Phanor Breazeale

Phanor Breazeale (December 29, 1858 – April 29, 1934) was an American lawyer, local official, and Democratic politician who served three terms as a U.S. Representative for Louisiana’s 4th congressional district from 1899 to 1905. His congressional service, encompassing the Fifty-sixth, Fifty-seventh, and Fifty-eighth Congresses, coincided with a significant period in American history at the turn of the twentieth century, during which he represented the interests of his north Louisiana constituents in the United States House of Representatives.

Breazeale was born in Natchitoches Parish in north central Louisiana. He attended private schools in the region and grew up during the tumultuous years of Reconstruction. In 1877, at the close of Reconstruction, he moved to the town of Natchitoches, the parish seat and the oldest established city in the state. There he entered the workforce in a mercantile establishment, where he was employed for two years. During this time, he began the study of law, laying the foundation for his long professional and political career.

Seeking formal legal training, Breazeale relocated to New Orleans, where he worked as a clerk in the Louisiana Supreme Court while continuing his legal studies. He enrolled in Tulane University Law School and graduated in 1881. That same year he was admitted to the bar, after which he returned to Natchitoches to begin the practice of law. From 1882 to 1884, in addition to his legal work, he was engaged in newspaper work, reflecting an early interest in public affairs and communication that would later support his political endeavors.

Breazeale quickly became active in local education and public service. From 1888 to 1891, he served as president of the Natchitoches Parish School Board, playing a leading role in the administration of the parish’s public schools. His growing prominence in the community led to his election as district attorney for Louisiana’s 10th Judicial District, a position he held from 1892 to 1899. In this capacity he prosecuted criminal cases and represented the state in legal matters across the district. He also participated in state constitutional reform, serving as a member of the Louisiana state constitutional convention of 1898, which produced a constitution that remained in effect for twenty-three years.

Building on his legal and local political experience, Breazeale was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Louisiana’s 4th congressional district. He served in the Fifty-sixth, Fifty-seventh, and Fifty-eighth Congresses from March 4, 1899, to March 3, 1905. As a member of the Democratic Party, he contributed to the legislative process during three terms in office, participating in debates and votes on national policy at a time of rapid economic growth, expanding federal authority, and increasing U.S. involvement in international affairs. Throughout his tenure he took part in the democratic process on behalf of his constituents in north Louisiana. In 1904 he sought renomination but was unsuccessful, losing the Democratic nomination to attorney John T. Watkins of Minden in Webster Parish, who subsequently succeeded him in Congress.

After leaving Congress in March 1905, Breazeale resumed the practice of law in Natchitoches, returning to the profession that had first brought him to public attention. In October 1908 he was appointed a member of a commission charged with codifying Louisiana’s criminal laws and preparing a code of criminal procedure, an assignment that reflected his legal expertise and his continued influence in state affairs. His work on this commission contributed to the modernization and systematization of the state’s criminal justice framework.

Breazeale remained active in Democratic Party politics for the rest of his life. He served as a member of the Democratic State Central Committee from 1908 until his death, helping to shape party policy and strategy in Louisiana over several election cycles. He was also chosen as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1908 and again in 1916, participating in the national party’s deliberations and presidential nomination processes. In addition, he continued his involvement in constitutional matters as a member of the Louisiana state constitutional convention of 1921, which drafted a new governing document for the state.

Phanor Breazeale died in Natchitoches, Louisiana, on April 29, 1934. He was interred in the Catholic Cemetery in Natchitoches, closing a life marked by sustained service as an attorney, local official, state constitutional delegate, party leader, and three-term member of the United States House of Representatives.