Fernand, Édouard, Auguste GAUSSEN was born April 21, 1869 in Clairac. He is the son of Emile Adrien Gaussen, a twenty-nine year old Protestant pastor, and his wife, Pauline, Berthe, Marie Galups, who is twenty-four years old.
His birth declaration was registered by Pierre Dupouy de Bonnegarde, first deputy mayor, in the presence of Édouard Arnaud Dudon, notary, aged twenty-seven, and Pierre Gastou, clog maker, aged thirty-five.
A law graduate from the École des Sciences Politiques, he was attached to the cabinet (personnel office) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 9, 1893. He was appointed student consul on February 9, 1894, and was appointed paid attaché (or diplomatic candidate) to the Cabinet on February 1, 1895.
He was appointed Acting Consul on June 28, 1895, paid attaché to the Consular Branch on November 15, 1895, and to the Minister's Office on June 1, 1896. Appointed Alternate Consul in London on 1 August 1896, then in Tunis on 24 February 1898, he was appointed Officer of the Academy on 24 March 1898.
Appointed Consul 2nd class on March 25, 1899, he was kept out of office and placed at the disposal of the President of the Council, Minister of the Interior on April 16, 1902. He was appointed Director of the Office of the Governor General of Algeria on the same date. He was a member of the Franco-Moroccan Delimitation Commission on May 1, 1902. Knight of Agricultural Merit on January 10, 1903, he was manager of the Consulate of Venice from August 15 to October 1, 1903.
He was made a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur on December 29, 1903. He was appointed Editor at the consulate directorate on January 1, 1904 and Consul 1st class on January 12, 1905.
Member of the International Commission for the distribution of subsidies from the Merchant Navy Premium Fund on July 4, 1907, editor in the Political and Commercial Department on December 28, 1907, he was appointed Consul in Yokohama (Japan) on October 29, 1909.
Appointed Consul General on January 31, 1910, in La Canée on January 8, 1912, in Barcelona on November 4, 1913, he was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary 2nd Class, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in Buenos Aires on March 12, 1918. He was promoted to officier de la Légion d'honneur by decree of January 20, 1919, as Minister Plenipotentiary 2nd class, posted in Buenos Aires (Argentina). He was awarded his officer's cross on September 10, 1919 in Paris. He was promoted commandeur de la Légion d'honneur by decree of February 2, 1929 as Minister Plenipotentiary 1st class, Deputy Director of Administrative Affairs and International Unions. His commander's tie was given to him on February 16, 1929 in Paris.
