Photograph: Lawrence André “Pete” Andrepont as a young man. (Carola Lillie Hartley collection.)
CAROLA LILLIE HARTLEY
Publisher and Contributing Writer
The history of Opelousas is so interesting, and the community has so many stories it could tell. One of those stories is about the newspapers of Opelousas. So many newspapers opened and closed over the years Opelousas existed that it became known as the Graveyard of Newspapers. It is a fascinating part of the town’s history.
But no history of the printing and newspaper industry in Opelousas would be complete without knowing more about L. A. “Pete” Andrepont and the impact he had on that industry in the town, the parish and in Louisiana.
Who was L. A. “Pete” Andrepont
The son of Yves Andrepont (1869-1942) and Marie Eva Vidrine (1870-1893), Lawrence André “Pete” Andrepont was born on December 24, 1892, in St. Landry Parish.
Pete attended local schools in Opelousas, and following his high school studies, he enrolled in classes at Springhill College in Mobile, AL. He was part of a group of young men from the Opelousas area who attended that school including Josie Sandoz, Andrew Dossman and George Dubuisson, all of Opelousas and Martin Bordelon from Ville Platte. The group left Opelousas for Springhill College in September of 1907.
Following his studies at Springhill College, Pete returned to St. Landry Parish and worked on the family farm for some time. In 1912, he studied law for a short time.
In July of 1913, an advertisement in the St. Landry Clarion announced Pete Andrepont and Andrew Dossman joined together in a business called Dossman and Andrepont – Automobile Transfer. The announcement said the business was ready day and night for hire by the trip, hour or day.[1]
Pete married Beah Marie Andrepont (1895–1985), the daughter of Martin Andrepont, Jr (1873-1948) and Martha Bertrand (1878–1938), on Tuesday evening, November 25, 1913, at St. Landry Catholic Church in Opelousas. The couple married at the same time as Pete’s sister, Felicite Andrepont (1891-1981), who married Martin Bordelon (1891-1962).[2]
Pete and Beah Marie Andrepont had four children: Marie Beah Andrepont, born on October 8, 1914; Hubert Grace Andrepont, born May 1, 1916, died February 22, 1918; Irl Ducote “Duke” Andrepont – born March 28, 1918, in Opelousas, died February 10, 1999, in Baton Rouge, LA; Marjorie Mae Andrepont, born on January 16, 1921 in Crowley, LA.[3]
Following the death of Raymond Breaux in 1913, Pete became editor of the St Landry Clarion, which was managed by his father former Clerk of Court Yves Andrepont (Aug 7, 1869 – Apr 27, 1942).
Many in the area though Pete became editor of the Clarion because his father was the paper’s manager, and that he was not experienced enough to be hired for that position.
In answer to criticism about his lack of experience that was published in the Ville Platte, LA Evangeline Banner, he wrote this editorial in the St. Landry Clarion on December 6, 1913:
Notice Mr. Bailey.
The Editor of the “Evangeline Banner” has seen fit to unjustifiably attack Judge Gilbert L. Dupre for editorial utterances appearing quiet recently in this paper. Judge Dupre never writes anything for this or any other paper without signing his name. He is a manly man (more so than that intelligent prohibitionist editor, Mr. Bailey) and is responsible always for what he writes or says.
Since Mr. Breaux’s death, or since I have taken charge of the editorial staff of the “Clarion,” Judge Dupre “wrote up” in this paper during my absence upon two occasions, only. Once during the month of March of the present year and in the last issue he wrote the articles headlined as follows: “Commission Form of Government;” “Steam Laundry for Opelousas;” “Old and Honored Citizens Pass Away.” These were sent in as editorial utterances of the paper, but the management inserted the letters “X.X.” at the foot of two of these communications.
Judge Dupre has not written a line to this paper, save as above stated, and the allusion to him by the “Evangeline Banner”, is as baseless as it slanderous. He can take care of himself, but in justice to ourselves we make the above explanation.
No, Mr. Bailey, Judge Dupre is not the editor of the “Clarion.” I am the editor and am ready at any moment to back whatever I say. Though of less experience than yourself, since you are such an “old and able newspaper man”, I should think that I would not try to deceive my readers by making it appear that any other paper is against them. You misinterpreted the articles simply for personal reasons, as the commonest laborer could do more justice to such an article that you, the brainy editor of the esteemed “Evangeline Banner.” You took pains not to publish the entire article, as you were certain that your readers would not be of the same mind as yourself.
A gentleman holding such a lofty position as yourself should blush with shame at such a display of ignorance.
Lawrence A. Andrepont – Editor, St. Landry Clarion.[4]
In 1915 when Father John Engberink, the pastor of St. Landry Catholic Church, wanted to produce a booklet on the history of the Catholic Church in Opelousas, he called on Pete Andrepont for help. The Clarion Press published the book that also included a history of Opelousas, written by Pete Andrepont. [5]
Pete was editor of the St. Landry Clarion from 1913-1916 when he resigned to start the St. Landry Progress newspaper with Richard Price. The two men also operated a job printing business called Andrepont and Price. He was at that paper for a few months until it consolidated with the Eunice Star (established in 1909) and became the Star Progress.[6] At that time Richard H. Price was the Manager, Lawrence A.“Pete” Andrepont was the Managing Editor and Charles M. Thompson was the Editor. A subscription to the Star Progress was $1.00 per year, payable in advance.
