occurred in Texas, in which state he spent the last twenty years of his life in Tyler County. In his younger days Joseph Whitehead figured as one of the extensive and successful exponents of plantation industry in the vicinity of Clinton, Louisiana, but, like nearly all other men of the fair old Southland, he met with heavy financial reverses as a result of the ravages of the Civil war, in which he served as a gallant soldier of the Confederacy, he having been a member of the Fourth Louisiana infantry throughout the entire period of conflict. His wife, whose maiden name was Me1issa Cobb, passed her entire life in Louisiana and died at their home in Clinton. It was after the death of his wife that Mr. Whitehead moved to the Lone Star State.

Dr. Francis Tompkins, maternal grandfather of Captain Whitehead, was born and reared in Virginia, served as a loyal soldier of the Confederacy in the Civil war, was an able physician and surgeon, and had been a resident of St. James Parish, Louisiana, many years prior to his death, which there occurred.

Gen. Nathaniel W. Whitehead, who gained his military title through service as general on the staff of Governor S. D. McHenry, passed his entire life in Louisiana. He was reared in the great sugar-producing section of this state, mostly along Bayou LaFourche, and eventually he became a successful sugar planter in the vicinity of Thibodaux, where he continued his activities until 1902, when he engaged in the same line of industrial enterprise in West Baton Rouge Parish. From 1908 until 1912 he was a commission broker in the handling of fertilizers, and on the 12th of January, 191Z his death occurred in the City of New Orleans, where he had established his residence in the preceding year. He was a stalwart in the ranks of the democratic party, and he and his wife were earnest communicants of the Protestant Episcopal Church. Of the children the eldest is Annie Byrd, wife of Andre S. Chenet, who is engaged in the real estate business in New Orleans; Phoebe I. is the wife of Jacob 0. Elmer, who is now engaged in the commission brokerage business at San Francisco, California; Capt. Francis J., of this sketch, was the next is order of birth; Melissa is the wife of Seely Dunn, who is assistant director of the bureau of statistics of the Interstate Commerce Commission, Washing ton, D. C.; Cecil Lee, now a member of the law firm of Fogel & Beman, in Los Angeles, California was in active service in France during nine months of the World war period, a first lieutenant 9~ Three Hundred and Thirty-fourth Field Artillery, and Belle Ellis is the wife of Jules Brana, who is a commission broker in the City of New Orleans.

After profiting by the advantages of the Public schools of New Orleans Capt. Francis J. Whitehead entered the academic department and later the d department of the Louisiana State University. In this institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1908, his admission to the bar in June of that year, having been virtually coincident with his reception of the degree of Bachelor of He forthwith established his residence at Port and here he has since been engaged in the successful general practice of his profession, save for the interval of his service in the United States Army in the World war period. The Captain has gained prestige as a resourceful trial lawyer, and his law business has included his appearance in the courts of his home parish and also those of other parishes in this section of the state. He has the distinction of retaining his office headquarters in the courthouse at Port Allen, and he served from 1910 to 1920 as secretary of the police jury of West Baton gouge Parish. In the latter year he was elected representative of this parish in the State Legislature, and in 1924 he was elected to the State Senate, as previously noted in this review. He is a leader in the local ranks of the democratic party, and he and his wife are active communicants of the Protestant Episcopal Church. His Masonic ancient craft affiliation is with Blazing Star Lodge No. 212, A. F. and A. M., at Port Allen, and he is a past sachem of Uncas Tribe No. 64, Improved Order of Red Men. In the City of Baton Rouge the Captain is an influential and popular member of Nicholson Post No. 38 of the American Legion. He is a member also of the bar association of the Eighteenth Judicial District of Louisiana. Captain Whitehead owns and occupies an attractive home at Port Allen, the same being opposite the courthouse, and he has other large and valuable real estate holdings in West Baton Rouge Parish, as well as realty in the City of Baton Rouge.

At Indianola, Mississippi on the 19th of August, 1921, was solemnized the marriage of Captain Whitehead and Miss Sue Warren, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Warren. Mrs. Whitehead was graduated from the Mississippi State Normal School at Hattiesburg, and for five years prior to her marriage she had been a successful and popular teacher in the schools of that state. She is likewise a popular factor in the social circles of both her home community and the capital city of Baton Rouge.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 110-111, by Henry E. Chambers. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.