# Pierre Derbigny

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American judge

Pierre Derbigny 6th Governor of Louisiana In office December 15, 1828 – October 6, 1829 Preceded by Henry S. Johnson Succeeded by Armand Beauvais Secretary of State of Louisiana In office 1820–1828 Governor Thomas B. Robertson Henry S. Thibodaux Henry Johnson Preceded by Etienne Mazureau Succeeded by George A. Waggaman Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court In office 1813–1820 Personal details Born June 30, 1769 Laon, France Died October 6, 1829(1829-10-06) (aged 60) Gretna, Louisiana, U.S. Party National Republican Whig Spouse Felicité Odile de Lassus Children 7

**Pierre Derbigny** (June 30, 1769 – October 6, 1829) was a French born judge and politician who served as the sixth [governor of Louisiana](/source/Governor_of_Louisiana). He was an advocate of integrating Louisiana into the United States and played a central role in the establishment of Louisiana's legal system.

## Early life

Pierre Augustin Bourguignon Derbigny was born in [Laon](/source/Laon), [France](/source/France), on June 30, 1769, the eldest son of Louise Angélique Blondela and Augustin Bourguignon d'Herbigny. His father was President of the Directoire de l'Aisne and Mayor of Laon.[1]

Derbigny studied law at [Ste. Genevieve](/source/Biblioth%C3%A8que_Sainte-Genevi%C3%A8ve) but fled France in 1791 during the [French Revolution](/source/French_Revolution). He first went to [Saint-Domingue](/source/Saint-Domingue), and then arrived in [Pittsburgh](/source/Pittsburgh), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania), and finally settled in [New Orleans](/source/New_Orleans), then part of the [Spanish Colony](/source/Louisiana_(New_Spain)). After the [Louisiana Purchase](/source/Louisiana_Purchase) in 1803, he became private secretary to [Etienne Bore](/source/Etienne_Bore), first mayor of New Orleans, and was appointed Secretary of the Legislative Council. In the same year Governor [Claiborne](/source/William_C._C._Claiborne) appointed him official interpreter of languages for the territory.[1][2]

## Career

Derbigny was one of the representatives who travelled to [Washington D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.) seeking self-government for the [Orleans Territory](/source/Territory_of_Orleans). The U.S. Congress approved and in 1805 a territorial legislature was established in Louisiana which included an elected lower house. While in Washington, he also protested against the 1804 closing of the slave trade.[1]

As the territory was integrated into the United States, Derbigny opposed British [common law](/source/Common_law) in Louisiana and defended the retention of [civil law](/source/Civil_law_(legal_system)) practices established during the French and Spanish colonial periods. Following the Governance Act of 1804 that set up Louisiana's territorial government, Derbigny, along with [Jean Noel Destréhan](/source/Jean_Noel_Destr%C3%A9han) and Pierre Sauve, delivered to Washington, D.C., the protest created by citizens speaking out against this Congressional Act. This complaint was entitled, "Remonstrance of the People of Louisiana against the Political System Adopted by Congress for Them," and was ultimately presented to President Thomas Jefferson by the three men from Louisiana.[3]

Pierre Derbigny also led a movement to establish the [College of Orleans](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=College_of_Orleans&action=edit&redlink=1) and served as Regent. In 1812, he was selected as Secretary of the Territorial Senate. He also served in Captain Chauveneau's Company of [cavalry](/source/Cavalry) in the Louisiana [Militia](/source/Militia_(United_States)).

He resigned from the Legislature to become a justice of the [Louisiana Supreme Court](/source/Louisiana_Supreme_Court). His nomination was first rejected by the Senate, but was afterwards returned and confirmed at the Senate's request.[2] He served as a Justice from 1814 to 1820.

In [1820](/source/1820_Louisiana_gubernatorial_election), Derbigny resigned from the Supreme Court of Louisiana to run unsuccessfully for Governor against J. N. Destréhan, [Abner L. Duncan](/source/Abner_L._Duncan), and [Thomas B. Robertson](/source/Thomas_B._Robertson). Despite his loss to Robertson, Derbigny was appointed [Secretary of State of Louisiana](/source/Secretary_of_State_of_Louisiana) and served from 1821 to 1828. He was one of the principal drafters of the 1825 [Civil Code of Louisiana](/source/Civil_Code_of_Louisiana), along with [Edward Livingston](/source/Edward_Livingston), [François Xavier Martin](/source/Francois_Xavier_Martin), and [Louis Moreau-Lislet](/source/Louis_Moreau-Lislet).

