​Davis, Grace M of Kirkland, WA passed away … Born second of eight children, she valued family connections and spent time and effort to maintain them even as her life led her away from her native Louisiana.
 
Graduating early and With Distinction from the Southwestern Louisiana Institute in Lafayette, Grace worked as a teacher at her alma mater, Mamou High School, until her life-long wanderlust drew her to New Orleans. There she met and married Bill G. Davis in 1949 and moved to Oklahoma, where she provided most of the support for the family while Bill got his degree in Geology. She then concentrated on their growing family, managing four children and households in foreign lands and new languages as they moved overseas from one oilfield to the next.
 
Grace and Bill finally settled in Phoenix, Arizona, where Grace became a Remedial Reading teacher at Saints Simon and Jude School.
 
Every second summer determined that her children should know their extended family, Grace would load the four wriggling, whining kids into the car and drive long days (but never more than two mph over the speed limit!) across the deserts of three states to spend time with relatives in Texas and Louisiana.
 
In 1975, Grace left teaching to work with her husband in their small manufacturing business. After he suffered a debilitating heart attack, Grace took over as CEO, dealing with mechanics and the IRS, bank managers and salesmen, each in their own jargon about their own subjects. When she needed to know something, whether about the design of an oil valve or the terms of a contract, she would study into the night until she knew it cold.
 
Grace grew that business by over half a million dollars within 10 years while tending an ailing husband until his death in 1987. In 1991, Grace sold the company and eagerly moved into an active retirement. She played expert bridge and volunteered at the Washington Adult Center, for which she was twice recognized by the City of Phoenix.
 
She served as Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist and participated in Bible Study at her church; she studied literature and Party Piano at the junior college; and she traveled. One of her most memorable trips was to the Oberammergau Passion Play in 2000. Sadly in 2004, Grace suffered a stoke and agreed to move to Washington State to be near her daughter. Redoubtable as ever, she continued to engage in life as fully and as long as her deteriorating health allowed, living independently until a fall made it unsafe. In the end, most else had fallen away, but Grace’s faith had been a source of strength and support for her whole life. To the last week of her life, her continued attendance at Sunday Mass, rain or shine, made her an icon to many. To the end, she lived her motto, “Forward ever, backward never.”
 
Grace is preceded in death by her parents, Cleophas Miller and Isabelle Michot Miller; her daughter, Lynne Davis; her husband, Bill G. Davis; and her siblings Freida Miller Thomas, Quentin Miller, Roderick Miller and Ludger Miller.
 
She is survived by her children Mark Davis, Paula Davis Christiansen, and Brian Davis; by her grandchildren Ravi, Bethany, Alexis and Devon Davis; Zach and Nate Christiansen; and by her siblings Eugene Miller, Elaine Miller Richardson, and Ione Miller Villars.
 
The Funeral Mass … in Kirkland, WA, … a second Memorial Mass … in Louisiana.
(Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ, 09 Nov 2008)
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More about her and her family in the Antoine Miller & Augustine P. Manual Louisiana 2021 Family 600+ page book.

By Vera LaFleur and Ethel Chachere (The Daily Advertiser, Lafayette, LA, September 23, 1956). Some small changes were made to the original article.

Were the legendary Lafitte brothers and their partner in piracy, Dominique You, really Bouttes?

This is the opinion of J. Herman Guillory, attorney for the heirs of Francois Zenon Boutte, who yesterday was at the courtroom of the Lafayette City Hall, interviewing Boutte’s heirs and distributing oil and gas lease checks.

Jean Lafitte and his brother Pierre commanded a band of pirates that operated in the Gulf of Mexico over 100 years ago. They had a hideout on Barataria Island in Jefferson Parish where they lay low when indignant American and foreign shippers got too close for comfort.
​
Now, there is a question as to the real identity of the Lafitte’s and their Number One pirate, Dominique You. Perhaps they were not a trio of Frenchmen who came to Louisiana by way of the West Indies. There’s a strong chance that they were really a trio comprised of Sourthwest Louisiana Acadians named Francois Zenon Routtee and two of his brothers, hundreds of whose heirs live in the French-speaking parishes of the Evangeline area. 

Guillory said he had come to believe in the course of his research that the Lafitte brothers and Dominique You were in reality the Boutte brothers. The Boutte heirs are now dividing the profits of what may be the largest distribution of mineral lease payments in the history of the oil industry. The heirs, numbering 3,287 at the last count, represent eight generations.

Checks were being given yesterday to members of the Lafayette, St. Martin, and Iberia branches of the family tree, including such names as Judice, Vincent and Pellerin.
​
Some 400 checks were given out yesterday, and eventually Guillory, a Ville Platte attorney, expects to distribute approximately 800 more in this area. Most of the heirs have been found in the parishes of Lafayette, St. Martin, Iberia, St. Landry, Evangeline, Jefferson, Lafourche, and Calcasieu, but some heirs have been discovered as far away as Canada and Australia. 

