52 Ancestors: #3 Maurice BONEAUX

Amy Johnson Crow at No Story Too Small has challenged the genea-blogging community to blog about one ancestor per week in a series called 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. This week I will blog about my 2x great-grandfather, Maurice BONEAUX. He was the maternal grandfather and namesake of my paternal grandfather, Benford Maurice TRAHAN. He died just six months before Benford was born. Maurice has always intrigued me because of the family stories told about him and the fact that his paternal line was not Cajun French. Three out of the four 2x great-grandparents on my paternal grnadfather's side are Cajun French. Maurice is the only one who isn't.

The family story is that his father came over directly from France as a stowaway on a ship. I have not determined whether the stowaway part is true, but records do support the fact that his father was born in France. Maurice's son-in-law, my great-grandfather, Bienvenue TRAHAN, was very fond of Maurice. According to Bienvenue, Maurice never ceased to amaze him as he went from one business opportunity to another during the Great Depression, always making money. He told stories about Maurice selling gambling machines to various businesses. Bienvenue would be the lookout that stayed in the car to protect the money as Maurice went from business to business collecting his share of the gambling machine profits. He also told stories about Maurice selling cars. He would drive around until he saw a bunch of kids hanging out on the porch and then ask them if they wanted to see his car. Then he would tell the kids that they needed to help him get their dad to buy the car.

Here are the facts I know about Maurice:

• According to a transcription of baptismal records from St. John's Cathedral in Lafayette, Louisiana, Maurice was born 13 Aug 1883 to Dominique BONEAUX and Marie Alida MOUTON.  He was the third and youngest child born to Dominique and Alida.
• On 10 Sep 1908, 25-year-old Maurice married 17-year-old Marie Alice SONNIER, daughter of Numa SONNIER and Marie Edmonia DOMINGUE, at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Carencro, Lafayette, Louisiana. 
• Marie Florine BONEAUX was born 11 months later to Maurice and Marie Alice on 7 Aug 1909 and baptized 2 Sep 1909 at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Scott, Lafayette, Louisiana. 
• Sadly, Marie Florine died three weeks later and was buried on 19 Sep 1909. She was buried in the same church cemetery where she was baptized. 
• Maurice and Marie Alice are found living in Police Jury Ward 1 of Lafayette Parish in the 1910 census. Funnily enough, the family stories about Maurice always trying new business opportunities is supported by his occupation on the census. He is listed as a barber, farmer, and salesman. They lived next door to Maurice's parents and his older brother, Joseph.
• My great-grandmother, Beatrice Marie BONEAUX, was born to Maurice and Marie Alice on 26 Aug 1910. She was baptized on 1 Oct 1910 at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church.
• In Sep 1918, Maurice registered for the WWI draft. He was living in Scott and listed his occupation as a self-employed farmer.
• In 1920, Maurice, Marie Alice, and Beatrice are found in Police Jury Ward 1 of Lafayette Parish. Maurice's occupation was a self-employed farmer. There was a 15-year-old black male named Joe Green who was also living in the household. His occupation was given as servant for a private family. I presume he must have worked for the family, possibly helping out on the farm. 
• In 1930, Maurice, Marie Alice, Beatrice, and now Bienvenue TRAHAN were found in Police Jury Ward 1. Beatrice and Bienvenue had married just a year earlier on 14 Sep 1929. Maurice had no occupation listed. Bienvenue was listed as an unemployed laborer of odd jobs. 
• Maurice died at the age of 51 on 5 Sep 1934 in Scott, Lafayette, Louisiana, from tuberculosis. He was buried the following day in the Sts. Peter and Paul church cemetery. Sadly, he never got to meet his only grandchild who would be named for him 6 months later.
• Maurice's wife, Marie Alice, continued to live on the family land for several more years. The land is still owned by my dad and his brothers today. It's about 40 acres of land just outside Scott. Maurice and Marie Alice's house is still standing (albeit in not so great condition). 

Maurice sounds like such an interesting person from the records and family stories. I would like to find some newspapers from the time period to see if he was ever mentioned. I imagine he would have made some good headlines.

