Vance Plauché

Vance Plauché
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Louisiana's 7th district
In office
January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943
Preceded byRené Louis DeRouen
Succeeded byHenry D. Larcade Jr.
Personal details
Born(1897-08-25)August 25, 1897
Plaucheville, Louisiana
DiedApril 2, 1976(1976-04-02) (aged 78)
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Resting placeConsolata Cemetery, Lake Charles, Louisiana
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMarie Bush
Alma materCollege of St. Francis Xavier
Loyola University New Orleans
ProfessionLawyer
AwardsOrder of St. Gregory the Great (Knight)
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
ServiceUnited States Army
Years of service1917–1919
RankPrivate First Class
UnitBase Hospital 102
WarsWorld War I

Vance Gabriel Plauché (August 25, 1897 – April 2, 1976) was an American attorney and politician from Louisiana. A Democrat, he served for a single term in the 77th Congress, from 1941 to 1943.

Early life

Plauché was born in Plaucheville, Louisiana on August 25, 1897.[1] He attended private and public schools in Avoyelles Parish and, in 1914, received a Bachelor of Science degree from New Orleans's St. Francis Xavier Commercial College, where he received awards for excellence in typing and final examinations.[2]

In 1918, he received his Bachelor of Laws degree from Loyola University in New Orleans, where he served as class president.[1][3] He was admitted to the bar in 1918, and practiced in Lake Charles.[1]

Start of career

During World War I, Plauché served in the United States Army.[1] Inducted into the service at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, he was a member of Loyola University's hospital unit, which subsequently served in Vicenza, Italy as Base Hospital 102.[1] He attained the rank of private first class before being discharged at Camp Shelby, Mississippi in 1919.[1]

Plauché was city attorney of Lake Charles from 1928 to 1932, and district counsel for the Home Owners' Loan Corporation from 1933 to 1935.[1] In late 1939 and early 1940, he managed the successful gubernatorial campaign of Sam H. Jones.[4] In 1940, he served as secretary of the State Civil Service commission, and was a delegate to the Democratic state convention.[1][5]

U.S. House of Representatives

In 1940, Plauché was the successful Democratic nominee for a seat in the United States House of Representatives.[1] He served in the 77th Congress, January 3, 1941 to January 3, 1943.[5]

During his House service, he was a member of the Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation, Committee on Invalid Pensions, and Committee on Patents.[6] He was not a candidate for reelection in 1942, and resumed the practice of law.[5]

Later life

In addition to practicing law, Plauché was a director of Calcassieu Savings & Loan and the Plauché Engineering company.[3] His civic, fraternal, and professional memberships included the American Legion, Kiwanis, chamber of commerce, Sierra Club, his local, county, state bar associations, and the American Bar Association.[3]

Death and burial

Plauché died in Lake Charles on April 2, 1976.[3] He was buried at Consolata Cemetery in Lake Charles.[7]

Awards

In recognition of his services to the Catholic church, Pope John XXIII awarded Plauché the Order of St. Gregory the Great (Knight).[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Joint Committee On Printing, United States Congress (1941). Official Congressional Directory. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 43 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "Twelfth Annual Commencement of St. Francis Xavier Commercial College". Weekly Town Talk. Alexandria, LA. July 5, 1913. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Obituary, Vance Plauché". The Banner-Democrat. Lake Providence, LA. April 8, 1976. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Vance Plauche Is Democratic Congressman". Clarion-News. Opelousas, LA. July 25, 1940. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c Joint Committee On Printing, United States Congress (1950). Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1949. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 1687 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ U.S. House of Representatives (January 22, 1941). Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, Volume 77, Issue 1. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 84 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "Plauché, Vance Gabriel (1897-1976)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Louisiana's 7th congressional district
1941–1943 		Succeeded by