About 100 heirs and representatives of others crowded the courtroom at 8 o’clock yesterday morning, when the distribution began. 

Presiding over the thick sheaf of legal forms referred to as the family tree was Miss Edith Steckler, St. Martinville. Miss Steckler has been working with Ulysses Pierrcttie of Mamou. himself an heir, and the man who has spearheaded the search for heirs for about 20 years. (Pierrottie is a great-great-great-great-great grand nephew of Zenon.) As each heir was called forward, there was a general stirring and looking about. The heirs passed through the crew of clerks and lawyers sitting inside the courtroom railing.

​First step toward getting a check was the identification of the heirs. Most of them had been previously notified of yesterday’s distribution and were ready with certificates of birth or baptism. Some also held powers of attorney for other members of their families 

2c to $400
After the identification was made, the heir had to execute the lease. In some cases this required several signatures and addresses Finally the heirs reached the final step in the process, and were handed their checks. Guillory said that checks distributed in the Lafayette area yesterday ranged from two cents to about $400. Pierrottie, Miss Steckler, Mrs. Dan Robichaux, Guillorys daughter, and Mrs. Fred E. Builliard, were among those assisting with the distribution. Guillory himself has been hospitalized for a heart condition and was accompanied to yesterday’s gathering by a nurse. The attorney left shortly after the proceedings began.
 
8 Generations
Many have worked on the staggering job of tracing and contacting the over 3,000 heirs of the Boutte estate, but the man who has been heir hunting for the most extensive length of time is Pierrottie who has been working on the case for some 20 years. The search has taken Pierrottie in every court house and every Catholic church in Louisiana, painstakingly looking through old records and files in an attempt to trace the various branches of the family tree through the eight generations.
 
Pierrottie, who is himself an heir, received help in his 20-year search from his first cousin, John W. Roy of Opelousas. Roy assisted in contacting and tracing the heirs after they were discovered and securing their signatures on the leases.

At one time during the twenty-year search, Pierrottie’s funds became completely depleted and his only recourse was to mortgage his personal property. Seeking the advice of a Ville Platte judge, he explained the facts of the case to him Do you play poker? the judge wanted to know. When Pierrottie looked quizzically at him the judge continued, “You have what could be likened to a straight flush, so you can hardly lose.”  Pierrottie took the advice of the judge and mortgaged his property. That was in 1945, he said. Later had to sell half of it to redeem the other half. He will only be completely reimbursed when the case is officially cleared up. Pierrottie has retained Guillory to continue work on the legal ramifications of the case. Besides Guillory, other attorneys who have represented the heirs are A. H. Reed, Corwin B. Reed, Floyd J. Reed, Jack Voyles, Nilas J. Young, Dale, Richardson & Dale, and E. Leland Richardson.

Complicated History
Pierrottie was the coordinator of the activities yesterday, calling forth the heirs in turn, assisting with the execution of the leases, and periodically switching from English to French as he explained the complicated history of the Boutte family and their island property.

He told the assembled heirs about his years of research and explained that the present lease bonus checks are small. After the land is fully developed, he said, many of the heirs will receive substantial monthly royalties as long as the oil and gas are produced.

​He pointed out that the entire tract is still not under lease. About half of it is still undeveloped.  “But we’ve got a good foundation,” he said Now we can really roll up our sleeves and get to work. If you are patient, and give me your co - operation, the day will come when we will all have our rightful share.
Heirs present yesterday represented a cross - section of the population. There were teachers, farmers, housewives, attorneys, carpenters.

Typical Hassle
Typical of the legal hassles and missing links involved in the search for heirs is one which came up in the courtroom this morning. Cyrus Provost, Lafayette, is an heir through one Doralice Judice, a niece of Zenon Boutte. Doralice was married to a de la Houssaye, and had one daughter. She later married Ludfroy Provost and had a daughter by him, Cyrus Provosts great - grandmother, Celestine. But the records of this second marriage have been lost, and Cyrus and his family have been assembling the proof of their claim. Their claim will necessitate a re-division of one share of the royalties, and will thus mean another delay in the whole case.

Returning to the background of the island property, Guillory explained that according to historians, Zenon Boutte was a member of the band of pirates led by Jean Lafitte and in fact owned half of Barataria Island, where the pirates had their hideout.

Guillory says he has come to believe that the Lafitte brothers and Dominique You were in reality three of the Boutte brothers. As Guillory explained it, historians in the past have surmised that the Lafitte brothers came over to Louisiana from France by way of the West Indies. How could these men, strangers to that territory, suddenly know all the intricate and multitudinous turns and twists of the Louisiana bayous?

It is Guillory’s presumption that they were the native Bouttes, an idea that he would like to discuss more thoroughly with contemporary historians. When Boutte. sold his half of the 2,000 - acre island near the Gulf of Mexico in Jefferson Parish, a tract of some 800 acres remained in his possession. Zenon died childless in 1863, leaving his seven brothers and sisters as his sole heirs.

