# Pierre Bossier > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Pierre_Bossier > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Pierre_Bossier.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Bossier > Source revision: 1346313912 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American planter and politician (1797–1844) Pierre Bossier Portrait of Jean Baptiste Bossier by John James Audubon, 1821 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 4th district In office March 4, 1843 – April 24, 1844 Preceded by District established Succeeded by Isaac Edward Morse Member of the Louisiana State Senate In office 1833–1843[1] Personal details Born (1797-03-22)March 22, 1797 Natchitoches, Province of Louisiana Died April 24, 1844(1844-04-24) (aged 47) Washington, D.C., U.S. Resting place Catholic Cemetery Natchitoches, Louisiana Party Democratic Occupation Planter, politician **Pierre Evariste Jean-Baptiste Bossier** (March 22, 1797 – April 24, 1844) was a [Louisiana Creole](/source/Louisiana_Creole_people) [planter](/source/Planter_(American_South)), soldier and statesman born in [Natchitoches, Louisiana](/source/Natchitoches%2C_Louisiana). He owned cotton and sugarcane plantations and served in the state senate for ten years before serving as a U.S. Congressman. ## Early life Born in Natchitoches in 1797, during the period of [Spanish rule in Louisiana](/source/Louisiana_(New_Spain)), Pierre Evariste Jean-Baptiste Bossier was the son of the planter François Paul Bossier and Catherine Pélagie Lambre. He was descended from Jean Bossier who had migrated to Louisiana from France in 1718 as an indentured servant. Pierre received a classic liberal education by a private tutor.[2] ## Career Bossier was a planter like his father and cultivated cotton and sugar as commodity crops on his plantation, Live Oaks, located on the [Cane River](/source/Cane_River) in [Natchitoches Parish.](/source/Natchitoches_Parish%2C_Louisiana) He also served in the [Louisiana Militia](/source/Louisiana_National_Guard) where he reached the rank of General.[3] He entered politics as a [Democrat](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) and was elected as a member of the [Louisiana State Senate](/source/Louisiana_State_Senate) in 1832, defeating [Whig](/source/Whig_Party_(United_States)) opponent [Louis Gustave De Russy](/source/Louis_Gustave_De_Russy). Bossier served in the State Senate from 1833 to 1843. In March 1843, Bossier was elected to the [U.S. House of Representatives](/source/U.S._House_of_Representatives) for the newly established [Louisiana's 4th congressional district](/source/Louisiana's_4th_congressional_district). He was a supporter of Westward expansion, including the annexation of Texas. He served from March 4, 1843 until his death in office a year later on April 24, 1844, in [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.) before his first term had ended.[4][2] Driven by grief over the duel and its fallout, Bossier committed suicide.[5] His coffin was placed in the well of [Old Hall of the House](/source/Old_Hall_of_the_House) and services were conducted by [James A. Ryder](/source/James_A._Ryder) [S.J.](/source/Society_of_Jesus), then the president of [Georgetown University](/source/Georgetown_University).[6] Bossier's remains are interred at the Catholic Cemetery in Natchitoches. In the summer of 1839, a political argument between a prominent [Whig](/source/Whig_Party_(United_States)), General F. Gaiennie, and State Senator General P. E. Bossier, a Democrat, escalated to recriminations published in the local newspaper. Gaiennie, also a general in the state militia, had denounced Bossier as a coward. Bossier demanded a [duel](/source/Duel) and Gaiennie accepted, choosing rifles as the most deadly weapon available. The duel occurred the following autumn on the grounds of [Cherokee Plantation](/source/Cherokee_Plantation_(Natchez%2C_Louisiana)), which was owned by Emile Sompayrac in [Natchitoches Parish](/source/Natchitoches_Parish). Gaiennie fired first and missed, Bossier hit Gaiennie in the heart, killing him instantly.[5] Another eleven men died in the aftermath, as animosities related to the duel continued to play out.