In 1918, Pete was listed as a deputy sheriff and a deputy tax collector for St. Landry Parish.
In 1920, Pete moved his family to Crowley so he could be the editor of the Crowley Progress newspaper that he started in that city with William F. Nolan. The weekly paper began publication in July of 1920. L. A. “Pete” Andrepont was the managing editor of the Crowley Progress and was assisted in the mechanical department by Bernard Reed, who was connected with the Star-Progress for several months.
The paper was a 12-page weekly of high standards, just as the Opelousas Star-Progress paper.[7] The paper office and plant was in the Elks building in Crowley.[8] In connection with the newspaper, the Crowley Progress operated a complete job printing department that was said to be recognized as one of the best plants in that field.[9]
The Crowley Progress published for about 18 months, with its last publication on Thursday, February 9, 1922. Part of the equipment from its plant was sold to the Crowley Signal, with the remaining equipment moved to Opelousas.[10] At that time, Pete and family moved back to Opelousas to make their home.
After working with printing and newspapers like the St. Landry Clarion, Opelousas Herald and the New Era, and Crowley Progress, by the end of 1926 Pete had enough of the newspaper business and became a Buick, Oakland and Pontiac dealer with Lafleur Motor Company, where he was Vice-president and manager.
Before long he went back to working for local newspapers in Opelousas, and other Louisiana towns, plus papers in other states. However, by 1935 he again took a break from newspaper work, and started working with Bordelon Motors, owned by his brother-in-law Martin Bordelon, where he handled the Lincoln Division for the company. In 1937 he won a contest and was promoted for his work with a large automotive concern in Houston, Texas. He moved from Opelousas at that time to become manager of the Lincoln Division for that Texas company.[11] Pete later worked for a newspaper in Texas for a short time.
In 1942 Pete Andrepont was again involved in the print and newspaper business when he started the law enforcement-oriented magazine. A year later he moved to Baton Rouge where he was publisher of the Louisiana Peace Officers Magazine,[12] a position he held until his retirement. His son Ducote “Duke” Andrepont, who with John Thistlethwaite founded the Opelousas Daily World in 1939, also worked with his father at that magazine when he left the Daily World.
Pete and his second wife Donna lived in Baton Rouge for the remainder of his life. Their daughter, also named Donna, was born in Baton Rouge in 1947.
While in Baton Rouge Pete helped to establish the law enforcement school at LSU and was a member of the school’s first advisory board.
When Pete was in St. Landry Parish, he was active in the Rotary Club, being a charter member of that club in 1922.[13] As the representative of the district governor, he is credited with organizing the Rotary Club in Eunice, LA.[14] Besides being a Rotarian, Pete was also a member of the Kiwanis Club. When he moved to Baton Rouge, he was active with the Lion’s Club and became one of five District Governors of the Louisiana Lion’s Club in 1959,[15] and later served as the District Governor of Lions’ International. He was a member of the Public Affairs Research Council, the Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, the Louisiana Peace Officers Association, the Salvation Army and the St. Alphonsus Catholic Church.[16]
Pete Andrepont died on August 7, 1977, at his home in Baton Rouge, LA. He is buried in the Resthaven Garden of Memory and Mausoleum in that city.
[1] St. Landry Clarion, Opelousas, LA, July 26, 1913, Page five.
[2] St. Landry Clarion, Opelousas, LA, Saturday, November 29, 1913, Page one.
[3] Information from Pont-Andrepont, Some Descendants of Joseph Andre Pont, Vol. 1 – Carola Ann Andrepont, 1977.
[4] St. Landry Clarion, Opelousas, LA, December 6, 1913, Page 6.
[5] The History of the Catholic Church in Opelousas, LA – with a History of Opelousas.Published in 1915 by Clarion Press of Opelousas.
[6] The Crowley Post-Signal, Crowley, Louisiana, February 12, 1917, Page three.
[7] The Daily Advertiser, Lafayette, Louisiana, July 29, 1920, Page four.
[8] The Crowley Post-Signal, Crowley, Louisiana, June 14, 1920, Page one.
[9] St. Landry Clarion, Opelousas, LA, July 31, 1920, Page one.
[10] The Daily Advertiser, Lafayette, LA, February 10, 1922, Page one.
[11] The Eunice News, Eunice, LA, January 5, 1937, Page one.
[12] Daily World, Entre Nous by Frank J. Dietlein, Jr, Opelousas, LA, May 1, 1962, Page five.
[13] Daily World, Opelousas, LA, May 5, 1972, Page twenty-five.
[14] The Eunice News, Eunice, LA, January 5, 1937, Page four.
[15] Daily World, Opelousas, LA, May 27, 1959, Page twelve.
[16] Daily World, Opelousas, LA, August 8, 1977, Page one.
