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J. Rayburn Bertrand Scrapbooks

Collection 184

Bertrand, J. Rayburn (1918–2005). Scrapbooks, 1959–1972, 2001

22 feet, 1.5 inches; 3 reels [microfilm]

J. Rayburn Bertrand was born in 1918 in Kinder, Louisiana. He married Julie Burgin and they had one daughter. He attended Lafayette High School and University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette). Bertrand was a fighter pilot early in World War II, flying out of England with the 84th Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group. For two years, he flew 88 combat missions, earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses and seven Air Medals. His group also was honored with the Presidential Unit Citation. He retired as a lieutenant colonel.

Bertrand was the fifteenth mayor of Lafayette, serving from 1960 to 1972. He led Lafayette through a period of unprecedented growth and the turbulent civil rights era. During his term as mayor, the city’s population grew from about 40,000 to about 75,000, and the city expanded from 8.25 square miles to 24 square miles. 

Bertrand’s accomplishments were appreciated in Lafayette and gained state recognition. He received two “Project Earth” awards for activities and programs which improved the environment, and the Mayor-of-the-Year citation for the state of Louisiana in 1962.

This collection contains five volumes of scrapbooks while he was mayor of Lafayette, each having been microfilmed. Also included is a Bertrand family genealogy scrapbook that was compiled by Velia Bertrand Jr. who is a distant cousin of Bertrand.

Henrietta Bertrand Boriskie donated the collection.

Series:

A. Bertrand Family Genealogy Box 1
B. Scrapbooks Box 2 through 6
C. Microfilm 3 reels

Inventory:

A. Bertrand Family Genealogy
  1-01 Bertrands, Spouses, and Kinfolks (as of 16 August 2001)
  1-02 Louis Bertrand Descendants, 1-50, 1 August 2001
  1-03 Louis Bertrand Descendants, 51-101, 1 August 2001
  1-04 Louis Bertrand Descendants, 102-153, 1 August 2001
  1-05 Louis Bertrand Descendants, 154-200, 1 August 2001
  1-06 Louis Bertrand Descendants, 201-262, 1 August 2001
  1-07 Louis Bertrand Descendants, 263-304, 1 August 2001
  1-08 Louis Bertrand Descendants, 305-352, 1 August 2001
  1-09 Louis Bertrand Descendants, 353-510, 1 August 2001
     
B. Scrapbooks
  Box 2: 1959-1962
  Box 3: 1962-1965, Group Photos 1961
  Box 4: 1965-1967
  Box 5: 1967-1968
  Box 6: 1969-1972
     
C. Microfilm
  Reel 1: Book 1: 1959-1962
    Book 2: 1962-1965
  Reel 2: Book 2: 1962-1965 (con't)
    Book 3: 1965-1967
    Book 4: 1967-1968
  Reel 3: Book 4: 1967-1968 (con't.)
    Book 5: 1969-1972