Damien Marchesseault

Damien Marchesseault (or Marchesseau) (April 1, 1818 – January 20, 1868) was a Canadian-born American politician who served as the seventh Mayor of Los Angeles from May 9, 1859 to May 9, 1860 and then again from January 7, 1861 to May 6, 1865. Marchesseault assumed the office one last time interrupting Cristobal Aguilar's first term in office for three months.

Damien Marchesseault
7th Mayor of Los Angeles
In office
May 9, 1859 – May 9, 1860
Preceded byJohn G. Nichols
Succeeded byHenry Mellus
In office
January 7, 1861 – May 6, 1865
Preceded byWallace Woodworth (acting)
Succeeded byJose Mascarel
In office
May 8, 1867 – August 8, 1867
Preceded byCristóbal Aguilar
Succeeded byCristóbal Aguilar
Personal details
BornApril 1, 1818
Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada
DiedJanuary 20, 1868 (1868-01-21) (aged 49)
Los Angeles, California

Biography

Born in St.-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada, Marchesseault was described as a carousing onetime New Orleans gambler. With Victor Beaudry, he started an ice vending company using ice from what is now known as Icehouse Canyon near Mount San Antonio.

During his term as Zanjero of Los Angeles (water steward), Marchesseault and a partner laid wooden water pipes that burst and turned streets into sinkholes.

Struggling with mounting debts, he slipped into an empty Los Angeles City Hall Council chamber on Jan. 20, 1868, and shot himself to death.

Marcheassault Street in Los Angeles is named for him.[1]

Death and suicide note

Marchesseault killed himself on 20 January, 1868, leaving a suicide note to his wife, Mary Clark Marchesseault, stating his motivation was shame from his drinking and gambling debts.[2]

References
  1. The Quarterly. The Society. 1914.
  2. January 21, 1868, issue of the Los Angeles Semi-Weekly News
  • Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials: 1850—1938, Compiled under Direction of Municipal Reference Library City Hall, Los Angeles March 1938 (Reprinted 1966)


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.