Spanish Grant
He was forgotten until 1932, when it was discovered that Barataria Island was rich in oil and gas deposits. Research disclosed that the entire island had been owned by Nonc Zenon [Uncle Zenon], as the family called him, and his uncle, Jean Baptiste Boutte. (The two had been granted the island by the king of Spain.) The research also revealed that when Zenon sold his half of the island, there remained unsold and in his name a strip lying across the island from Bayou Barataria to Bayou Perrot 5 arpents wide by 6 miles long.

At first, the oil operators believed that Zenon’s uncle and former co-owner, Jean Baptiste Boutte, was his closest relative. His descendants, numbering some 265, took possession of the strip. But further investigation revealed that Zenon had left brothers and sisters, whose descendants would have inherited instead of those of the uncle, Jean Baptiste.

When oil operators became interested in the forgotten strip of land, an extensive research of heirship was undertaken. It was established that Zenon had actually left seven brothers and sisters at his death. Since Zenon died a widower, the descendants of these brothers and sisters inherited to the exclusion of the more remote collateral relatives, the heirs of Jean Baptiste Boutte, who had taken possession of the strip.

Guillory, the attorney retained by Pierrottie several years ago to continue the “heir - hunt,” explained that in 1938 about 1,200 descendants of Zenon’s brothers and sisters filed a suit in Jefferson parish against the descendants of Jean Baptiste Boutte in the form of an action to try title to the disputed tract.
After a court struggle of 19 years and three trips to the Supreme Court, the case was resolved with the recognition of the heirs of Zenon Boutte as the rightful owners of the land. In the meantime, Guillory continued, some 800 of the original 1200 who had filed the suit died, leaving large families scattered in many states of the Union and several foreign countries. The problem then was to find the present heirs and their correct names and addresses so that a valid oil and gas lease could be executed and the lands developed.

3,000 Name
“After months of inquiry, a family tree consisting of over 3,000 names representing eight generations was finally constructed containing the correct names and addresses of the present living heirs. And it was to these heirs in the Lafayette, St. Martinville, and New Iberia areas that Guillory made distribution of oil bonus and trapping lease funds yesterday in the city hall, securing their signatures to an oil and gas lease for the California Company, which is presently developing Barataria Island. Distribution began on July 25, upon completion of the family tree, and to date the signatures of approximately 60 per cent of the interests in the oil and gas rights to the land have been secured. Heirs hold portions ranging from .000002 (1-500,000) to 0417 (1-24), the latter being the result of a double - cousin marriage with both sides being heirs. The majority of the checks presently being distributed is small, but it is expected that after the land is fully developed, they will be increased substantially. The entire royalty paid by the oil company will be received by the heirs. A one - eighth over-riding royalty will be paid the attorneys by the oil company itself. Barataria is proving to be a profitable island in more ways than one. Besides the oil production, the island is a rich trapping area, and a substantial stand of cypress timber exists there. Whether the Lafitte brothers were Bouttes or the Bouttes were Lafittes is a fine puzzle to tickle the fancies of historians of Louisiana’s colorful past, but Boutte or Lafitte, the fact remains that their descendants are today beginning to receive shares in a treasure far greater than their pirate ancestors ever imagined.

Other Pierrottie blogs
Ulysse Gabriel Pierrottie, A 33 year battle for his family's rights
Mary Pierrottie Soileau
Jane Bertrand Ortego
​Sister Cesira Pierotti
​Louis David "L.D" Verrette Obituary
Betty Lou Deshotel Hollier Obituary
Donald Joseph Pierotti Obituary

​Books
​Pierotti - Pierrottie - Pierrotti Family & Photos
​Dominique Martel Southwest Louisiana Family

Constantino Pierotti Video

​Download your copy below:

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces. Jacob Miller and Anne Marie Thaison/Theigen family members who gave their lives when called to serve in the United States military are listed below.
​
Viet Nam War/Viet Nam Era (1955 to 1975 with U.S. involvement escalated in the early 1960s)
Duplechain, Andrus (Eunice).  US Army, Killed in Viet Nam.  He is the son of Cleveland Duplechain and Pauline Manual and the 3rd great grandson of Joseph Marie Bergeaux  and Marie Victorie Miller.  She is the daughter of Jean Miller and Marie Francoise Mayer. (Andrus in photo at left while serving in Viet Nam)
 
World War II Veterans (1939 to 1945, U.S. entered in 1941)
Doxey, James Andrew "Sonny Boy". (Grand Chenier). He was killed during the Normandy invasion. He is the son of James U. Doxey and Matilda Sturlese and the grandson of Lucien Sturlese and Phelonia Miller. Phelonia is the grand daughter of Michel Miller and Hiacinthe Lejeune.

Miller, Paul Wesley (Creole, LA). USMC, 28th Regiment, 5th Marines Division. He was killed in action at Iwo Jima on March 11, 1945. He is the son of Philbart Miller and Natalie Duhon and the 3rd great-grandson of Jean Miller & Mary Francoise Mayer.

