▁construction ▁of ▁St . ▁Anne ' s ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁in ▁Napoleon ville , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁church ▁trust ee ▁and ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁his ▁local ▁chapter ▁of ▁the ▁Catholic ▁men ' s ▁organization , ▁the ▁Kn ights ▁of ▁Columb us . ▁ ▁Until ▁he ▁was ▁six teen ▁years ▁old , ▁Gilbert ▁attended ▁the ▁public ▁and ▁private ▁schools ▁of ▁Ass umption ▁Par ish . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 5 , ▁he ▁began ▁his ▁studies ▁at ▁the ▁Tul ane ▁University ▁Law ▁School ▁in ▁New ▁Orleans , ▁from ▁which ▁he ▁obtained ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁La ws ▁degree . ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 8 9 4 , ▁Gilbert ▁married ▁El la ▁Marie ▁Sav o ie . ▁The ▁couple ▁had ▁eight ▁children . ▁ ▁Political ▁offices ▁ ▁Gilbert ▁ran ▁un success fully ▁for ▁lieutenant ▁governor ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁against ▁H ew itt ▁Bou an cha ud , ▁who ▁was ▁elected ▁along ▁with ▁John ▁M . ▁Parker ▁as ▁governor . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁state ▁sen ator ▁for ▁Ass umption , ▁La four che , ▁and ▁Ter re bon ne ▁par ishes ▁in ▁what ▁was ▁then ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁District . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁Senate ▁President ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁and ▁the ▁Senate ▁President ▁Pro ▁Temp ore ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 0 . ▁Gilbert ▁was ▁also ▁the