In [1828](/source/1828_Louisiana_gubernatorial_election), he ran for Governor again and this time defeated his former supporter [Bernard de Marigny](/source/Bernard_de_Marigny), [Thomas Butler](/source/Thomas_Butler_(Louisiana_politician)), and Congressman [Philemon Thomas](/source/Philemon_Thomas). The [Louisiana State Legislature](/source/Louisiana_State_Legislature) confirmed his election over the other three candidates. Derbigny was affiliated with the nascent [National Republican](/source/National_Republican_Party_(United_States)) Party, an anti-[Jackson](/source/Jacksonian_democracy) group.

In Derbigny's inauguration speech, he urged [internal improvements](/source/Internal_improvements), which the legislature supported, including: incorporation of a gas light company for [New Orleans](/source/New_Orleans), several navigation companies for the Mississippi River and important bayous in the state, and the construction and repair of [levees](/source/Levee). On October 3, 1829, after ten months in office, Governor Derbigny was thrown from a (horse-drawn) carriage and died three days later, in [Gretna, Louisiana](/source/Gretna%2C_Louisiana). Pierre Derbigny was interred in [Saint Louis Cemetery](/source/Saint_Louis_Cemetery) Number 1 in New Orleans.

## Personal life

Derbigny married Felicité Odile de Hault de Lassus with whom he had five daughters and two sons. The Derbigny family lived on the Derbigny Plantation in Gretna. His son [Charles Zenon Derbigny](/source/Charles_Derbigny) was the 14th [Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives](/source/List_of_speakers_of_the_Louisiana_House_of_Representatives) and a candidate for governor in the [1855 Louisiana gubernatorial election](/source/1855_Louisiana_gubernatorial_election).[4]

## See also

- [List of United States governors born outside the United States](/source/List_of_United_States_governors_born_outside_the_United_States)

## Sources

- [State of Louisiana - Biography](https://web.archive.org/web/20080221023709/http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/tabid/364/Default.aspx)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_1-2) ["Pierre Auguste Charles Bourguignon Derbigny"](https://64parishes.org/entry/pierre-auguste-charles-bourguignon-derbigny). *64 Parishes*. Retrieved 2025-08-29.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Wymond_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Wymond_2-1) *Celebration of the Centenary of the Supreme Court of Louisiana* (March 1, 1913), in John Wymond, Henry Plauché Dart, eds., *The Louisiana Historical Quarterly* (1922), p. 115.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Kastor, Peter J. (2004). [*The Nation's Crucible: The Louisiana Purchase and the Creation of America*](https://archive.org/details/nationscruciblel00kast_799). New Haven and London: Yale University Press. pp. [57](https://archive.org/details/nationscruciblel00kast_799/page/n71)–59. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780300101195](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780300101195).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Derbigny Plantation Historical Marker"](https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=80975).

Legal offices Preceded by newly created position Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court 1813–1821 Chief Justice May 29, 1813 – 1821 Succeeded by Alexander Porter Political offices Preceded by Etienne Mazureau Louisiana Secretary of State 1821–1828 Succeeded by George Waggaman Preceded by Henry S. Johnson Governor of Louisiana 1828–1829 Succeeded by Armand Beauvais

v t e Governors of Louisiana State (1812–1861) Claiborne Villeré Robertson Thibodaux H. Johnson Derbigny Beauvais Dupré Roman White Roman Mouton I. Johnson Walker Hébert Wickliffe Moore Confederate (1861–1865) Moore H. Allen Union (1862–1865) Shepley Hahn Reconstruction (1865–1868) Wells Flanders Baker State (since 1868) Warmoth Pinchback J. McEnery Kellogg Packard Nicholls Wiltz S. McEnery Nicholls M. J. Foster Heard Blanchard Sanders Hall Pleasant Parker Fuqua Simpson H. Long King O. Allen Noe Leche E. Long Jones Davis E. Long Kennon E. Long Davis McKeithen E. Edwards Treen E. Edwards Roemer E. Edwards M. Foster Blanco Jindal J. Edwards Landry

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