Ricard, Henry. T Sgt. US Army. Killed in action while serving as Flight Engr. on a B-24. He was shot down on June 18, 1944 while delivering supplies to the French underground. He is buried in St. James Military Cemetery, Normandy. He is first cousin to Malcolm L Miller. Henry is his mother's brother.  Malcolm's mother is Bertha Ricard. She married Octave Miller, son of Jean Pierre Miller and Caroline Guillory.
 
Civil War Veterans (1861 to 1865)
Bonsall, Issac, father John Thomas Bonsall, husband of Uranie Miller. Uranie Miller is the granddaughter of Michel Miller and Hiacinthe Lejeune and the great granddaughter of Jean Miller and Marie Francois Mayer. He was killed in action on April 8, 1864 at the Battle of Mansfield.
​
Miller, Joseph Ozincourt.  Port Hudson Hospital Ledger reports leg amputated. Presumed he died near Port Hudson as he never returned home.  Some believe he fought and died at Battle of Mansfield.  He is the son of Jean Miller and Mary Magdelaine Boutin. Joseph Ozincourt is the twin brother of Pierre Valcour Miller.

Andrus Duplechian Graduation, Mamou High School - 1970
​Viet Nam Wall, Washington, DC (below)

Jane Elden Bertrand was born August 19, 1938 to Lincoln Bertrand and Virginia Pierrottie. She was the only daughter and the last born. Her oldest brother Elvin "Bee" Bertrand died in 1992.

Her mother, Virginia, was the second of six children born to Constant Pierrotti and Avia Fuselier. Constant Pierrotti is the son of Constantino Pierotti, aka Auguste Constant, and Stephanie "Fanny" Martel. Constantino P:ierotti is the progenitor of the Southwest Louisiana Pierrottie families. 

Jane said of her mother "... I want to give much deserved credit to my MOTHER.  The one person who was always there for all of us! Her entire life was dedicated to being the best WIFE, MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER, SISTER & FRIEND!  I can honestly say my Mother was "My Best Friend" and I miss her so very much.  

She taught us the real "values" of life and she did it by "example".  She taught us "religion" and the role it would play throughout our lives.  She taught us "morals", "honest" and "love".  She taught us that the most important thing in life is FAMILY."

Her father, Lincoln, was the third of six children born to Olizia Bertrand and Marie Bercia Soileau. His family roots trace back to Pierre Giles Joseph Bertrand of France and his wife Louise Therese LeJeune. His ancestry includes, Fontenot, Aucoin, Hebert and Lamirande.

In a tribute to her Dad, she said "...My father was my idol! He was a good husband for my Mom - a good provider for his family and WONDERFUL Dad for the three of us kids...My Dad was never formally educated but he was one of my best Mathematicians I've ever known. He did figures "mentally" quicker than I can, using a calculator - He was a hard-working, proud and honest man - He was a Farmer and a Carpenter, by trade.

He spoke very little English and I taught him how to sign his name when I was about 10 years old."

She graduated from Mamou High School in 1956.  As Licensed Practical Nurse and worked for Dr. A. C. Miller, Eunice, and in the Lafayette Hospital. 

While Jane trained to become a Licensed Practical Nurse, she became a real estate professional beginning as a Real Estate Salesperson 1974 and received a Broker's license in 1978. She formed Old South Realty in 1978. She is a CRB, CRS, GRI and Broker. On the Local Board, she served on or achieved the following: Education Committee, MLS Committee/Chairman; REALTOR of the Year Committee Chairman; REALTOR of the Year Recipient, 1985; Member Honor Society since 1982; Professional Standard/Ethics Committee; Board Orientation Committee; Nominating Committee; Convention Committee; President's Committee; Make America Better Committee; Million Dollar Club Chairman, Board of Directors 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988 and 1990 and Strategic Planning Committee.
​
On the State Association level, she served on or achieved the following: State CRS President, 1982; State Director 1981-1984; Education Committee, Education Division Chairman, Marketing Committee, Professional Standards/Grievance, CRB Committee, State Strategic Planning Committee; "99"Club Member Since 1980; Executive Board, 185-1986; Nominating Committee; "REALTOR of the Year" Recipient, 1987; Strategic Planning Committee Chairman, 1990 and LA Real Estate Certified Instructor since 2001.
On a National Association level, she served on or achieved the following: GRI (Graduate Realtors Institute) Designation, 1977; CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) Designation, 1979; CRB (Certified Residential Brokerage) Designation, 1983; RS Convention/Special Events Committee; RS Membership Committee; RS Council, 1982-1985; RS Presidents Committee, 1982; Marketing Committee RNMI; CRB Designation Committee; CRB Designation Committee Chairman, 1984; "Real Estate Business" Publications Committee; Editor for "Real Estate Business", 1983-1994; Nation Director, 1984-1986 and 1986-1989; MLS Policy Committee; NAR (National Association Realtors); Nominating Committee, 1986, 1989 and Education Committee, Marketing Committee.

