Joseph Cleo LaGrange and Marie Lucia Richard were my great-grandparents. Their lives were centered in the St. Landry Parish area of Louisiana, and between them they raised a blended family of Bourque and LaGrange children.
Their story can be followed through church records, civil records, census records, death records, newspaper articles, and family memories passed down through their children and grandchildren.
The photograph of Joseph Cleo and Marie Lucia that accompanies this story was taken around 1901 or 1902. According to their daughter Virginia LaGrange Faul, as later told to Gordon LaGrange, Joseph Cleo wanted the photograph partly so he could tease Leonard Bourque and his brother Joseph Meonce LaGrange that he was married and they were not.
Joseph Cleo LaGrange
Joseph Cleo LaGrange was the son of Alexandre Telesmar LaGrange and Roseline St. Cyr. He was born in the Arnaudville area of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
There is some disagreement among the records concerning his year of birth. His tomb marker gives his birth date as September 4, 1873, while other records indicate a later year. He was baptized on September 4, 1875, at St. Francis Regis Catholic Church in Arnaudville, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
Joseph Cleo was raised around Arnaudville and later lived in the Bellevue area near Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
He was known by more than one name. Records generally identify him as Joseph Cleo LaGrange, while family members also called him J.C. and Boy. The name Boy appears several times in the family stories about him.
Marie Lucia Richard
Marie Lucia Richard was born December 13, 1868, in the Church Point area, then part of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. She was the daughter of Octave Richard and Virginie LeFort. Her church record identifies her as Marie Lucia Richard and gives her birth date as December 13, 1868.
Her birth was recorded through Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church at Church Point.
Her father, Octave, was a carpenter and Confederate veteran whose life I have written about separately along with the little bit of information I found on her mother, Virginie died six days after Marie Lucia’s birth.
Marie Lucia’s tombstone gives her birth year as 1869, but the church record and obituary gives 1868. For those reasons, I use December 13, 1868, as her birth date.
Research Note: Acadia Parish
Acadia Parish was created from part of St. Landry Parish in 1886. Because of this, records made before 1886 may describe places now in Acadia Parish as being in St. Landry Parish.
Church Point is today in Acadia Parish, Louisiana, but Marie Lucia was born before Acadia Parish existed. When discussing an event, I use the parish that applied at the time when possible.
Marie Lucia’s First Marriage — Valery Bourque
Before she married Joseph Cleo LaGrange, Marie Lucia was married to Valery Bourque.
Valery was born January 19, 1862, at Grand Coteau, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, the son of Valery Bourque and Emelia Prejean.
He had first married Marie Lucia’s sister, Marie Umea Richard.
Marie Umea was born March 15, 1862, in the Church Point area of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. She was baptized May 11, 1862, at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Church Point. Her baptismal record names her parents as Octave Richard and Virginie LeFort and her sponsors as Alexandre Richard and Octavie Richard (her siblings).
Marie Umea married Valery Bourque on November 3, 1881.
Their son, Leonard Valry Bourque, was born July 28, 1882. Leonard married Emelie Prejean on October 18, 1902. After her death, he married Lydia Sonnier. He died November 15, 1966.
Marie Umea died April 11, 1888, at only 24 years of age.
According to family information, before Marie Umea died, or perhaps in a dream to Maria Lucia after she passed away, she asked her sister Marie Lucia to marry Valery and help raise Leonard. There is also a family story that Marie Umea came to Marie Lucia in a dream and asked her to marry Valery and help raise Leonard.
After Marie Umea’s death, Leonard remained part of the family. He was Marie Lucia’s nephew, and when she later married Valery, he also became her stepson. Leonard married Emelie Prejean on October 18, 1902. After her death, he married Lydia Sonnier. He died November 15, 1966.
Marie Lucia and Valery Bourque married December 30, 1890, in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
Records of the marriage show another example of the variations found in names. One record identifies her as Marie Elecia Richard, while the church record identifies her as Marie Elucia Richard. Both refer to Marie Lucia Richard.
Children of Valery Bourque and Marie Lucia Richard
Marie Lucia and Valery had three sons:
Amos Bourque, born August 21, 1891; died January 28, 1938. Amos was married to Agnes Hebert.
Amar Bourque, twin of Amos, born August 21, 1891; died in September 1891.
