Changes

|alma_mater=University of Louisiana at [[Lafayette]]<br>​

|alma_mater=University of Louisiana at [[Lafayette]]<br>​

[[Tulane University]] School of Law​

[[Tulane University]] School of Law​

|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]​

|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]​}}

}}​]]

 

'''Roy Raoul Theriot, Sr.''' (June 26, 1914 &ndash; April 19, 1973) was the [[Louisiana]] [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] state comptroller from 1960-1973. From 1954 to 1960, he was the [[mayor of Abbeville in Vermilion Parish in southwestern Louisiana.​<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161250964/roy-raoul-theriot|title=Roy Raoul Theriot, Sr.|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=June 2, 2020}}</ref>

'''Roy Raoul Theriot, Sr.''' (June 26, 1914 &ndash; April 19, 1973) was the [[Louisiana]] [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] state comptroller from 1960-1973. From 1954 to 1960, he was the [[mayor of Abbeville in Vermilion Parish in southwestern Louisiana.​<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161250964/roy-raoul-theriot|title=Roy Raoul Theriot, Sr.|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=June 2, 2020}}</ref>

​

​

==Background==​

==Background==​

In 1954, Theriot was elected mayor of Abbeville in 1954. Two year later, he invited [[Harold Stassen]], a [[Moderate Republican]] and the former "boy-wonder" [[governor]] of [[Minnesota]], to speak at the festival. Stassen, remembered as a perennial [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate for [[U.S. President]], was so impressed with the festival that he invited the Abbeville High School band to perform at the second inauguration of [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] on January 20, 1957. Theriot later convinced former President [[Harry Truman]] to speak at the event too.<ref name=theriot>"Theriot Charges Louisiana Residents With Lack of Pride in Their State," ''[[Minden Press-Herald]],'' July 21, 1967, p. 1.</ref> At civic meetings, Theriot often chided Louisiana residents for "lacking pride" in their state, a shortcoming which he attributed to the citizens' "lack of knowledge of what the state has to offer."<ref name=theriot/>​

In 1954, Theriot was elected mayor of Abbeville in 1954. Two year later, he invited [[Harold Stassen]], a [[Moderate Republican]] and the former "boy-wonder" [[governor]] of [[Minnesota]], to speak at the festival. Stassen, remembered as a perennial [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate for [[U.S. President]], was so impressed with the festival that he invited the Abbeville High School band to perform at the second inauguration of [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] on January 20, 1957. Theriot later convinced former President [[Harry Truman]] to speak at the event too.<ref name=theriot>"Theriot Charges Louisiana Residents With Lack of Pride in Their State," ''[[Minden Press-Herald]],'' July 21, 1967, p. 1.</ref> At civic meetings, Theriot often chided Louisiana residents for "lacking pride" in their state, a shortcoming which he attributed to the citizens' "lack of knowledge of what the state has to offer."<ref name=theriot/>​

Theriot organized the Acadian Boucherie Breakfast, which began in January 1960, as a means to preserve [[Cajun]] culture.​<ref name=lahist/> On June 7, 1947, he married the former Helen Roberts (1924–1990). The couple had three children,  Barbara Ellen Theriot (born 1949), Roy R. Theriot, Jr. (born 1952), and Samuel Houston  "Sam" Theriot (born 1954)<ref name=lahist/>, a state representative from 1979 to 1996 and the Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court for a single term from 1996 to 2000.​<ref name=scholarship/>

Theriot organized the Acadian Boucherie Breakfast, which began in January 1960, as a means to preserve [[Cajun]] culture.​<ref name=lahist/> On June 7, 1947, he married the former Helen Roberts (1924–1990). The couple had three children,  Barbara Ellen Theriot (born 1949), Roy R. Theriot, Jr. (born 1952), and Samuel Houston  "Sam" Theriot (born 1954)<ref name=lahist/>, a state representative from 1979 to 1996 and the Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court for a single term from 1996 to 2000.​<ref name=scholarship/>

==Political career==​

==Political career==​

From 1952 to 1956, Theriot was the sergeant-at-arms for the Louisiana House of Representatives.  On January 11, 1960, Mayor Theriot won the pivotal Democratic nomination for Louisiana comptroller over Mrs. Marion C. Henderson (1920–2010) of Colfax in Grant Parish, the choice of gubernatorial candidate [[Chep Morrison|deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr.]]<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 11, 1960, p. 1.</ref> In the primary held in December 1959, several other candidates were eliminated from the runoff, including the future [[U.S. Representative]] [[Joe Waggonner]] of Plain Dealing in Bossier Parish in northwestern Louisiana<ref>''Minden Press,'' November 23, 1959, p. 13.</ref> and Toby O'Rillion, a son-in-law of the former state Senator Gilbert Franklin Hennigan of Beauregard Parish in southwestern Louisiana. On April 19, 1960, Theriot defeated the first and only Republican candidate ever to seek the administrative position of comptroller, Robert Lee Clark, Jr., an [[accountant]] from Many in Sabine Parish, who had been a [[presidential elector]] for Eisenhower in 1952. Theriot polled 86.7 percent of the vote against Clark.​<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, April 19, 1960.</ref>

