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William Charles Cole Claiborne
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1775 - 23 November 1817
United States politician, best known as the first
U.S. governor of Louisiana.
William C. C. Claiborne was born in Sussex
County, Virginia. He studied at the College of
William and Mary, then Richmond Academy.
At the age of 16 he moved to New York City,
where he worked as a clerk under John
Beckley, the clerk of the United States House of
Representatives, which was then seated in that
city.
He moved to Philadelphia with the Federal
Government. He then began study of law, and
moved to Tennessee in 1794 to start a law
practice. Governor John Sevier appointed
Claiborne to that state's supreme court in 1796.
The following year he resigned to run
successfully for a seat in the U.S. House of
Representatives, even though he was not yet
25 years of age, as required by the United
States Constitution.
He served in the House through 1801 when he
was appointed Governor of the Territory of
Mississippi.
Jacques Villeré
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Born near present day Kenner, Louisiana 1761.
His father was Joseph Roi de Villeré, Naval
Secretary of Louisiana under French King Louis XV
and one of the victims of Spain Governor Alejandro
O'Reilly who was sent by the Spanish King to put
down a revolt in Louisiana.
Villeré's paternal grandfather, Etienne Roi de Villeré
had accompanied Iberville on the voyage to the
colony.
2nd Governor of Louisiana after it became a state.
First Creole and the first native of Louisiana to attain
that office.
In 1803, he secured a seat on the municipal council
(the Cabildo) of New Orleans during the short French
rule. the next year, Villeré was appointed a Major
General in the territorial militia, a Police Juror in
Orleans Parish and a Justice of the Peace for St.
Bernard Parish.
Was a member of the convention which drafted
Louisiana's first state constitution.
Ran for governor in 1812, but was defeated in the
election by William C. C. Claiborne when the creole
vote was split between Villeré and Jean N. Destréhan.
Participated in the Battle of New Orleans in 1815,
commanding the First Division of the Louisiana Militia.