Prairie des Femmes : January 2015

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Slave drowned in the Bayou Bourbeaux

Opelousas Courier dated 10 May 1856 page 2 On Sunday last,before noon.Mr Francois Toussaint Quebedeau of this parish with 3 slaves left Grand Coteau for Prairie des Femmes. When they came to Bayou Bourbeux,they attempted to cross but the bridge being entirely under water,they tried to cross in a little flat. The flat was in such a condition that in a few seconds it was full of water and sank. Mr. Quebedeau and a slave belonging to Joseph P. Collomb were drowned. One of the other negroes came very near to losing his life but was rescued by the third Negro. Since we find a record of Succession of a Francois Quebedeau married Eliza Marks; and Francois' marriage record to Eliza Marks where his parents are identified as Francois Quebedeaux and Celeste LaGrange, then we may be able to assume that the Francois Toussaint Quebedeaux referred to in the newspaper article, is the Francois Quebedeaux, son of Francois Quebedeaux and Celeste LaGrange who married Eliza Marks SOURCE: Francois Québédeaux (Francois and Celeste LaGrange) m. 14 jan 1839 Eliza Marks 17 year old (GC Ch.; v. 1, p. 125) (Opel Ct. Hse Mar. Q-74) (Donald J. hebert Southwest Louisiana records vol. 3 p. 536) Francois Québédeaux , Jr. d 6 May 1856 (GC Ch.; v. 1, p. 109) (Donald J. Hebert Southwest Louisiana records vol. 6 p. 494) Francois Quebedeau, fils m Eliza Marks Succ dated April 1863 (Opel Ct Hse Succ # 2602) (Donald J. hebert Southwest Louisiana records vol. 7 p. 380)