1925 Biography - John B. Heroman

John B. Heroman. In his native city of Baton Rouge Mr. Heroman holds the office of cashier of the Louisiana National Bank, one of the strong and well ordered financial institutions that play a large part in conserving the civic and business interests of the capital city.

Mr. Heroman was born at Baton Rouge on the 14th of June, 1880, and in this city was born also his father, Fred W. Heroman, the date of whose nativity was January 23, 1845. Fred W. Heroman has continuously maintained his home in Baton Rouge during the long intervening years, and here resides at 545 Main Street. His early education included a course in the celebrated R. D. Wilson School, and he has long been engaged in the mercantile business in Baton Rouge. He first entered business at the corner of Church and Florida streets, occupying the corner space of the three-story building which today still stands and is owned by Mrs. T. P. Singletary and occupied by the Baton Rouge Business College and other business concerns. This building was erected by his father. In 1879 he established the store at the corner of Main and Church streets, and has been actively engaged in business there for forty-five years, and the enterprise is now conducted under the title of F. W. Heroman & Son. Mr. Heroman is one of the veteran and honored business men of his native city, and still gives personal supervision to his substantial business. He has been for a full quarter of a century the treasurer of the local organization of Catholic Knights of America, and he and his wife are zealous communicants of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, of which he is a trustee.

Fred W. Heroman was a valiant young soldier of the Confederacy in the Civil war. On the 29th of April, 1861, he entered service as a member of the local military organization known as the Pelican Rifles, and oil the 17th of the following month this command was mustered into the Confederate Army as Company K, Third Louisiana Infantry. He lived up to the full tension of the great conflict, took part in many engagements, and in all the later years has retained a deep interest in his old comrades, as is indicated by the fact that for fully thirty years he has held the office of adjutant of the East Baton Rouge Parish organization of the United Confederate Veterans.

Mr. Heroman married Miss Anna Gass, and they have four children, of whom the eldest is John B. immediate subject of this review; Fred I. is associated with his father in business as junior member of the firm of F. W. Heroman & Son; Lee C. is an accountant for the Standard Oil Company of Louisiana, and in his native city resides at 536 Fifth Street; and Irene is the wife of Clarence E. Girod, who likewise is here in the employ of the Standard Oil Company of Louisiana.

In St. Vincent's Academy, at Baton Rouge, J B. Heroman was graduated as a member of the of 1898, and thereafter he spent one year as a student in the Louisiana State University. He then, in entered the employ of William Garig, one of the substantial capitalists and influential citizens of Baton Rouge. In 1903 he was transferred, to Garig Hardware Company and was given in 1908 the position of bookkeeper in the First National Bank, of which Mr. Garig was the largest stockholder and Mrs. D. M. Reymond was the president. When this institution was absorbed by the Louisiana National Bank, in October, 1910. Mr. Heroman was retained in the position of general bookkeeper, besides being assigned to the position of note clerk. Efficiency and reliability have brought him advancement, and since 1918 he has held the important executive office of cashier of the Louisiana National Bank. The bank building, of terra cotta and pressed brick construction, is situated at 211 Third Street, and when completed in 1910 was one of the most modern and admirably equipped banking structures in this part of the state. The success of the institution from its very start in 1910 was so pronounced and the business became so large that early in 1904 it was decided that larger quarters were a positive necessity. The first statement of the Louisiana National Bank in 1910 showed deposits, including savings, $987,270.40. The statement issued December 31, 1924, showed deposits, including savings, amounting to $4,374,608.23. At the corner of Third and Convention streets there is 110W being erected (1924) a most ornate building of twelve stories. The base of the building is of polish granite, the first and second stories of Bedford stone, and the remainder of the building of pressed brick with terra cotta trimmings. The first and second stories, with the basement, will be occupied by the bank, the remainder of the building to be fitted up with one hundred fifty modern and up-to-date offices, admirably arranged to accommodate individual rooms or in suites. The building, when completed, will be the tallest in Louisiana outside of New Orleans and Shreveport, and is a testimony of the progressiveness of the institution and a monument to the rapidly growing City of Baton Rouge.

Mr. Heroman naturally finds alignment in the local cohorts of the democratic party, and he and his wife are active communicants of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, on the executive committee of which he is giving efficient service. He was the third grand knight of Baton Rouge Council No. 969, Knights of Columbus, is all active member and loyal supporter of the Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, a Rotarian and is a member of the Baton Rouge Golf and Country Club. He is the owner of valuable real estate in his native City, including his attractive home place at 330 Fifth Street. He has also well improved farm property in East Baton Rouge Parish.

On the 3d of February, 1910, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Heroman and Miss Frances Stevens, daughter of Charles B. and Eloise (Morrow) Stevens, and the two children of this union are John B., Jr., and Eloise Gertrude, the former of whom is a student in St. Vincent's Academy, and the latter in St. Joseph's Academy.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from A History of Louisiana, by Henry E. Chambers, published in 1925, volume 2, pages 182-183.