Finally Visited the Old Homestead

March is flying by! I just realized I haven't posted anything since the March goals post at the beginning of the month. I just returned from a trip to Las Vegas to help my little brother move. He worked in the IT department at a casino here in Louisiana, and they recently promoted him to work at the corporate office in Vegas. The trip was a lot of fun because I had never been there before, but it sure feels good to be home again (my husband couldn't make the trip, so I greatly missed him!).

Why do I mention this and what does this have to do with my trip to the family homestead? Well, my brother lived with my parents two hours away from me in Louisiana, so my dad agreed to meet my husband and me halfway between their home and our home the night before we began our trip. It didn't make sense for my brother to drive east to get me because that would be in the opposite direction of our route. The halfway point just happens to be near the land my great-great-grandparents lived on in Scott, Louisiana, which my grandmother still owns. The land was owned by my great-great grandparents, Maurice BONEAUX and Marie Alice SONNIER, and it's possible that the land was previously owned by Maurice's parents, Dominique BONEAUX and Alida MOUTON. I need to research the land records at the Lafayette Parish Courthouse to verify this. There is currently a house and a barn located on the property. The house belonged to Maurice and Marie. The property was never sold and was passed down to my great-grandparents and then to my grandparents.

Originally, we were going to meet my dad in Lafayette, but my dad was running behind, so we drove a little further west to Scott and decided to stop at the house, since it was still daylight. When I had previously visited the area, the house was occupied by tenants, so I wasn't able to go inside. In December, my grandmother ended the lease and the tenants had to move. My husband was scared to go inside at first because the side door was unlocked and he was worried about squatters with weapons. I told him we were in the middle of the country, but he said that's how all true crime begins (in an area where you least expect it). After peeking in the windows for awhile, we decided it was safe to go inside (I was more worried about rodents).

Other than the front porch falling apart and the side door missing steps, the house was in decent shape inside. You can tell it has been added on to over the years. There is a room with several windows that was added on to the south side of the house off the kitchen. I suppose it was intended to be a second bedroom, or possibly even a living area. This is the room that the side door opens into. The floor is this room is a white linoleum tile (the same floor that is in the neighboring kitchen). Here are some pics of this room (it looks like the children leasing the house had a fun time drawing on the walls):

 

The front door opened into the living room. The living room was fairly small and had a Disney Princess poster still hanging on the wall. Makes me wonder if the family used this as a bedroom, since it was smaller than the added-on room above. The floor in the living room was wood. It could have been laminate, but it appeared to be real wood. I have a feeling it might be the original floor. The blinds were really torn up, and the floor had lots of scratches and nicks on it. There was a coat closet in the living room.

Just off the living room was the dining room. It appeared to be a little larger than the living room. It also had wood floors. The door in the picture below goes to the original bedroom.

The bedroom off the dining room had wood floors as well. The blinds in this room were torn up like the ones in the living room.

On the backside of the dining room was the kitchen. I'm beginning to wonder if the kitchen was added on later as well, especially since the bathroom is off the kitchen. I know kitchens have not always been attached to the house, and it has the same flooring as the second bedroom that was added on. There used to be a window unit above the sink, and now the window won't close. There is some insulation on the window that is stopping it from closing.

This is where the appliances used to be. My husband is standing in the doorway to the added-on bedroom.

The doorway on the back of the kitchen leads to the laundry area and a very small bathroom. There is also a back door that goes out to the attached carport. The carport is falling apart, so I didn't try this door.

My husband thinks I'm crazy, but I would like to fix this little house up. I don't want to live in it myself because it would be way too small for us, but I really like it and don't want it to fall apart. Next weekend I think I am going down there with a mop and a broom and some cleaners to see what I can do. Of course, there is probably lots more work that needs to be done than just cleaning, but it's a start. The house probably needs to be leveled. Someone probably needs to check it for termites too. We definitely need to paint. The porches obviously need to be fixed. We need to build a wheelchair ramp to help my grandmother get in the house. Overall, I think we probably need a home inspector to check it out and gives us his advice. My grandmother and sister are the only other two people even remotely interested in this house.

