Andrew Querbes

Andrew C. Querbes, Sr.
Mayor of Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, USA
In office 1902–1906
Preceded by	Benjamin Holzman
Succeeded by	Ernest Ralph Berstein
Member, Caddo Parish Police Jury
In office 1896–1900
Personal details
Born	July 10, 1864 New Orleans Orleans Parish Louisiana, USA
Died	May 24, 1939 (aged 74) Shreveport, Louisiana
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic Party
Spouse(s)	Alexandrine Ricou Querbes (married 1889)
Children	Andrew C. Querbes, Jr. Justin R. Querbes Randolph A. Querbes
Occupation	Businessman Banker
Religion	Roman Catholic

Andrew C. Querbes, Sr. (July 10, 1864 – May 24, 1939), was a banker, planter, and civic figure who served as the mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, from 1902 to 1906.

Biography

Querbes was born in New Orleans while it was under Union occupation during the American Civil War, the son of Antoine Querbes and the former Louise Alterieu.^[1] He was educated in New Orleans public schools and then the private Harvey School in Mandeville in St. Tammany Parish. In 1886, Querbes moved to Shreveport, where he entered the retail grocery business. He expanded into the wholesale grocery operation in 1896.^[2][3] Querbes' wholesale operation was among the largest in North Louisiana. By 1906, Querbes had left the grocery business to become vice president of the First National Bank of Shreveport. In 1909, he was elevated to the bank presidency.^[1]

As mayor, Querbes emphasized law enforcement and reform of municipal finances. Prior to his mayoralty service, which consisted of two two-year terms,^[1] Quebes was from 1896-1900 a member of the Caddo Parish Police Jury,^[2] now known as the Caddo Parish Commission, the parish governing body.^[4]

Querbes was a cotton planter and president of the interest group, the Louisiana Cotton Growers Association. He was also president of the Shreveport Ice Delivery Company. He was a director of Shreveport Mutual Building and Loan Association, the Louisiana State Fair,^[1] the City Savings Bank and Trust Company, the International Banking Corporation,^[2] the Continental Flat Glass Company, and the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Rotary International.

Querbes was Roman Catholic.^[1] On February 12, 1889, he married the former Alexandrine Ricou. They had three sons: Andrew Querbes, Jr. (1889–1964), Justin R. Querbes, and Randolph A. Querbes.^[1][5]

Querbes Park, off Fern Avenue in Shreveport, is named in his honor.

References

1. "Querbes, Andrew". Louisiana Historical Association, A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
2. "Mike Miller, Biography of Andrew Querbes". usgarchives.org. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
3. Usgarchives.org bases its biographical of Querbes from Henry E. Chambers, A History of Louisiana, Vol. 2, pp. 253-254, published by the American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York City in 1925.
4. Veta Samuels, Caddo Parish, "The History of the Caddo Parish Police Jury - Caddo Parish Commission since 1840"
5. A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography uses as sources for its article on Mayor Querbes: Lilla McLure and J. Ed Howe, History of Shreveport and Shreveport Builders (1937) and J. Fair Hardin, Northwestern Louisiana (1939).