Drauzin Angelle

Who was Drauzin Angelle?

Drauzin Angelle was an American farmer and a politician from St. Martin Parish in south U.S state of Louisiana. As the chief deputy sheriff from 1924 until his death, Angelle became a Democratic power broker in his largely rural sugar-producing parish.

Born in the Fifth Ward of St. Martin Parish to Jean-Baptiste Angelle and the former Arthemise Dupuis, he was twice married. With the former Aminth Guidry, he had a daughter, Mozella. He then wed the former Agnes Guidry Dupuis on March 27, 1894, and they had eight children.

Their only son was Robert Joseph "Bob" Angelle, who would serve in the 1920s as mayor of Breaux Bridge in St. Martin Parish and thereafter in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1934-1964. Bob Angelle was also the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1957-1960. One of their seven daughters, Agnes A. Hardy, a schoolteacher and principal from Cecilia, was the mother of future Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana Paul Hardy, the first Republican to hold the second-ranking post in state government, having served from 1988 to 1992. Lieutenant Governor Paul Hardy was hence a grandson of Drauzin Angelle and a nephew of Speaker Bob Angelle.