She was recognized for her professional achievements by her realtor peers, the Realtor Association of Acadiana. The following was printed in the Acadian Home Finder, November 21, 2010

Ortego Recipient of 2010 Lloyd G. Smith Lifetime Achievement Award
Jane Ortego, ERA Stirling Properties was recently awarded the REALTOR Association of Acadiana's Lloyd G. Smith Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Lloyd G. Smith Lifetime Achievement Award was established to honor an outstanding REALTOR who has devoted many years of service to the REALTOR profession. Lloyd worked and served unselfishly in almost every capacity with the Lafayette Board of REALTORS, the Louisiana REALTORS, and the National Association of REALTORS. During his active years, he was seldom absent from local, state or national meetings and conventions. Over the years, Mr. Smith was known, and most of all respected by hundreds of REALTORS from coast to coast. Most everyone remembers him as being a sincere southern gentleman; the same image that he portrayed with his local peers and those people outside the REALTOR profession. 

Jane Ortego has served as an active member of RAA for 30+ years. Active not only at the local level; she has been active also at the state and national levels. Jane has earned the GRI, CRS and CRB designations; and was a million dollar producer in first year of real estate. Moving from sales into management in the earlier years she continues listing and selling real estate.

Ortego's community involvement includes: Junevile and Young Adult program, the local orphanage, Lafayette Child Abuse Center and United Way.

"Growing up with a small town integrity and virtue, Jane gained an early respect for the land, county and God," said Judy Garber, fellow REALTOR who nominated Jane.

Congratulations to Jane Ortego, Lloyed G. Smith Lifetime Achievement Award recipient!
-------------------------------------Obituary------------------------
​A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, January 2, 2018, at 12:00 pm at Fountain Memorial Funeral Home in Lafayette for Jane Elden Bertrand Ortego, 79, who passed away Saturday, December 30, 2017, at The Carpenter House of St. Joseph Hospice in Lafayette.

Visitation will be observed on Tuesday, January 2, 2018, from 8:30 am until the time of services, at Fountain Memorial Funeral Home in Lafayette.
A rosary will be recited Tuesday, January 2, 2018, at 11:00 am at Fountain Memorial Funeral Home.

Entombment will follow in Fountain Memorial Cemetery in Lafayette. Father Kenneth Domingue, Pastor of St. Leo the Great Church in Leonville, will officiate and recite the rosary.

Jane was born August 19, 1938, in Mamou and was a long-time resident of Acadiana. She was a nurse for 13 years and later became a realtor for 40 years. Jane was a parishioner of St. Edmond Roman Catholic Church in Lafayette.
Jane was active in her community and belonged to the State, Local and National Realtor Associations and was a Certified State Instructor. She was an avid traveler, loved working as a realtor and enjoyed going to casinos. Most of all, she loved spending time with her family and friends.

Jane is survived by her beloved husband of 60 years, Jimmie Ortego of Lafayette; two sons, J. Dana Ortego of Houma and Jody Keith Ortego of Lafayette; two daughter-in-laws, Debbie Ortego of Houma and Harvette Hebert Ortego of Lafayette; one brother, Herman Bertrand of Lake Charles; five grandchildren, Matthew and his wife, Kelly, Michael and his wife, Megan and Anna Catherine Ortego, all of Houma, Cody and Adam Ortego, both of Lafayette and numerous dear nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lincoln and Virginia Pierrottie Bertrand and one brother, Elvin Bertrand.

Pallbearers will be Matthew, Cody, Michael and Adam Ortego and Brian and Mike Bertrand.

The family wishes to thank Father Paul, Dr. Michael Horaist, other surgical staff along with Robbie Wadsworth, the nursing staff of the ICU, all of Lafayette General Medical Center and The Carpenter House of St. Joseph Hospice in Lafayette for the compassionate care given to Jane and her family.

A special thanks to Mona Bertrand, Judy Garber and Brunella Fischer for their support over the past month with Dad and the family. You made Mom’s life and our lives so much easier. God bless.
​
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Jane's name to The Little Flowers of Jesus Mission for the Sick and Needy, Father Paul Onuegbe, P.O. Box 365, Loreauville, LA 70552 or give to any charity of your choosing.

Ulysse Gabriel Pierrottie, A 33 year battle for his family's rights
Mary Pierrottie Soileau
​Sister Cesira Pierotti
​Louis David "L.D" Verrette Obituary
Betty Lou Deshotel Hollier Obituary
Donald Joseph Pierotti Obituary

​Books
​Pierotti - Pierrottie - Pierrotti Family & Photos
​Dominique Martel Southwest Louisiana Family

Constantino Pierotti Video

by Jim Miller, Bonnes Nouvelles, September 26, 2003

This family book available at Lulu.com.

