Picture of Israel Meyer Augustine Jr.

Judge Israel Meyer Augustine, Jr. and His Ancestors

Susane

To celebrate Black History Month, I chose to highlight an Avoyelles Parish born history maker, Judge Israel Meyer Augustine, Jr. His ancestors’ roots are buried deep in the soil of Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana. He’s my second cousin once removed, and he has many relatives, the Augustines, Benjamins, Pierres, Perrys and many others from Moreauville and Mansura. (The above picture was taken from a Georgia Family Reunion booklet) My great-great grandfather, Ursin Augustin (1808-1901) was his great grandfather, also. In 1969, [i]he was appointed to a district judge position of the Orleans Criminal District Court by Governor John McKeithen. He was the first Black to be appointed to a judgeship in Louisiana since Reconstruction.

Ros Angeline Juneau Clayton

Susanne Lavallè FWC in a Left-Handed Marriage – Part II

Susane

In 1835, Susanne would have been between 45 and 48 years old. She had once been a wealthy woman, at least in land, if not in money. Because of circumstances discussed in Susanne Lavallè FWC in a Left-Handed Marriage, she no longer owned large plantations. She may have been trying to re-establish herself to provide for her children, when she made two different purchases of land with the Louisiana Land Office

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A record showing Susanne's grandparents showing the first time dit Lavallé was used

Susanne Lavallé FWC in a Left-Handed Marriage

Susane

During slavery in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, Susanne Lavallè FWC (Free Woman of Color) owned plantations, raised bi-racial children and had a “Left-handed marriage” with a White plantation owner, Valery Dauzat.

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The Trials of Ursin Augustin

The Trials of Ursin Augustin

Susane

The life of my maternal great-great grandfather, Ursin Augustin, continues as he struggles through the tearing apart of his family while enslaved. After reuniting with them in 1865, he plotted his own destiny, by purchasing a plantation, in a competitive and sometimes, unscrupulous world that he hadn’t been trained for. Legacy means an amount of money or property left to someone in a will. Even though he had to contend with a lawsuit by Dr. Joseph Moncla, his former owner, he continued to fight to secure a legacy for his family. The first part of Ursin’s story has been told in the Parents for Ursin Augustin.

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slave cabin signifying the cabins in where Ursin may have lived.

Parents for Ursin Augustin

Susane

A Major Brick Wall has been broken. I believe I’ve identified the parents of Ursin Augustin Sr. and Jean Pierre Augustin Sr., the ancestors of many African-Americans from the Avoyelles Parish area. Information gleaned from Lawsuits was instrumental in accomplishing this goal. Most of the lawsuits concerned property that members of the family acquired and fought to keep. Two White landowners who testified for the Augustin family in one of these lawsuits were Pierre P. Normand and his brother, Alcide H. Normand.

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Enslaved Lady symbolizing Eulalie Jacob standing in cotton fields

Eulalie Jacob-The Cause of a Lawsuit

Susane

The enslaved Eulalie Jacob was worth fighting over and Scholastic Normand sued her husband, for control of her. Moreover, the enslaved Jacob from Africa, once owned by Marguerite Wienaire may indeed be Eulalie’s father and the person from whom the African-American Jacob line from Avoyelles Parish descends. Eulalie goes from being an enslaved valuable asset to a free landowner.

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colonial home

Simon in a Dangerous Confrontation

Susane

Visiting his Free minor children placed the enslaved Simon's life at risk. The accusations of a white landowner and the strict rules of the Louisiana Black code had the potential of having Simon harmed physically, imprisoned and/or hindered from visiting his children again. Also, discover a family connection between a slave-owner and the enslaved Simon.

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Four cotton pickers in a cotton field with blooming cotton

Unity’s Hidden Legacy

Susane

I continue with the lives of my great grandmother, Unity FWC (Free Woman of Color) and my great-great grandmother, Mally/Milla/Miley/Moilly. Unity had been bestowed the ultimate gift, the gift of freedom. Yet, something about William InRufty’s last will and testament gave me a feeling that there was more, something missing. I believe you will find the search for Unity’s Hidden Legacy very interesting.

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The Emancipation of Unity

The Emancipation of Unity

Susane

For my first blog post on The Courage of my Ancestors, I'm going to introduce you to my great grandmother, Unity and to Mally/Milla/Miley, whom I think is her mother and my great great grandmother. We will cover Unity's life from eleven years old to her emancipation. I wrote about Unity's son, my grandfather, George Washington (1827-about 1895) in a previous blog on the website Reclaiming our Ancestors owned by Jessica. If you haven't read it, you can find it at that link. I will, also, cover tips I've learned on finding documents and clues within documents.

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