In the meantime, my grandmother is getting the whole property surveyed. She thinks it contains around 40 acres, but it has been so long since someone in the family familiar with the property was living, that we need a surveyor to help us. None of us live right in the area either, which makes it more difficult. I live about one hour east, and she lives about one hour west.

UPDATE: I previously mentioned a new blog on here about the land in Scott. For personal reasons, I've decided to make that blog private for now. Please email me at jtrahan81 at gmail.com if you would like to be a follower.

Census Sunday: BONO/BONEAUX in 1920

This week I am featuring my great-great-grandparents, Maurice and Marie Alice (Sonnier) BONEAUX in the 1920 census for the Census Sunday post series. They were living in Police Jury Ward 1 of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, which I believe includes the present-day unincorporated area of Ossun. They were also living there in 1930. My family still owns this land. My great-grandmother, Beatrice, their only child, was age 9 at the time (though she is listed here as 10 years old). Their native tongue was French, and Marie could not read or write nor speak English. They had a 15-year-old servant named Joe Green living with them. Maurice was a farmer, so I am assuming Joe probably helped Maurice out on the farm. Joe's race is hard to determine. It looks like he was black, but someone tried to write either white or mulatto as well. I may have found Joe in the 1930 census living in Baton Rouge, and his race is listed as mulatto.

1920 U.S. census, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, population schedule, Police Jury Ward 1, enumeration district (ED) 27, sheet 9B, dwelling 123, family 126, Maurice Bono household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 December 2011); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 615.

Maurice Bono Head M W 37 M LA LA LA Farmer

Marie Bono Wife F W 27 M LA LA LA 

Beadrise Bono Daughter F W 10 S LA LA LA

Joe Green Servant M B(?) 15 S LA LA LA Servant for private family

Census Sunday: My Great-Great-Grandparents in 1930

Three weeks ago, I started a Census Sunday series, in which I featured the census records showing my great-grandparents in 1930. I skipped the next two weeks because my mom was visiting from Louisiana two weeks ago, and last week I was in Louisiana visiting. Now that I am back on track, this post will feature my great-great-grandparents in 1930.

Oscar TRAHAN and Bertha DUHON

1930 U.S. census, Harris County, Texas, population schedule, Justice Precinct 3, enumeration district (ED) 178, sheet 32A, dwelling 587, family 649, Oscar Trahan household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 June 2011); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 2352.

This is my great-great-grandfather, Oscar, and his second wife, Bertha. He ran off to Texas to work for the oil refineries after he left his first wife. I cannot seem to find his first wife, Virginia PREJEAN, in 1930. They divorced around 1920. She had a child with a man named DOMINGUE in 1926, and then she married a SCHENKEL in 1932. I looked for Virginia and her son, Claude DOMINGUE, but I have not been able to find them in 1930. I also looked for her future husband, Louis SCHENKEL, but she was not with him either in 1930. I'm just going to have to order Claude's SS-5 application to see who his father was. Perhaps they were with his father in 1930. DOMINGUE is a very hard name to find in the census. It is pronounced like the word "domain," so you can imagine how it gets spelled. Oscar and Virginia's only chld, Bienvenue, was featured in my last Census Sunday post in the home of his father-in-law (see below).

Maurice BONEAUX and Marie Alice SONNIER

Maurice and Marie were the parents of my great-grandmother, Beatrice Marie BONEAUX. They were featured in the last Census Sunday post, since my great-grandparents, Beatrice and Bienvenue, were living with them.

John Henry MERTENA and Blanche WELDEN
John and Blanche were the parents of my great-grandfather, Merlen Paris MERTENA. They were featured in the last Census Sunday post, since my great-grandfather was still single and living at home with them.

William Harmon PROFFITT and Emmer Link BAKER

1930 U.S. census, Creek County, Oklahoma, population schedule, Mannford, enumeration district (ED) 24, sheet 3A, dwelling 49, family 51, William H. Proffitt household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 June 2011); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1900.