From 1952 to 1956, Theriot was the sergeant-at-arms for the Louisiana House of Representatives.  On January 11, 1960, Mayor Theriot won the pivotal Democratic nomination for Louisiana comptroller over Mrs. Marion C. Henderson (1920–2010) of Colfax in Grant Parish, the choice of gubernatorial candidate [[Chep Morrison|deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr.]]<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 11, 1960, p. 1.</ref> In the primary held in December 1959, several other candidates were eliminated from the runoff, including the future [[U.S. Representative]] [[Joe Waggonner]] of Plain Dealing in Bossier Parish in northwestern Louisiana<ref>''Minden Press,'' November 23, 1959, p. 13.</ref> and Toby O'Rillion, a son-in-law of the former state Senator Gilbert Franklin Hennigan of Beauregard Parish in southwestern Louisiana. On April 19, 1960, Theriot defeated the first and only Republican candidate ever to seek the administrative position of comptroller, Robert Lee Clark, Jr., an [[accountant]] from Many in Sabine Parish, who had been a presidential elector for Eisenhower in 1952. Theriot polled 86.7 percent of the vote against Clark.​<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, April 19, 1960.</ref>

In December 1963, Theriot faced a primary fight for a second term as comptroller with fellow Democrats George Dupuis, Andrew J. Falcon (1923–1991), and Arthur LeBlanc.<ref>''Minden Press,'' December 9, 1963, p. 1.</ref>  He prevailed in a January 1964 runoff with Falcon. In later elections in 1967 and 1972, Theriot faced minimal or no opposition. He became comptroller in the second administration of Governor [[Jimmie Davis]] and served throughout the tenure of [[John J. McKeithen]] and the first year of [[Edwin Edwards]]' first term.​

In December 1963, Theriot faced a primary fight for a second term as comptroller with fellow Democrats George Dupuis, Andrew J. Falcon (1923–1991), and Arthur LeBlanc.<ref>''Minden Press,'' December 9, 1963, p. 1.</ref>  He prevailed in a January 1964 runoff with Falcon. In later elections in 1967 and 1972, Theriot faced minimal or no opposition. He became comptroller in the second administration of Governor [[Jimmie Davis]] and served throughout the tenure of [[John J. McKeithen]] and the first year of [[Edwin Edwards]]' first term.​

The Theriots were devout [[Roman Catholic]]s; their remains are entombed in St. Mary Magdalen Mausoleum in Abbeville.<ref name=lahist/> They are honored through the Roy and Helen Theriot Memorial Endowed Scholarship in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.​<ref name=scholarship>{{cite web|url=https://www.abbevillenow.com/news/scholarship-set-honor-roy-theriot-sr-will-help-abbeville-high-students-attend-boy-girls-state|title=Scholarship set up in honor of Roy Theriot, Sr., will Help Abbeville High School Students Attend Boy, Girls State|publisher=''Vermilion Today''|date=May 13, 2019|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref>  

The Theriots were devout [[Roman Catholic]]s; their remains are entombed in St. Mary Magdalen Mausoleum in Abbeville.<ref name=lahist/> They are honored through the Roy and Helen Theriot Memorial Endowed Scholarship in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.​<ref name=scholarship>{{cite web|url=https://www.abbevillenow.com/news/scholarship-set-honor-roy-theriot-sr-will-help-abbeville-high-students-attend-boy-girls-state|title=Scholarship set up in honor of Roy Theriot, Sr., will Help Abbeville High School Students Attend Boy, Girls State|publisher=''Vermilion Today''|date=May 13, 2019|accessdate=June 1, 2020}}</ref>  

His papers are located in the ULL Library in Lafayette.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://library.louisiana.edu/collections/university-archives-manuscripts/acadiana-manuscripts-collections/manuscripts-collect-324|title=Roy Raoul Theriot Collection|

His papers are located in the ULL Library in Lafayette.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://library.louisiana.edu/collections/university-archives-manuscripts/acadiana-manuscripts-collections/manuscripts-collect-324|title=Roy Raoul Theriot Collection|publisher=Library.louisiana.edu|accessdate=June 2, 2020}}</ref>

==References==

==References==