Damien Marchesseault

Damien Marchesseault
7th Mayor of Los Angeles
In office May 9, 1859 – May 9, 1860
Preceded by	John G. Nichols
Succeeded by	Henry Mellus
In office January 7, 1861 – May 6, 1865
Preceded by	Wallace Woodworth (acting)
Succeeded by	Jose Mascarel
In office May 8, 1867 – August 8, 1867
Preceded by	Cristóbal Aguilar
Succeeded by	Cristóbal Aguilar
Personal details
Born	April 1, 1818 Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada
Died	January 20, 1868 (1868-01-21) (aged 49) Los Angeles, California

Damien Marchesseault (or Marchesseau) (April 1, 1818 – January 20, 1868) was a Canadian-born American politician who served as the seventh mayor of Los Angeles from May 9, 1859, to May 9, 1860, and then again from January 7, 1861, to May 6, 1865. Marchesseault assumed the office one last time interrupting Cristobal Aguilar's first term in office for three months.

Biography

Born in St.-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada, Marchesseault was described as a carousing onetime New Orleans gambler. With Victor Beaudry, he started an ice vending company using ice from what is now known as Icehouse Canyon near Mount San Antonio.

During his term as Zanjero of Los Angeles (water steward), Marchesseault and a partner laid wooden water pipes that burst and turned streets into sinkholes.

Struggling with mounting debts, he slipped into an empty Los Angeles City Hall Council chamber on Jan. 20, 1868, and shot himself to death.

Marcheassault Street in Los Angeles is named for him.

Death and suicide note

Marchesseault killed himself on 20 January 1868, leaving a suicide note to his wife, Mary Clark Marchesseault, stating his motivation was shame from his drinking and gambling debts.

References

• Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials: 1850—1938, Compiled under Direction of Municipal Reference Library City Hall, Los Angeles March 1938 (Reprinted 1966)