MySource:Aberksan/List of the First Families of Imperial Calcasieu Parish

Janice Batte Craven and La Vaughn H. "LV" Hayes lvhayes@worldnet.att.net

Source

List of First Families of Calcasieu Parish

Background

When Calcasieu Parish was formed in 1840 from St. Landry Parish, it included the modern parishes of Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, and Jefferson Davis, as well as the part of Cameron Parish west of the Mermentau River and the parts of Rapides and Vernon Parishes south of the 31st parallel. In 1870, the areas now belonging to Cameron, Rapides, and Vernon were detached, and in 1912, Allen, Beauregard, and Jefferson Davis were carved out of the old parish. This old parish of the period 1840-1912 is often called Imperial Calcasieu in order to distinguish it from the much smaller modern Calcasieu.

The first federal census of Imperial Calcasieu was taken shortly after its creation in early 1840. The families living in the parish at that time may be regarded as its first families. The census takers listed 263 households containing a total of 2,055 persons.

In our presentation, we identify 164 families, some of which occupied several households. The location of these households was not identified in the census, but they must have been scattered far and wide over this huge territory.

In the 1840 census, only heads of household were identified by name. Other household members were identified by enumeration in one of 13 age groups. The basic purpose of this study is to identify all members of all households by name and actual year of birth. Family members born after the time of the 1840 census are not included. When name or year is uncertain, it is followed by a question mark in the listing below.

Needless to say, this is a very difficult project, and the writers could use a little friendly assistance. With that in mind, this document is placed online as a work in progress for the following two reasons. First, it provides an online source for any person interested in a family which was in Imperial Calcasieu Parish at the time of its formation in 1840. Second, it offers an opportunity for the public to participate in this project in the following manner. Anyone who has data to fill the obvious gaps in our knowledge of the first families or corrections to the data presented here may send his or her contribution to LV Hayes at the above-cited e-mail address, and it will be added to this document after evaluation. As gaps are filled or corrections made, updated versions will be posted online. Whenever the final version is published, contributors will be identified by name and location.

Legend

• Fam number of family (not on census, assigned by authors according to first letter of surname)
• HH number of household (not on census, assigned by authors according to appearance of household on census)
• TFOB timeframe of birth (census age groups are converted to birth timeframes, e.g. a person listed in the age group 20-29 is cited as born in the timeframe 1811-20)
• YOB actual year of birth (not on census)
• POB place of birth (not on census)

Families

Michel Benoit

Fam HH Household Members TFOB Identification YOB POB

• 53 BENOIT, Michael 1811-20 1808? LA
• female 1811-20 Lisa 1824? LA
• female 1831-35
• male 1831-35 Michel 1834? LA
• male 1836-40 Jean Baptiste 1836? LA
• female 1836-40 Helenise 1839? LA
• female 1821-25
• female 1826-30

Cyprien Duon (Duhon)

Fam HH Household Members TFOB Identification YOB POB

044. DUON [DUHON]. Two households, apparently of two brothers.

• 51 DUHON, Cyprien 1791-1800 1803 LA
• female 1791-1800 Julie GRANGER 1804 LA
• male 1811-20 Jean Sarazin 1820 LA
• female 1821-25 Marie Azelie 1823 LA
• female 1821-25
• male 1826-30 Joseph Camille 1825 LA
• male 1826-30 Clairville 1827 LA

• 36 DUHON, Onesime 1811-20
• female 1791-1800

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