Alonzo Michael Morphy

Alonzo Morphy graduated from the Collège d'Orléans 1 and sat before the Louisiana State Supreme Court for examination on January 7, 1819. He establish a law practice at what was then 61 Toulouse Street, one block up from St. Peter Street, at the French Quarter.

In 1825 and again in 1829, Alonzo would be elected to the House of Representatives. Also in 1829, he would be appointed Attorney General of Louisiana. The next month he would be married to Louise Thérèse Felicite Thelcide Le Carpentier, the daughter of Joseph Essau Le Carpentier and Modest Blache in the St. Louis Cathedral by Reverend Abbé Moni. During his career, Alonzo would become regent of the New Orleans Public Schools, administrator of the Charity Hospital and director of the Bank of Louisiana. In 1839, he was appointed a justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, a position he would hold until 1846.

On November 22, 1856, Paul’s father, Alonzo, age 57, died. In September, 1856, Alonzo received a cut above the eye from a Panama hat worn by a friend. He had turned to speak to his friend, and the brim of the hat cut his eye. The cut led to congestion of the brain. Alonzo left an estate of $146,162.54 (over $3 million in today’s currency) and owned two slaves (worth $1,700 according to the inventory of Alonzo’s estate).

On November 23, 1856, Alonzo Morphy’s funeral was held. The funeral was said to be one of the largest ever held in New Orleans.