This is a copy of a photo owned by P.J. Blanchard, my 3rd cousin once removed. It was originally owned by his grandparents, Hypolite and Oza or Ozea (Landry) Blanchard, of Cameron Parish, Louisiana, and is captioned on the back "Alciae Legere, Cameron 18 miles east Grand Chanere [sic] Rd." ["Alciae" is hard to read but it's the closest spelling P.J. could determine.]
There is a Grand Chenier Rd. in Cameron Parish, and there is a Leger or Legere family in Cameron Parish in the 1920 census with a daughter Elza ("Elzea" in Southwest Louisiana Records) who was born in 1901 in or near Kaplan to Alcée Legere (possibly spelled Leger) and Ida Landry Legere. Elza married Alva ("Alvy" or "Cap") Miller and lived in the community of Grand Chenier, in Cameron Parish. She is related to both P.J. and I through the Legere family, but neither of us knew of her before P.J. was given this box of photos. P.J. does remember that his father occasionally visited cousins in the Cameron area, though.
The photo mounting with what looks like a cardstock backing resembles one I have from North La. c. 1905. If it's from the same time period, the woman would probably be a generation older than Elza, perhaps her mother Ida Landry Legere or an aunt? Is there an "Alicia" relative perhaps? Or another "Elzea" or "Alcea" relative? Or could it be from c. 1920 and be Elza? Perhaps Ida Landry Legere is related to Oza Landry Blanchard, P.J.'s grandmother. I'm still investigating this angle along with the Legeres in Cameron Parish.
Meanwhile, P.J. and I would like to know if anyone out there can help us identify the woman. And while I'm asking, P.J. would also love to find a photo of his great-grandmother, Eve Legere Blanchard, wife of Romain Blanchard, of Kaplan, LA. She was born in 1862 in St. Landry Parish to Hypolite "Paul" & Mary (Addison) Legere and died in Kaplan (Vermilion Parish) in 1920. E-mail me at hallroots **at** sbcglobal **dot** net if you can help with either request. Thanks!
This is likely not a connection, but I thought I'd throw this info out there: I have a Domingue (?) Leger (1885-1976) in my tree by marriage. He was born and died in Acadia Parish. I do not know who his parents were, but Acadia Parish came from St. Landry Parish, so I figured it doesn't hurt to cast a line and see what happens.
ReplyDeleteThese Leger(e)s seem to migrate from Lafayette Parish through Vermilion to Cameron Parish. But my great-grandpa Constant Legere's land was in Lafayette Parish & house in Acadia Parish (or vice versa, I forget) so it never hurts to ask about neighboring parishes!
ReplyDelete(Amy's guy is prob. Dominic, son of Louis Leger Jr. & Coralie Sensat, based on a "Southwest La. Records" Leger lookup.)