William and Emmer were the parents of my great-grandmother, Hassie Cora PROFFITT. They were living in Mannford, Creek, Oklahoma, where William was a Methodist minister. Creek is just one county west of Tulsa County. They moved around Oklahoma a lot since William was a minister. I really need to dig into church history and find out where all his appointments were located. My great-grandmother, Hassie, was not living with them. Her younger sister, Bessie, was the only child living at home in 1930. Hassie was probably boarding with a family near where she was teaching, but I haven't been able to find her yet in the 1930 census. I'm not precisely sure where she was teaching. I know that at one time between 1925 and 1930, she was teaching in Pawnee County, just one county north of Creek County.

Lovell Hugh PEMBERTON and Alvina Mary LESPERANCE

1930 U.S. census, St. Clair County, Michigan, population schedule, Kimball Township, enumeration district (ED) 20, sheets 17A-B, dwelling 391, family 394, Lovell H. Pemberton household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 December 2005); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1024

Lovell and Alvina were the parents of my great-grandfather, John Vital "Jack" Pemberton, who was already married and living with his wife and two children in Port Huron, St. Clair, Michigan, in 1930. Lovell and Alvina were living on Ditty Road in Kimball Township, not too far from Port Huron. Every census year, they seem to migrate further north. Their youngest four children were still living at home in 1930. Lovell was a blacksmith, and the oldest of the four children at home, Madeline, was a laborer in the salt plant. Morton Salt Company had large operations in Marysville, Michigan, just a few miles from Kimball Township, so I presume she worked for them.

Ernest George CRYSLER

1930 U.S. census, Sanilac County, Michigan, population schedule, Fremont Township, enumeration district (ED) 17, sheets 5B-6A, dwelling 114, family 116, Mary Crysler household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 June 2011); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1028.

Ernest was the father of my great-grandmother, Mabel CRYSLER. Mabel was already married in 1930 and living with her husband, John Vital "Jack" Pemberton, and two children in Port Huron. Ernest was a farmer living with his mother, Mary (Molesworth) CRYSLER, in Fremont Township, Sanilac, Michigan, in 1930. Ernest's first wife and Mabel's mother, Nellie REYNOLDS, died in 1917. He remarried Minnie SIBLEY in 1919. I'm a little confused because this lists Ernest as a widower, and Minnie is also listed as a widower, living with her mother, Pauline CAMPBELL, in Port Huron in 1930. It seems Ernest and Minnie must have had an unhappy union. Interestingly, Minnie was 10 years older than Ernest. Ernest's sons, George and Harold, were living with him in 1930. George was working as a farm laborer.

Alexander CURRIE and Mary RAYMOND
Alexander and Mary are not found in the 1930 census because they both died prior to 1930. They were the parents of my great-grandfather, Archie CURRIE. Alexander died in 1909, and Mary died in 1920.

Robert PLAINE and Florence Minnie HILLMAN
Robert and Flora are not found in the 1930 census because they were living in Ontario, Canada in 1930. They never immigrated to the U.S. They were the parents of my great-grandmother, Jennie Grace Christina PLAINE, who immigrated in the 1920s.

Census Sunday: My Great-Grandparents in 1930

I got the idea for this post from Leah over at Leah's Family Tree. Like Leah, in order to get ready for the 1940 census release in 2012, I need to get my census records I already have in order. Each week, I intend to post the census records I have for a particular family generation or family group in a particular census year. This week I am posting on my great-grandparents that I have found in the 1930 census. As I post, I will make sure the source is properly cited in my RootsMagic database. This week I am starting with my great-grandparents in 1930.