[7] ## Legacy and honors Bossier Street in Natchitoches is named for Pierre Bossier. [Bossier Parish](/source/Bossier_Parish%2C_Louisiana) was established in 1843 and named after Bossier. [Bossier City](/source/Bossier_City%2C_Louisiana), the largest city in Bossier Parish, was also named after him, as was the [Pierre Bossier Mall](/source/Pierre_Bossier_Mall). ## See also - [List of members of the United States Congress who died in office (1790–1899)](/source/List_of_members_of_the_United_States_Congress_who_died_in_office_(1790%E2%80%931899)) - [List of duels in the United States](/source/List_of_duels_in_the_United_States) [Portals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals): - [United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:United_States) - [Politics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Politics) - [Christianity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Christianity) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Louisiana State Senate](/source/Louisiana_State_Senate) records on line begin with the year 1880. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_2-1) Thomas, Lejeane (Jan 1, 1980). "GENERAL PIERRE EVARISTE JEAN BAPTISTE BOSSIER". *North Louisiana Historical Association Journal*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Dictionary of Louisiana Biography - B"](https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-b/). *Louisiana Historical Association*. Retrieved 2024-10-03. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["BOSSIER, Pierre Jean Baptiste Evariste"](https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/B000651). *Biographical Directory of the United States Congress*. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-mayeux_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-mayeux_5-1) [Steven M. Mayeux, *Earthen Walls, Iron Men: Fort DeRussy, Louisiana, and the Defense of Red River*](https://books.google.com/books?id=JdI3cNDAmP0C&dq=General+F.+Gaiennie+1843+duel&pg=PA276), University of Tennessee Press, 2007, Appendix A, pp. 275–276 1. **[^](#cite_ref-housegov_6-0)** ["The Funeral of Pierre Bossier of Louisiana | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives"](https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1800-1850/hh_1844_04_26_Bossier/). *history.house.gov*. Retrieved 20 August 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Louis Raphael Nardini, Jr., *My Historic Natchitoches, Louisiana and Its Environment*, (Natchitoches, LA: Nardini Publishing, 1963), p. 167 - "Pierre Bossier", *A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography*, Vol. 1 (1988), p. 92 - David Colvin, "Bossier's Forgotten Man," *[Shreveport Times](/source/The_Times_(Shreveport))*, October 24, 1965 U.S. House of Representatives New district Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 4th congressional district 1843 – 1844 Succeeded by Isaac Edward Morse v t e United States representatives from Louisiana 1st district E. Livingston White H. Johnson White Slidell La Sére St. Martin Dunbar Eustis Bouligny Sypher Lawrence Gibson Hunt St. Martin Wilkinson Meyer Estopinal O'Connor Fernández Hébert Tonry B. Livingston Vitter Jindal Scalise 2nd district Gurley Thomas Ripley Chinn Dawson la Branche Thibodeaux Conrad Bullard J. A. Landry Hunt Taylor Mann Sheldon Ellis Hahn Wallace Lagan Coleman Lagan Davey Buck Davey Gilmore Dupré Spearing Maloney H. Boggs Maloney H. Boggs L. Boggs Jefferson Cao Richmond Carter 3rd district Brent Overton Bullard Garland J. Moore Dawson Harmanson Penn Perkins Davidson Newsham Darrall Acklen Darrall Kellogg Gay Price Broussard Martin Montet Mouton Domengeaux Willis Caffery Treen Tauzin Melançon J. M. Landry Boustany Higgins 4th district Bossier Morse J. Moore Jones Sandidge Landrum Vidal Newsham McCleery Boarman Smith Levy Elam Blanchard Ogden Breazeale Watkins Sandlin Brooks Waggonner Leach Roemer McCrery Fields McCrery Fleming M. Johnson 5th district Blackburn Morey Spencer Leonard Young King Newton Boatner Baird Ransdell Elder Wilson Mills McKenzie Passman Huckaby McCrery Cooksey Alexander McAllister Abraham Letlow 6th district Nash E. Robertson Lewis Irion E. Robertson S. Robertson Favrot Wickliffe Morgan Sanders Sr. Favrot Kemp Sanders Jr. Griffith Sanders Jr. Morrison Rarick H. Moore Baker Cazayoux Cassidy Graves Fields 7th district Pujo Lazaro De Rouen Plauché Larcade Thompson Edwards Breaux Hayes John Boustany 8th district Aswell Overton Dear Allen G. S. "Doc" Long McSween G. W. Long S. Long G. W. Long C. Long Holloway At-large Robertson Butler Johnston Sheridan Territory Clark Poydras Authority control databases: People US Congress --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pierre Bossier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Bossier) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Bossier?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.