US Senator. He graduated from Columbia University in 1810 and became an attorney and businessman, relocating to New Orleans in 1819. From 1829 to 1833 he was Louisiana's United States Attorney. In 1842 Slidell was elected to the US House as a Democrat and served one full term and part of another. In 1845 he was appointed US Minister to Mexico, but the Mexican government, believing that war with the US over Texas was imminent, refused to accept him. In 1853 Slidell was elected to fill a vacancy in the US Senate. He was later elected to a full term and served until February 1861, when he resigned to join the Confederacy. In 1861 he was appointed Commissioner charged with obtaining formal English and French recognition of the Confederate government. Attempting to circumvent a Union blockade, he sailed from Cuba on the British ship Trent. The Trent was overtaken by a Union ship, and Slidell and fellow Commissioner James Murray Mason were imprisoned in Boston. Upon his release in 1862 Slidell left the US and resided in England and France. His daughters married members of the French nobility, with Marie Rosine becoming Countess de Saint-Roman and Matilda becoming Baroness d'Erlanger. The city of Slidell in Louisiana's St. Tammany Parish is named for him. He was originally buried in the Saint Roman family cemetery at the castle of Villejuif. During the second half of the twentieth century, the castle fell into disrepair. The property was divided into two separate units and redeveloped. The castle itself was demolished in 1989 and the family's remains were transferred to the communal cemetery.
US Senator. He graduated from Columbia University in 1810 and became an attorney and businessman, relocating to New Orleans in 1819. From 1829 to 1833 he was Louisiana's United States Attorney. In 1842 Slidell was elected to the US House as a Democrat and served one full term and part of another. In 1845 he was appointed US Minister to Mexico, but the Mexican government, believing that war with the US over Texas was imminent, refused to accept him. In 1853 Slidell was elected to fill a vacancy in the US Senate. He was later elected to a full term and served until February 1861, when he resigned to join the Confederacy. In 1861 he was appointed Commissioner charged with obtaining formal English and French recognition of the Confederate government. Attempting to circumvent a Union blockade, he sailed from Cuba on the British ship Trent. The Trent was overtaken by a Union ship, and Slidell and fellow Commissioner James Murray Mason were imprisoned in Boston. Upon his release in 1862 Slidell left the US and resided in England and France. His daughters married members of the French nobility, with Marie Rosine becoming Countess de Saint-Roman and Matilda becoming Baroness d'Erlanger. The city of Slidell in Louisiana's St. Tammany Parish is named for him. He was originally buried in the Saint Roman family cemetery at the castle of Villejuif. During the second half of the twentieth century, the castle fell into disrepair. The property was divided into two separate units and redeveloped. The castle itself was demolished in 1989 and the family's remains were transferred to the communal cemetery.
Bio by: Bill McKern
Family Members
Siblings
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