1930 U.S. census, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, population schedule, Police Jury Ward 1, enumeration district (ED) 3, sheet 3A, dwelling 45, family 45, Maurice Boneaux household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 June 2011); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 797

This is the census record of my great-grandparents, Bienvenue and Beatrice (Boneaux) TRAHAN and my great-great-grandparents, Maurice and Marie Alice (Sonnier) BONEAUX. They were living in Police Jury Ward 1 in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. I believe this is the modern-day rural community of Ossun and the family property that my family still owns. Bienvenue and Beatrice had just gotten married 14 Sep 1929 and were living with Beatrice's parents. My paternal grandfather would not be born until 1935. I believe this census record has Maurice's father's birthplace incorrect. It says he was born in Louisiana, but all other records say he was born in France. It also has Maurice's age wrong by about five years. Church records say he was born in 1883, not 1877-1878, as suggested by his age here. Everyone else's age is also off by a year or two when compared with church baptismal records.

It's funny how this census record confirms a story that Bienvenue told me about two years before he died in 2006. He said that Beatrice actually asked him to marry her and he said that he couldn't marry her because he had no money to support her. She said that was okay because they could just live with her dad and he would support them. If you look at the census, Bienvenue's job is listed as laborer at odd jobs, but "laborer" is crossed out and "none" is written across it. He is given a number on the unemployment schedule.

1930 U.S. census, Logan County, Oklahoma, population schedule, Mulhall Township, enumeration district (ED) 23, sheet 5A, dwelling 73, family 80, John H. Mertena household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 June 2011); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1912

This is the census record of my great-grandfather, Merlen Paris MERTENA, and my great-great-grandparents, John Henry and Blanche (Welden) MERTENA. Merlen is the father of my paternal grandmother. He was 19 and single, still living at home with his parents in Mulhall, Logan, Oklahoma, in April 1930. He and my great-grandmother, Hassie Cora PROFFITT, did not marry until 14 Feb 1931. My great-great-grandfather was listed as a farmer, which coincides with all the stories my grandmother has told me about him.

And speaking of Hassie, I have not been able to find her in the 1930 census. She was a teacher in 1930, so I believe the family she boarded with may not have included her in the enumeration. I need to dig into school records some more to find out exactly where she was teaching in 1930. I have checked her parents' household in 1930, but she was not included in their enumeration.

1930 U.S. census, St. Clair County, Michigan, population schedule, city of Port Huron, enumeration district (ED) 37, sheet 19B, dwelling 453, family 472, John V. Pemberton household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 December 2005); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1025.

This is the census record of my grandfather, John Peter PEMBERTON and my great-grandparents, John Vital "Jack" and Mabel Ellen (Crysler) PEMBERTON. John Peter is my maternal grandfather and the only grandparent who was born before 1930. They were living at 1650 McPherson Street in Port Huron, St. Clair, Michigan. Jack and Mabel had married 2 1/2 years earlier on 7 Aug 1927 in Port Huron. John Peter was 2 years old (born 18 Nov 1928) and his little sister, Eva, was born just two months before the census in 1930. Jack was working as a laborer at the country club. From city directories, I have found that 1650 McPherson was at the intersection of 13th Avenue, not far from where McPherson dead-ends at the Black River.

1930 U.S. census, Sanilac County, Michigan, population schedule, Flynn Township, enumeration district (ED) 15, sheet 3B, dwelling 67, family 67, Archie Curry household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 June 2011); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1028.

This is the census record of my great-grandparents, Archie and Jennie (Plaine) CURRIE (spelled CURRY here). They were living on their farm in Flynn Township, Sanilac, Michigan. This is one county north of St. Clair County, where my maternal grandfather's family was located in 1930. Archie and Jennie married on 27 Aug 1924 in Jennie's hometown of Euphemia Township, Lambton, Ontario. They had two children before 1930, but both died very young. They likely died before the 1930 census because they are not enumerated. Their third child, my maternal grandmother, Violet Mae CURRIE, would not be born until October 1930.

I hope you have enjoyed my tour through the 1930 census. I now have all four of the census records featured here sourced in my database.