Joseph Bourque, born June 22, 1893; died October 25, 1972. Joseph was married to Stella Boone, and after her death to Bernadette Chautin.
Valery Bourque died September 1, 1894, at Church Point, Acadia Parish, Louisiana. Marie Lucia was left a widow with young children.
“That Little Widow”
One of the family stories about Joseph Cleo and Marie Lucia concerns the time when Valery Bourque was dying.
According to the story, Joseph Cleo’s mother, Roseline St. Cyr LaGrange, would send him to Marie Lucia’s home with green onion plants. Joseph Cleo became interested in Marie Lucia and announced at home that he intended to marry the “little widow.”
His mother objected to his talking that way while Valery was still alive and exclaimed, “Boy! Boy! Boy!”
Whether that incident was actually the origin of his nickname cannot now be proven, but Boy became one of the names family members used for Joseph Cleo. He was also known as J.C.
Marriage of Joseph Cleo and Marie Lucia
Joseph Cleo LaGrange and Marie Lucia Richard Bourque married January 9, 1899, at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Church Point, Acadia Parish, Louisiana.
The marriage records name Joseph Meonce LaGrange, Joseph Cleo’s brother, and Ignace Blanchard among the witnesses. E. L. St. Cyr also appears in the marriage-license information.
Joseph Cleo was about 25 and Marie Lucia was 30. Marie Lucia brought her Bourque family into the marriage, and she and Joseph Cleo soon began a family of their own.
Their Children
Joseph Cleo and Marie Lucia had six children.
Thelismare “A.C.” LaGrange, my grandfather, was born October 6, 1899, at Church Point, Acadia Parish, Louisiana. His name appears in many different forms in the records, including Thelismare, Atelesmar, Atelisma, Athelismar and Thelismore. He was also known as A.C., Ata, Athie and Blackie. AC was married to Esther Duplechain. He was institutionalized from December 14, 1931 until 1970, when he was released and was cared for in nursing homes. He died June 17, 1982, in Opelousas, Louisiana.
Noah LaGrange was born October 4, 1901, and died June 26, 1966, in Port Arthur, Texas. He was the twin of Henoch. Noah later moved to Texas and worked for the Texas Company and eventually with the fire department. Noah was married to Georgie Ferguson.
Henoch LaGrange, Noah’s twin, was also born October 4, 1901. He died September 4, 1905, while still a young child. Family information says that Henoch may have died of sunstroke and may also have had polio. According to his sister Virginia, Marie Lucia kept Henoch’s toys after his death.
Virginia LaGrange was born in 1904 and died October 24, 1988. She married Jean Baptiste Faul on September 11, 1926. Family members called her Virgie and Gin. Family stories say she was so small when she was born that she was cradled in a shoebox. Virginia was married to Jean Baptiste Faul.
Adam LaGrange was born August 20, 1906, twin of Eve. He married Lelia Sebastien and died September 15, 1984. Adam was married to Lelia Sebastien.
Eve LaGrange, Adam’s twin, was also born August 20, 1906. She married Albert Hidalgo and died August 16, 1992.
Family tradition says that when the twins Adam and Eve were born, Roseline St. Cyr LaGrange suggested that they be given biblical names in hopes that both children would survive. Marie Lucia had previously lost Amar, one of her Bourque twins, and Henoch, Noah’s twin.
United States Census Records
The census records give us a good picture of how Joseph Cleo and Marie Lucia’s household changed over the years. They also show how the Bourque and LaGrange sides of Marie Lucia’s family remained together.
1900 Census
In 1900, Joseph Cleo and Marie Lucia were living in Police Jury Ward 8, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
The household included Joseph Cleo, Marie Lucia, their infant son A.C., and Leonard, Amos and Joseph Bourque.
The census is particularly interesting because it shows the blended family together. Leonard was Marie Lucia’s nephew and stepson, while Amos and Joseph were her sons by Valery Bourque.
1910 Census
In 1910, the family was living at Plaquemine Point, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
The household included Joseph Cleo, Marie Lucia, A.C., Noah, Virginia, Adam and Eve LaGrange, along with Amos and Joseph Bourque.
Again, the census shows that the Bourque and LaGrange children were being raised as one household.
1920 Census
In 1920, Joseph Cleo and Marie Lucia were living in Ward 1, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
Their household included Noah, Virginia, Adam and Eve.