In this world of light speed lifestyles I thought it would be nice to reminisce about a time and era as well as a family who moved at a slower pace and enjoyed life for the mere sake of living. We will be looking at the Dosite “Zick” Miller family as well as the genealogy of both Zick and his wife Oliva. The Zick Miller Family like many families of the area begas as immigrants. Zick’s forebearers can be traced to four brothers who emigrated from Germany during the 1800’s with the last name Mueller. Alexon Miller and Alicia Leger. Zick married Miss Oliva Faul her parents were Phillip Valmon Faul and Eva Boudreaux. Both families had twelve children each.
 
These rather large families by today’s standards were necessary for help on the farm. Zick and Oliva Miller made their home in Sunset, where they had a farm and a small store. Oliva spoke only French and was known as Maw Maw Petite while Zick spoke both English and French. They had an Acadian style home with a picket fence reminiscent of those depicted in drawings by Floyd Sonnier. Like most families of this time they grew everything they could and only bought the absolute necessities. Joyce Miller Coreil of Ville Platte, granddaughter of Zick and Oliva, and daughter of Jack and Joyce Miller, remembers spending a couple of weeks every summer out at the old Miller home place in Sunset. She said, “I can remember how they had all kinds of fruit trees such as: figs, mulberry, pomegranates, etc. They would grow almost everything including watermelons, cantaloupes, and peanuts. I remember a large assortment of vegetables. Anything that could be grown, was. They also had plenty of livestock such as: cows, chickens, ducks, horses and pigs.”
 
“I remember Maw Maw had a long table and when the table was set there were always three kinds of meats and all the fruits and vegetables you could eat. A tradition at that time was that the men ate first while the women served them then the women would eat and then finally the children. Also the children were to remain and play outside while the adults ate. Maw Maw for a long time cooked on a wood fire stove and there was no electric lights, only lanterns. Also there was no indoor bathroom. Slowley they added electricity and other new amenities but they were an old fashioned people and like life simple.” She did not recall the store as clearly as her brother Kermit Miller who was told about it by his dad Jack Miller. “Remember at the time there were no regular grocery delivery trucks to Daddy (Jack) said that “drummers,” people who would carry loads of everything from flour to pots and pans on makeshift backpacks, would walk from one country store to the next selling there wears. Often these ‘traveling salesman’ would board with the family overnight.” Many hours were spent by Oliva and her daughters sewing whether it was making clothes, mending or making quilts. They would pass away hours rocking and sewing. Joyce said, “I can remember going up into the attic and seeing garlic cloves drying and potatoes and preserves being stored. On Sunday the family would go to mass in Grand Coteau. On Sundays and Holidays we would have big dinners at Maw Maw and Paw Paw’s houlse. All of the aunts, uncles, and cousins would come over for dinner.
 
The house was heated only by the fireplace. They made their own mattresses out of moss and Maw Maw was known for home remedies such as mustard plasters. Going to Maw Maw and Paw Paws’ house was like taking a trip back to yesteryear. One final memory that is vivid is how paw Paw (Zick) was laid out in the kitchen for his wake.” Here is certainly a glimplse into a world that had passed away, though times were harder, life was simpler. On Hwy 93 at Zick Miller Rd. south of Sunset Zicks’ mercantile store and home can still be seen today.
 
This family is not the only example of a country farming family, it is merely one out of many who lived deliberately. These families living in the rural areas of St. Landry Parish in the early twentieth century lived close to the land. Theirs was a world not of the surplus waste which overwhelms us today, but rather a simple life carved out by their own hands from the plentiful land they tended. Eventually Zick’s daughters Lillian and Louise along with their brother Alexis “Boo-key” sspent the remainder of his days in a local nursing home until his death.
 
Genealogy of Dosite “Zick” Miller
Alexon and Alicia L. Millers children were:
Dosite’ “Zick” Miller
Alexon “Beb” Miller married to Eva Lavergne. They had three children.
Theogen “Tage” Miller married to Elzora Lavergne. They had five children.
Elena “NaNa” M. Cetrephon. They had two daughters.
Elia “Ya” M. Barton had no children.
Clarice Marie M. married Philogen Savoy.
Artemese Miller never married.
Cellizza M. married Enos Burleigh.
There were two more children who died young or at birth.
 
Parents and sibling of Oliva Faul Miller
Philip Valmon Faul and Eva B. Fauls’ children were:
Arcard Faul married Melissa Vidrine.
Ovile Faul married Mr. Palnay Meche.
Louis Faul married Mabel M.
Tanis Faul married Adel Venable.
Oliva Faul married Dosite’ “Zick” Miller
Ammont Faul married Will Venable.
Louise Faul married Laynore Kaddy.
Azola Faul married Saul Richard.
Zuima Faul married Marius Venable.
Agnes Faul married Jules Doucet.
Arvina Faul married Dosilite Venable.
Zick and Oliva in turn had twelve children they were:
Charles Miller married Emma Vesseur who died then he married Alice Bernard [with whom] he had a total of six children: Leeverta, Emma, Mildred, Alex, J.D. “Joe,” and Anna Bellee.
Lillian Miller
Rose M. Doucet.
Odile M. married Gaston Dugas.
Alicia Miller.
Jack Dosite Miller married to Joyce Helen Chapman together they had four children: Joyce, Jackie, Kermit, and Oliva.
Alexis “Boo-key” Miller
Simon Miller
Simon Miller
Louise Miller
Eva M. married to Rene Thibodeaux together they had three children: Ruby, Philip, and Raymond.
Phillip Miller married to ? together they had three children: Nolan, Robert, and AV.
Theresa M. married to Lewis Marks together they had three children: James, Pauline, and Allen.
 