Surname Saturday: BONEAUX

This Surname Saturday post focuses on the ancestors of my great-grandmother, Beatrice Marie BONEAUX. She was my paternal grandfather's mother. She is in the pic on my blog banner with the BONEAUX name written across it. This is one of my few Louisiana lines that is not of Acadian/Cajun descent. My great-great-great grandfather, Dominique BONEAUX, immigrated from France to Louisiana sometime before Dec 1869. The family story says that he met my great-great-great grandmother, Marie Alida MOUTON, while working at a restaurant in New Orleans. It does appear that Marie's stepfather, Gabriel DUBAN, owned property in New Orleans and was living there at the time of the 1870 census. Gabriel was also from France, so I have always wondered if he and Dominique knew each from the old country.

1. Jennifer Nicole TRAHAN (me)

2. Michael David TRAHAN (my dad)

4. Benford Maurice TRAHAN (my paternal grandfather)

9. Beatrice Marie BONEAUX was born 26 Aug 1910 in Scott, Lafayette, Louisiana. She died 21 Jun 1993 in Sulphur, Calcasieu, Louisiana and was buried 23 Jun 1993 at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery in Scott, Lafayette, Louisiana. She was the daughter of 18. Maurice BONEAUX and 19. Marie Alice SONNIER. She married 8. Bienvenue TRAHAN 14 Sep 1929 at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Scott, Lafayette, Louisiana. He was born 26 Oct 1908 in Vatican, Lafayette, Louisiana, and died 18 Mar 2006 in Lake Charles, Calcasieu, Louisiana. He was the son of 16. Oscar TRAHAN and 17. Virginia PREJEAN.

18. Maurice BONEAUX was born 13 Aug 1883 in Scott, Lafayette, Louisiana and was baptized at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana. He died 5 Sep 1934 in Scott, Lafayette, Louisiana, and was buried 6 Sep 1934 at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery in Scott, Lafayette, Louisiana. He was the son of 36. Dominique BONEAUX and 37. Marie Alida MOUTON. He married 19. Marie Alice SONNIER 10 Sep 1908 at St. Peter Catholic Church in Carencro, Lafayette, Louisiana. She was born 7 Sep 1891 in Carencro, Lafayette, Louisiana, and was baptized 24 Oct 1891 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana. She died 7 May 1970 in Vinton, Calcasieu, Louisiana, and was buried 9 May 1970 at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery in Scott, Lafayette, Louisiana. She was the daughter of 38. Joseph Numa SONNIER and 39. Marie Edmonia DOMINGUE.

36. Dominique BONEAUX was born about Jan 1837 in France. He died between 1910 and 1920, probably in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. He was the son of 72. Dominique BONEAUX and 73. Marie LACOSTE. He married 37. Marie Alida MOUTON 7 Dec 1869 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana. She was born 25 May 1840 and was baptized at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana. She died 22 Mar 1924 in Scott, Lafayette, Louisiana, and was buried at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery in Scott, Lafayette, Louisiana. She was the daughter of 74. Cyprien MOUTON and 75. Cidalise Elizabeth DUGAS.

My Great-Great Grandparents' Home

In a previous post, I featured the two homes of my great-grandparents, Bienvenue and Beatrice Marie (Boneaux) Trahan, after they moved to Vinton, Louisiana. The home featured above is the home that Beatrice grew up in. It is located near the corner of Hwy 93 and Wyman Road in Lafayette Parish in Ossun, Louisiana (just outside of the town of Scott). The home remains in the family, though it is leased by a non-family member who lives in that area.

Beatrice's parents were Maurice Boneaux and Marie Alice (Sonnier) Boneaux. Maurice and Marie married 10 Sep 1908 at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Scott. Beatrice was born 26 Aug 1910 and baptized at the same church.

According to my paternal grandmother, there was another smaller house on the property, which Maurice's father, Dominique Boneaux, had built. This makes sense, as the 1910 census shows Dominique and Alida (Mouton) Boneaux, Maurice's parents, living next door to Maurice and Marie. That smaller house is no longer standing.