This is the last federal census showing Joseph Cleo and Marie Lucia living together.
1930 Census
By 1930, Joseph Cleo was no longer living in Marie Lucia’s household.
Marie Lucia was living in Ward 1, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, in the household of her son A.C. Also in the household were Adam, his wife Lelia, and their son Adam Jr. The census shows how Marie Lucia continued to live among her children after she and Joseph Cleo separated.
1940 Census
In 1940, Marie Lucia was living in Ward 1, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, with her son Joseph Bourque.
The household included Joseph, his wife Bernadette, their son Gervis, and Marie Lucia.
1950 Census
The 1950 census again shows Marie Lucia living with her son Joseph Bourque and his family in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
It was the last federal census taken during Marie Lucia’s lifetime. She died three years later.
Joseph Cleo and Marie Lucia Separate
Sometime during the 1920s, Joseph Cleo and Marie Lucia separated. They did not divorce.
There are several family versions of exactly what happened, and because they do not agree in every detail, I do not think it would be right to present one version as the absolute truth.
According to Virginia, Joseph Cleo left the family and told the children that he was going to Opelousas to have a tooth pulled. They did not see him again for a long time. Another version, remembered through Adam, was that Marie Lucia put Joseph Cleo’s clothes on the porch and told him to leave after disagreements over his drinking, card playing and the money from the crops.
The accounts differ about the final argument, but they agree on the larger point: Joseph Cleo left the household, and Marie Lucia and her sons continued farming.
They remained legally married for the rest of Joseph Cleo’s life.
Joseph Cleo’s Death
Joseph Cleo died July 25, 1949, at Charity Hospital in Lafayette, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. He was 74 years old according to his church death record. He was buried the following day at St. Landry Catholic Church Cemetery in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
He is buried in the same tomb as his father, Alexandre Telesmar LaGrange.
His death certificate presents another example of why genealogical records have to be compared rather than accepted without question. It identifies his mother incorrectly as Rosa Lee Sansi. His mother was Roseline St. Cyr.
Family memories concerning Joseph Cleo’s funeral also reflect the long separation between him and Marie Lucia. Marie Lucia did not go to the funeral home to see him, although their children attended his funeral and burial.
Marie Lucia’s Later Years and Death
Marie Lucia continued to live with and near her children.
Family memories preserve small things about her that records never could. Her granddaughter Mary Alice Faul remembered that Marie Lucia loved drinking Coca-Cola.
Marie Lucia died June 3, 1953, at a Lafayette hospital following a lingering illness. Her death certificate gives her usual residence as Opelousas and identifies her father as Octave Richard and her mother as Virginie LeFort.
She was buried at St. Landry Catholic Church Cemetery in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, only a few tombs away from Joseph Cleo.
Her tombstone reads:
Mrs. J. C. LaGrange
Dec. 13, 1869
June 3, 1953
The year on the tombstone is incorrect. Her church birth record establishes that Marie Lucia was born December 13, 1868.
Research Note: LaGrange and Lagrange
The family surname appears in records as both LaGrange and Lagrange. Most members of the extended family have used the spelling LaGrange.
My branch of the family uses Lagrange, and, as far as I know, ours is the only branch that uses that spelling.
In this story, I generally use LaGrange for Joseph Cleo and members of the extended family who used that spelling. I use Lagrange for members of my family who used that spelling, including my father, Irvin Lagrange. When quoting or transcribing a record, I retain the spelling found in the record.
About the Sources
Much of the family information in this story was compiled by Gordon LaGrange, son of Noah LaGrange, from information given to him by family members, including Noah LaGrange, Georgianna Ferguson LaGrange, Virginia LaGrange Faul, Mildred LaGrange Dupre, Essie LaGrange Briley, Nelma Hidalgo Fontenot, Mary Alice Faul Phillips and others.
I have compared those family accounts with church records, civil records, census records, death certificates, newspaper articles and other records when available.
The Southwest Louisiana Records compiled by Father Donald J. Hébert have also been useful in this research. However, I have found errors in the published volumes. Considering the enormous number of handwritten church records that had to be read, transcribed and compiled, errors are understandable. For that reason, when an original church or civil record is available, I give greater weight to the original record.
The records do not always agree, and neither do all of the family stories. I have tried not to make the records say more than they actually say. Where there is a difference, I have tried to show it.
