Louisiana Politician

Jean Marie De Baillon served on the Louisiana State legislature. He was also an original trustee of the College of Franklin, which was established in St. Landry Parish in 1831.

De Baillon was a French immigrant. He became a leading citizen in St. Landry and a member of the State legislature. From 1829-1831, the legislature met in the building pictured in Donaldson, Louisiana.

The legislature created the College of Franklin in 1831 and appointed trustees, including Jean Marie. By 1871, the buildings of the College of Franklin were unoccupied and in disrepair. The buildings were restored and updated in 1879, but by 1890 they were “unoccupied and going to ruin,” and within ten feet of railroad tracks, “rendering them unfit for use.”

According to information on familysearch.org/tree, Jean Marie Debaillon is the 4^th-great grandfather of C. Muntz. C Muntz – M Lambert – Roger Lambert – Edmee Dufilho – Marie Debaillon – Louis Debaillon – Jean Marie Debaillon

Jean-Marie de Baillon was a native of France and served in the Louisiana legislature: “DEBAILLON, Louis, M. D.; St. Landry Parish, Louisiana,” Submitted by Mike Miller. http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/stlandry/bios/debaillo.txt

1831 school created, trustees named: “A New Digest of the Statute Laws of the State of Louisiana: From the Change of Government to the Year 1841, Inclusive,” Thomas Curry, E. Johns, 1842. “Franklin College,” page 302. https://books.google.com/books?id=IIU0AQAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s

1879 description, includes comment that the buildings had needed the repairs: “Report,” Louisiana. Dept. of Education, 1879. “The Franklin College Buildings at Opelousas,” page xxix. https://books.google.com/books?id=apJIAQAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s

1890 description: “Circular of Information,” U.S. Government Printing Office, 1898. “Franklin College,” page 143. https://books.google.com/books?id=2J4FAQAAIAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Photo: “Louisiana State Capitol Donaldson 1830.jpg,” “"State Capitol at Donaldson". 1830 view of the then Louisiana State Capitol in Donaldson, Louisiana (now Donaldsonville), used only briefly; the Capitol was returned to New Orleans in 1831.” Wikimedia Commons, accessed 15 September 2016. “This media file is in the public domain in the United States.” https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Louisiana_State_Capitol_Donaldson_1830.jpg

familysearch.org/tree accessed 15 September 2016. Jean Marie Debaillon is person number MZCV-Y8H.