Bienvenue and Beatrice lived on the property with Maurice and Marie after they married in 1929. Bienvenue and Beatrice are the parents of my paternal grandfather. I'm trying to remember if my grandfather was born in this house featured here or in the smaller house (I'll have to ask him again). I know he was born in his grandmother's house, though I can't seem to remember if Marie moved into the smaller house after Bienvenue and Beatrice married, or if Bienvenue and Beatrice moved into the smaller house. I know Maurice died in Sep 1934, and I think this is when Marie moved into the smaller house. My grandfather was born in 1935. Questions, Questions!!

UPDATE: I talked to my grandfather this morning. I had a few things mixed up. There was an older house on the property, which was probably inhabited by Dominique and Alida. They were his great-grandparents, but they both died before he was born. The older house was torn down, and Bienvenue and Beatrice built a new house on the property. This new house is where my grandfather was born. This new house was sold many years ago and moved off the property. He verified that the house that is featured here was his grandmothers' house. I thought his delayed birth certificate said he was born at his grandmothers' house, but since his grandmother owned the property Bienvenue and Beatrice's house was on, maybe that's what that statement meant. I am going to have to double check the delayed birth certificate. Of course, as we all know, delayed birth certificates are in fact, delayed, which leaves some doubt about them being 100% correct.

Saturday Night Fun: Where Were They in 1909? Part I (My Paternal Side)

Randy's Saturday Night Fun this weekend asks us where our ancestors were in 1909 and if we've found them in the 1910 census.

Well, none of my grandparents were born until 1928, 1930, 1932, and 1935, so I'll have to start with my great-grandparents. I know, I'm a baby in the genealogy world!

My paternal grandfather's father, Bienvenue TRAHAN, was born 26 Oct 1908 in Vatican, Lafayette, Louisiana. So he was a baby living in the home of his parents, Oscar TRAHAN and Virginia PREJEAN. I have found them in the 1910 census in Police Jury Ward 2, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. Oscar was a farmer. They had a farmhand, Joseph Babin, age 14, living with them. Bienvenue was their only child, age 1. Oscar's parents, Theoville TRAHAN and Anna WISE, were living next door, as was Oscar's brother, Honore TRAHAN, and his wife, Azema CHIASSON, with their eight children. On the other side of Oscar and Virginia were Virginia's parents, Paul Lucius PREJEAN and Alicia BERNARD, with several of Virginia's younger siblings living at home. In addition, between Oscar and Virginia and Virginia's parents were Virginia's paternal aunt, Marie Zulime PREJEAN and her husband, Ferdinand ISERINGHAUSER, with their daughter. Sounds like a crazy episode of Everybody Loves Raymond! And not to mention that Anna WISE's brother, Adam WISE, was living with Honore and Azema as their hired farmhand.

My paternal grandfather's mother, Beatrice Marie BONEAUX, was not born until 26 Aug 1910, but her parents, Maurice BONEAUX and Marie Alice SONNIER, were married 10 Sep 1908 in Carencro, Lafayette, Louisiana. I know from compilations of church records that they had a daughter, Marie Florine BONEAUX, on 7 Aug 1909, but she died on 18 Sep 1909. In 1910, Maurice and Marie Alice were living in Police Jury Ward 1, Lafayette, Louisiana. Maurice was age 27 and working as a salesman, barber, and farmer, which is confirmed by family stories that he always had his hands in everything. Marie was age 19. The census confirms that there was a child who was born and died before the census. Next door to Maurice and Marie were Maurice's parents, Dominique BONEAUX, age 70, and Alida MOUTON, also age 70. Dominique does not have an occupation, but "own income" is written next to "none" for occupation. Next door to Dominique and Alida were Maurice's older brother, Joseph BONEAUX, and his wife, Edmee RICHARD, and their four children. Joseph was a miller in a grist mill working on his own account, so I'm assuming this means that Joseph owned the grist mill. Our family still owns this land and the one remaining house still on it.

My paternal grandmother's father, Merlen Paris MERTENA, was not born until 9 Sep 1910. His parents were John Henry MERTENA and Blanche WELDEN. They married on 25 Dec 1907 in Mulhall, Logan, Oklahoma. J. Henry and Blanche MERTENA, both age 26, are found in Oak View, Logan, Oklahoma, in 1910. They had not yet had any children. John Henry was working as a farmer.

