The Opelousas courier., 1889-07-20
Leon Jastremski.

We reproduce from the American,
published at Lake Charles, the follow
ing brief biographical sketch of Gen.
Leon Jastremski, the honored and loved
president of the Louisiana Press Asso-
citation:
Was born in France, July, 1913. His
father, who had participated in the Po-
lish instruction of 1882, emigrated to
France, where he married the mother
OF the subject of this sketch, o French
lady. TOO young to be brought over
to Louisiana ut the time his parents
came, some three months after his
birth, he remained with his mothers
relatives until he had attained the age
OF six years, when he rejoined his pa
rents who had settled in Lafayette, La,
where his father practiced medicine for
number of years. Subsequently the
family moved to Abbeville. Left an
orphan at l3 years, Leon Jastremskl
entered the Office of the Meridional,
(Which had just been started by Mr.. E.
L. Guegnon), as an apprentice. In
July, 1861, when in his eighteenth year,
he joined the Tenth Regiment OF Loui-
siana Volunteers as a private and fol-
lowed that command to Virginia. Early
in 1862 he was promoted to sergeant,
major Of his regiment, and in SepRam-
Der Of the same year to the captaincy
! of Company II. He participated in the
principal battles i'll Virginia, was
wounded in the throat at Chancellors-
vile, and was twice taken prisoner-at
Malvern Hill and at Spottsylania, On
the way from near Charleston, S. c.,
/ where he had been kept with 600 other
! Confederate officers, to Fort Delaware,
! with Lieut c. NJ. Allen, of Louisiana,
and Capt. DePriest, of Virginia, he con-
cealed himself in the hold of trans
port, and escaped, making his way.from
New York, where they had landed,
through the North to the Confederate
lines. The war ended soon afterwards,
and he settled in business pursuits at
Baton Rouge. In 1876 he was elected
mayor, and re elected in 1873 and 1880.
Meanwhile he was elected to the Con
stitutional Convention of 1879, at which
time, with Mr., w. A. LeSueur, he re-
entered the printers business as editor
of the Capitolian, which they had start
ed. In 1880 he was appointed brlga-
der general of the State Militia
and member and ex-offieio vice
president~of ,erlae' Board of Super
visors cf the Louisiana State University
and Agricultural and Mechanical Col.
lege by Gov. Wiltz. He was reap:
pointed by3Gov NJ Emery, and served
, until 1888, When >se resigned. In 1861
, the Capitolian and the Advocate were
, consolidated, and he became editor o
, the paper and State Printer In 1851
, he retired and moved to New Orleans
where he founded the Weekly LoulsIa
J ma Review. In 1881 he was elected
, president of the Louisiana Press Con
: vention, position to which he ha
t been successively re elected up to TIT
present time. He has also served
term rs treasurer aud vlce-presldent o
+. the National Editorial Association. Ill
5 was chairman of the Democratic Stat
Central Committee from 1883 to 1857
h and also served one term as Gran'
r Chancellor OF the Knights OF Pythias G
=. Louisiana, and is at present serving a
$ president of the Committee OF FIFTY, 10
the celebration OF the Centennial OF til
n Fall of the Bastille, which will be hei
h in New Orleans, on the l4tll OF July
!. prox. He has been married twice, th
g first time to daughter of Mr.. Josep
d Larguier, Of Baton Rouge, and the see
j. tond to the eldest daughter of Judge
II 4. Land, of Shreveport.