Daigrepont Historycompilation byEvelyn Daigrepont Croft
This writing in part is taken from "The Daigrepont's of Pointe Coupe as of September, 1981", by Mack Daigrepont. Since the full development of the present day Mississippi and Atchafalaya levee system was not accomplished until sometime after 1900, the great floods, we hear about in the past were a hard fact of lie to the early settlers of our parish. Periodically, flood waters would inundate their homes, businesses, and crops. The tranquil times and plans of many early Pointe Coupee residents along "de isle de Fausse Rivere" (False River) was especially difficult since the Mighty Mississippi would alternate its course and cut off the island entirely from time to time. In comparison to many of the prominent French-Acadian-German family names, Daigrepont represents a small percentage and is in essence an uncommon french name. Over the years, hard times, wars, and outsiders have understandably mispronounced and misspelled the name into some of the following examples: 1) Ducrepont 2) Dacrepont 3) Daigrepune 4) Ducrepon Recent evidence of the proper name has been discovered in the archives of the Pointe Coupee Parish Courthouse in several old handwritten legal documents somewhat detailing the activities of the first Daigrepont in America and the forefather of all the Daigrepont clan known in this area. The first Daigrepont in America, to our knowledge, was Sieur Jean Jacques Vernin Depont Daigrepont, who can be placed at Pointe Coupee in 1810. He was a native of Moulin, province of Bourbon, France. A review of items written in his own hand as shown here by a reproduction of his signature indicates that he was well educated and a prominent citizen during his stay in Pointe Coupee. (Note: I did not get a copy of the signature). We know that he was a merchant in the parish from about 1811 to 1818. He purchased a tract of land in 1815 from Sieur Charles Gremillion on the island of False River where he resided until 1818. On July 15, 1815, Jean Jacques Vernin Depont Daigrepont married Eugenie Vitrac, daughter of Jacques Paul Vitrac and Marie Clemence Lacour. Their wedding license, bond of marriage, and wedding documents are on file in the Pointe Coupee Courthouse. They were married in a civil ceremony by Judge Louis Chenevert and Henri Ludeling. The wedding was witnessed by her father and signed "Vitrac". Eugenie Vitrac was born in Pointe Coupee Parish March 9, 1791 and baptised at St. Francis of Pointe Coupee (near Brooks, Louisiana) on June 9, 1791. She was 24 years old at the time of the wedding which took place on False River. She was the daughter of Jacques Paul Vitrac, a surgeon and prominent citizen of the Parish. His wife was Marie Clemence Lacour, daughter of Simon Lacour and Perrine Leonard/Frederic and granddaughter of Nicolas de Lacour and Perrine Brette. Nicolas was a native of France and is the ancestor of Lacour's of Pointe Coupee and Avoyelles. He came to America in 1720 was married and living in Natchez in 1726 and was truly an american pioneer. Jacques Vitrac was a native of Bordeaux, France, and was the son of Louis Vitrac and Marguerite Garnier of France. Jean Jacques Vernin Depont Daigrepont and Eugenie Vitrac had but one child of record, a son, named Pierre. Pierre Daigrepont was born in Avoyelles in 1819. Shortly thereafter, his father died, leaving his widow, Eugenie, to manage their property near Hessmer, Louisiana. Eugenie Daigrepont, the 31 year old widow of Jean Jacques Vernin Depont Daigrepont remarried to Ebenezer G. Paxton in 1822 at Avoyelles. Paxton was a Justice of the Peace in Avoyelles and performed many marriages in the parish from 1821 well into the 1840's. Pierre Daigrepont, son of Jean Jacques Vernin Depont Daigrepont and Eugenie Vitrac, married Azelie (Agelie) Ducote on December 27, 1836. According to the records, Pierre was seventeen years old and his bride, sixteen. Azelie (Agelie) Ducote was also a decendent of prominent residents of Pointe Coupee Parish. Her parents were Jean Pierre Ducote and Elise Laborde. Jean Pierre Ducote was born at Pointe Coupee on August 24, 1783. His parents were Pierre Ducote II and Henriette Rabalais of Pointe Coupee. Pierre and Henriette were married at Pointe Coupee in 1773. Elise Laborde was the daughter of Pierre Laborde and Modeste Lacour (aunt of Eugenie Vitrac). Pierre Laborde was a native of Fartachey, Diocese of Aix, France. He was a surgeon in service to the King of France and served at both Pointe Coupee and Avoyelles Posts. Pierre Laborde and Modeste Lacour were married on September 30, 1783 at Pointe Coupee. Returning to Pierre Daigrepont and Azelie (Agelie) Ducote, we note that they lived on a large farm near Hessmer, Louisiana. The 1840 U.S. Census shows they had two daughters at home at that time along with 25 slaves. Such a large slave force was an indication of the family wealth and was unusual in Avoyelles Parish for the times. Pierre and Agelie had 11 children as listed below: 1) Daughter - unknown - died young 2) Elizabeth - born 1840 3) Pierre - born 1844 4) Eugenie - born 1846 5) Louis - born 1848 6) Emile - born 1850 7) Marguerite - born 1852 8) Elise - born 1856 9) Tezeana - born 1858 10) Albanie - born 1863 11) Abel - born 1869 They raised their large family during the turbulent times of the Civil War. After the war the family was destitute and had to start all over again. Pierre died before 1880 and Azelie (Agelie) before 1890. They lived their entire lives on a farm near present day Hessmer, Louisiana in Avoyelles Parish. The third child of Pierre Daigrepont and Azelie (Agelie) Ducote and their first son, continued the family name when Azenia (last name unknown) married him in about 1866. Pierre Daigrepont II was 18 when he enlisted in the confederate army at Pointe Coupee. He served 18 months being paroled at the end of the war in 1865 near Alexandria. Pierre Daigrepont II was a private in the "Gross Tete Flying Artillery" which earlier had been known as West's Lightning Artillery, 6th Field Battery, Louisiana Confederate States Army. Confederate pension records confirm that Pierre fought in the Battle of Mansfield in a major northwest Louisiana campaign. He was not wounded or captured. He applied for a pension in 1912 and died in 1933. Pierre is buried in the Mansura, Louisiana cemetary with a confederate headstone. Pierre Daigrepont II and Azenia (Agenia) had nine children of record. Their third son, born in 1874 was Avit Daigrepont. Avit Daigrepont married Emma Maillet about 1896 in Avoyelles Parish. They lived near Hessmer, Louisiana and raised a large family. This generation of Daigrepont's continued the farming business of their ancesters. One of their sons was Joseph Paul Daigrepont. Joseph married Effie Smith and lived most of his life near Bordelonville, Louisana. Joseph and Effie were well known members of their community and also raised a large family in Bordelonville. Their children were: 1) Alvin Daigrepont 2) Phillip Daigrepont 3) Verdie Daigrepont 4) Julia Daigrepont 5) Joseph Daigrepont Jr. 6) Catherine Daigrepont Joseph was a prominent farmer in his time and raised corn, cotton, rice, shallots, and sweet potatoes on his farms in Zimmer, and Big Ben, Louisiana. One of the sons of this couple was Phillip Paul Daigrepont. He was later to be known as "Mr. Daig" which developed over the decades he taught school at Innis High School. Phillip married Louise Bordelon of Bordelonville in 1940. Louise is also descended from former Pointe Coupee families such as Gremillion, Normand, Bordelon, Bonnette, Robillard, Rabalais, Lemoine, and Berza to name a few. Nine children were born of this union and are lsited below: 1) P.J. Daigrepont - wife: Dianne Landry 2) Malcolm Paul Daigrepont - wife: Viola Kimble 3) Robert Douglas Daigrepont - wife: Charlotte Daniel 4) Daniel Louis Daigrepont - wife: Catherine Bighim 5) Gerald Charles Daigrepont - wife: Nancy Bufford 6) Patricia Marie Daigrepont - husband: Chris Langlois 7) Richard Michael Daigrepont - wife: Barbara Simpson 8) Vickie Ann Daigrepont - husband: Robert Witty 9) Gerard Daigrepont - single Phillip and Louis both still reside in Innis, Louisiana. Phillip is a retured principal of Innis High School. They both still lead active lives and as of this date, September 29, 1981, enjoy visits from their nine children, seventeen grandchildren, and one great grandson, Christopher Daigrepont, who represents the tenth generation of his namesake in Pointe Coupee and Avoyelles since Jean Jacques Vernin Depont Daigrepont arrived at Pointe Coupee in 1810. (This was the ending of the document signed by Mack Daigrepont). Notes: Note on top of the document reads: Philip Daigrepont's family was living at Innis, LA. In 1981 had this researched. There were some notes on the document written by or commented by Albert Daigrepont Jr. The hand written note talks about Pierre Daigrepont I and Azelie Ducote's youngest child Abel: "The youngest child was Abel Daigrepont and grandfather to Albert Daigrepont Jr. and great grandfather to Bruce Daigrepont. Pierre Daigrepont Sr. died when my grandfather Abel was 6 year old. Abel had 8 children. Ella, Abea, Aliska, Albert, Azlie, Author, Dennis, and Willie. Abel's family moved from Hessmer to Echo when my father, Albert Sr. was a teenage boy. (By Albert Daigrepont Jr., son of Albert Daigrepont Sr., who was Abel's son) There was another hand written note on the document that reads: Celestine Juneau was the wife of Elise Daigrepont, who is the son of Pierre Daigrepont I and Azelia Ducote. Listed are 7 children: 1) Hollondaise Daigrepont 2) Melonie Daigrepont 3) Melina Daigrepont 4) Emily Daigrepont 5) Robert Daigrepont 6) Winton Daigrepont (adopted) 7) Madele Daigrepont Note about Elize Daigrepont and his father Elise Daigrepont: My grandfather Elize Daigrepont Jr. was not listed among these seven children. Further investigation showed that Elize Daigrepont Sr. was married to Marceline Chenevert, November 9, 1880 and was remarried to Celestine Juneau, May 24, 1896. Elize Sr. was 24 when he married his first wife and 40 when he remarried. Records show the following: Marceline Chenevert married 9 Nov 1880 Elisee' Daigrepont by Father J.E. Chauvin (Book E, # 64) Juneau, Celestine, m. may 24, 1896, Elizee' Daigrepont by H. Bordelon, J.P. Wit. V Goudeau, Eugene Dauzat, Oge Villemarette (Book G, #30)
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