My paternal grandmother's mother, Hassie Cora PROFFITT, was born 26 Feb 1908 in Crescent, Logan, Oklahoma. Her parents were William Harmon PROFFITT and Emmer Link BAKER. Her father was a circuit-riding Methodist Episcopal preacher, so no telling where they were in 1909. They seem to have moved every year or so. In 1910, they were in Harrison, Kingfisher, Oklahoma, with six of their seven children, including Hassie, age 2. Their seventh child was not born until 1912. William was 38 and Emmer was 34, and it does say that he was a minister.

As it is very late, and I still have not mentioned my great-grandparents on my mom's side, I think I will have to save part II for Sunday morning fun. Stay tuned!

Happy Valentine's Day

L to R: Hassie Cora PROFFITT, Merlene Golda MERTENA, Merlen Paris "Zack" MERTENA. Taken 2 Feb 1955 on the wedding day of Merlene and Benford Maurice TRAHAN in Vinton, Calcasieu, Louisiana. The house in the background belonged to Benford's parents, Bienvenue TRAHAN and Beatrice Marie BONEAUX. Benford and Merlene later lived in the house.

This Valentine's Day is dedicated to my great-grandparents, Merlen Paris "Zack" MERTENA and Hassie Cora PROFFITT, who married on 14 Feb 1931 in Mulhall, Logan, Oklahoma. They are the parents of my paternal grandmother, Merlene Golda MERTENA.

Logan County, Oklahoma, Marriage Book 25: 47, Mertena-Proffitt; FHL microfilm 378,328.

"Friends Honor Mertenas," clipping from unidentified newspaper, c. Feb 1931; supplied by Merlene (Mertena) Trahan, Vinton, Louisiana. Merlene is the daughter of Merlen and Hassie.

Before they married, Hassie was a schoolteacher. Zack and Hassie had 4 children from 1931 to 1946:

1) William John "Bill" MERTENA was born on 20 Aug 1931 in Frederick, Tillman, Oklahoma. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in journalism. He served with the U.S. Army in Korea and retired from the Army Reserves as a lieutenant colonel. He worked as a journalist for the American Press in Lake Charles, Calcasieu, Louisiana and in Olympia, Thurston, Washington. He married Eva Jo WARD on 6 Apr 1958 in at First Methodist Church in Lake Charles. They had five children. They later divorced in 1986. He then married Betty ESTES. Bill died on 8 Oct 2001 in Olympia and was cremated.

2) Merlene Golda MERTENA was born on 28 Jul 1935 in Mulhall, Logan, Oklahoma. She graduated from Sulphur High School in Sulphur, Calcasieu, Louisiana, in 1953 and attended McNeese State University in Lake Charles. She married Benford Maurice TRAHAN on 2 Feb 1955 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, in Vinton, Calcasieu, Louisiana. She is retired from being a travel counselor with the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism. Benford and Merlene have four children and seven grandchildren.

3) Joseph Henry "Tony" MERTENA was born on 15 November 1941 in Guthrie, Logan, Oklahoma. He married Gloria Maxine CARLIN of Sulphur. They had one child. He worked at the Citgo oil refinery in Sulphur for over 20 years. Tony died 30 Jan 1998 in Lake Charles. He is buried at Niblett's Bluff Cemetery in Vinton.

4) Jill Darlene MERTENA was born 29 Sep 1946 in Ponca City, Kay, Oklahoma. She married Robert James "Bobby" ELLENDER on 2 Apr 1971 in Orange, Orange, Texas. She is retired from being a hairdresser.

Hassie and Zack moved from Mulhall, Oklahoma, to Ponca City, Oklahoma, around 1942. They then moved to Sulphur, Louisiana, around 1952, due to Zack's job transfer with Conoco, from where he retired as an operator. He was known as a great storyteller. He died on 7 May 1989 in Sulphur. Hassie died on 7 May 1986 in Lake Charles. They are both buried at Mimosa Pines Cemetery in Sulphur.