Simon Millers’ Clock Ship
Zick and Oliva Miller’s fourth oldest son Simon took over the store after his dad. Simon in youth had been crippled by what we can gather must have been polio. He was permanently hunched over and could not stand upright. Zick built a special ledge on the family’s porch that Simon could lean against and rest. It was here Simon began tinkering with watches and other mechanical items. Over the years Simon taught himself to fix watches, clocks, sewing machines, etc. Though life had thrown him a curve he overcame it and because a well established and much sought after clock and sewing machine repairman. People from all around the area brought Simon things to work on. Monette Miller granddaughter of Jack Miller recounted, “I remember walking in his store and there were clocks everywhere and he always gave us kids Kit Kat and a Coke in a glass bottle while the clocks were constantly chiming.” The memory always brings a simile to her face. Simon was also known for his great sense of humor. His passing marked an era, both for the family and the community.

Related article on the George Miller Louisiana Family.
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    Betty Lou Deshotel-Hollier, born May 8, 1939, was the eldest daughter of Lester Deshotel, Sr. and Yolanda Gotro-Deshotel.     She was a graduate of Vidrine High School in 1957.
    Betty married Larry Hollier on May 17, 1958. They were the proud parents of three loving daughters and hand in hand they traveled and saw the sights of the world. Betty was a member of the Evangeline Parish Homemakers Club, St. Anne’s Chapter of the Catholic Daughters of America and volunteered as a Pink Lady at Savoy Medical Center in Mamou, Louisiana for approximately 35 years.
    Betty was known for her kindness, generosity, sewing and baking skills. She was a loving and supportive mother to her daughters and grandchildren as well as to her to confidant and husband Larry for 58 1/2 years.
    Betty will be immensely missed by her husband Larry, daughter Roxanne Hollier-Roessler and husband Herman of Westlake, LA; daughter Lauren B. Hollier-Perkins and husband Edward of Lafayette, LA and daughter Daphne M. Hollier-Bihm and husband Wayne of Humble, TX. She had two grandchildren Ashlyn Fontenot-Castete and husband Scott of Moss Bluff, LA and Seth Fontenot and his companion Brittany Childs of Sulphur, La., step-grandsons Herman Frederick Roessler Jr. and Carlton L. Roessler, of Westlake, La. She also was blessed with two great grandchildren, Aaron Castete and Kaitlyn Fontenot.
    Betty leaves behind her siblings Verdie Deshotel-Lamke of Ville Platte, LA; Lester Deshotel, Jr. Of Eunice, LA; JoAnn Deshotel-Ardoin and husband Joel of Eunice, LA and James W. Deshotel of Ville Platte, LA. Also, Rinal Hollier, brother-in-law and wife Leola Young of Mamou; Bobby Hollier, brother-in-law and wife Sarah Barnett of West Monroe; Loretta Hollier, sister-in-law of Ville Platte and Ramona Hollier-Yarborough, sister-in-law and husband Bob of Carencro form Lyn Schaeffer Hollier, along with numerous nieces and nephews.
    Waiting for her at Heaven’s Gate is her mother, Yolanda Gotro-Deshotel and father, Lester Deshotel, Sr. along with her brother Layton W. Deshotel and his wife Patsy and brother-in-law Verdon Lamke. She will rest in eternal peace with many other family and friends who departed before her.
    A time of remembrance and reflection will be observed Wednesday, November 9, 2016 at Ardoin Funeral Home in Mamou, from 5PM until 9PM. Rosary services will be conducted at 6 PM. Visitation will continue Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 8 AM at the funeral home. A Mass of Christian burial will be conducted at 11 AM at Saint Ann's Catholic Church. Mrs. Betty Will be laid to rest in the Saint Ann's Mausoleum.

Usually the first thing I do after getting to know someone is ask to see any old pictures they have of themselves and of their families. I love oral history, especially that wrapped around a good photograph. I was elated when I discovered the stash of photographs my mother-in-law, Lou Ella McCauley, kept. Even more exciting was the fact that she was a war bride, and I couldn’t wait to learn the story of those early years.
 
Lou Ella Fontenot grew up in the community of Pointe aux Tigres. She remembers being at school in Basile when war was declared. Everyone, she recalls, knew there was trouble in Europe, but an attack by Japan came as a complete surprise.
 
Helin McCauley, my father-in-law, was raised in L’Anse ‘Prien Noir, a community north of Duralde. He can’t recall how he learned of the war, but speculates it was over his family’s radio – they were the only household in the area with one.
 
