Duchamp Charles Labbe (1875-1924)

From the St. Martinsville Weekley Messenger, January 13, 1912.

  We continue our journey through Louisiana with a peek at the life of Duchamp Charles Labbe, a one-term state representative and state constitutional convention delegate who was featured on this site's Facebook page back in March 2016. On a shortlist of odd name political figures who were dentists by occupation, Labbe was a lifelong resident of St. Martin Parish, being born there on December 17, 1875, the son of Arthur and Stephanie Duchamp Labbe. In addition to our subject, the Labbe family would boast another odd name politician, Duchamp's younger brother Theobald Joseph Labbe (1867-1949), who was to serve as mayor of St. Martinville and as a member of the Louisiana state senate.

  Duchamp Labbe's formative education was obtained at private academies in both St. Martin and St. Landry Parish, and in the early 1890s enrolled at the Springhill College in Mobile, Alabama. Following graduation, Labbe decided upon a career in dentistry, and in 1893 began to study at Illinois Northwestern University's dental department. He graduated with his dental degree in 1896 and shortly thereafter returned to St. Martin where he began to practice. Labbe married in 1897 to Vida O. Martin (1876-1966), with whom he had four children, Harry James (1898-1941), Owen Arthur (1900-?), Lucille (1902-?), and Arthur J. (1904-1980).

  In 1900 Labbe gave up his dental practice to focus on a new business endeavor, that of the operation of his father in law's sugar refinery. After purchasing the Vida sugar refinery from his in-laws, Labbe continued with its operation for one year, when, on account of health concerns, left Louisiana for New Mexico, where he and his family resided for several years. During his New Mexico residency, Labbe grabbed headlines in November 1905 when he was refused a license to practice dentistry in the territory, this refusal coming about when members of the territorial dental board found that Labbe had been using a crib (a text used to prepare for a test or schoolwork) while taking his examination. Several days after being refused a license, Labbe encountered one of the board members, Dr. C.N. Lord, on the street. Words were exchanged between the two men, and after Labbe accused Lord of calling him a liar, proceeded to strike the doctor in the face! 

  While no charges were pressed against Labbe, the rest of his New Mexico stay proved to be quieter, with mention being given as to his connection with the Occidental Life Insurance Co. in 1907. By 1908 he had returned to St. Martinville Parish, where he would begin a new career as a real estate dealer. In 1912 Labbe entered into the race for state representative from St. Martin Parish as a candidate of the Good Government League and on election day proved successful, polling 847 votes. He served a four-year term (1912-16) and was a member of the committees on Public Health and Quarantine, and Registration and Election Laws.

  During his term, Labbe further aided his state politically when he served as a member of the Louisiana Constitutional Convention of 1913, where he was a member of the committee on the Affairs of the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, and New Provisions. Little is known of the remainder of his life, excepting notice of his death in El Paso, Texas on January 24, 1924, at age 49. He was survived by his wife and children and was later interred at the St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery in St. Martin Parish.