Lou met her future husband in the summer of 1942. She was staying with her aunt Lillian [Naquin] Miller in Duralde while her uncle Murphy was away at work. Lillian had been left with 2 daughters and a farm to manage, and needed help. For entertainment, Lou would occasionally go to Piersall’s dance hall in Mamou (located on the same block as Fred’s Lounge) with her cousin “Sis” Fontenot. She remembers that Eugene Daigle, who owned a bus, would drive kids from the country to the hall each Wednesday night. The romance started when Helin asked Lou to dance.
 
Like many young couples, Lou and Helin found themselves separated by the war. Helin was drafted in 1943 and chose to join the Navy. He had originally hoped to join the Cavalry, but was informed that it longer existed. On February 26, Helin left for basic training in San Diego, CA. He had only ever ventured as far as Pollock, LA (where he worked for the Conservation Corps in the 1930s), and while the trip to California was not difficult to make, he did regret having to be so far from home.
 
Life in the Navy was not hard for Helin. He had grown up with hard work on the farm, knew how to shoot from hunting, could already swim. Perhaps the most difficult thing was getting home for leave. He would take the train, the bus, sometimes catch a ride with pilots to various bases. More often he’d hitchhike, which was safe for servicemen (and rather patriotic for drivers) despite the fact that there were fewer cars on the road due to tire and gas rationing. One trip took 17 rides to get to Oakdale, another took 34!
 
Helin’s time with the Navy was memorable. On more than one occasion, due to no fault of his own, he was prevented from joining his fellow sailors at the front line. His first assignment was on an aircraft carrier off the coast of California. Their ship was used for “qualifying”, or training, pilots and Helin’s job was to repair and maintain their airplanes. He next traveled to Brisbane and Pert, Australia (remembered vividly for it boiled mutton consumed for weeks afterward) on route to Karachi, India (now Pakistan). His ship was transporting important equipment and aircraft to the area, and the crew learned upon leaving Australia that no ship had ever made the journey past 5 days. Helin recalls that, unescorted, the boat [ship] maintained a zigzag course; history was made when they arrived unharmed in India. The crew later learned that for part of the way they had been trailed by a submarine.
 
Perhaps Helin’s most lively encounter during his time was the hazing which took place upon crossing the equator. Each initiate stood trial with a judge whose biggest complaint was, “That hair! A working soldier shouldn’t have that!” Each had their hair shaved sloppily, and was passed through various stations of punishment, including one for whippings. In the end, Helin received a card and certificate certifying his new rite of passage.
 
Helin then joined Cajou 5, located on North Island in San Diego, where he worked as an airplance mechanic through “shore duty”. Not long after, he joined a “commando squadron” at a special camp in Point McGoo. Cajou F69, as it was called, was a fighting unit whose purpose was to clear a way on Pacific Islands for landing strips. Instead of shipping out with the group (his squadron was on leave at the time), Helin was sent to 29 Palms in the Mojave Desert where a new type of rocket was being developed and tested. The closest highway was 53 miles from the air base. The war ended before any other missions could come Helin’s way.
 
While most young men from home were in the service, there were few locals in Helin’s immediate area. One day, while out for a walk, he met Octave Fruge from Gueydan. Heline approached him from behind and asked “Et-ou tu deveins, Fruge?” (Where do you come from Fruge?) Octave, never having left home before, was extremely homesick, and it’s easy to imagine how wonderful it felt for him to hear his native tongue again! The two became life-long friends, visiting each other often after the war. The only other Frenchman on board Helin’s ship was S.B. Ardoin of Mamou.
 
Louisiana French culture was certainly new to many sailors, and Helin recalled the time that some of his crew first heard French music. His family had sent some recordings of Amede Ardoin, Leo Soileau and other to his ship – at first, he said, the goup became very quiet, only looking at each other, bewildered. Eventually their feet were tapping along with the music.
 
The old saying “Distance makes the heart grow fonder” certainly held true for this young couple during the war. In March 1944, when Helin returned home on emergency leave, they decided to marry immediately. They obtained a marriage license in Ville Platte and drove directly to St. Ann’s in Mamou. Unsuccessful here, they continued on to St. Anthony’s in Eunice. It was during Lent, a time when marriages weren’t usually held, but the assistant priest performed the ceremony anyway (quick marriages were common during the war, after all). Their witnesses were two individuals who happened to be making the Way of the Cross at the moment. Helin had to immediately return to California, leaving his new wife to care for her mother at home.
 
Letters were the only means of communication the family had with Helin during their separation, so he devised a code to warn his family of impending movement. If a form of endearment was included in the greeting, such as “Dearest Lou”, they knew theat he would be shipping out soon.
 
The couple was united three months later, when Lou made the long, tiring journey to San Diego. Trains, used for transporting troops, offered little space for civilians. Lou remembers having to stand holding a strap all the way to Beaumont. The journey across Texas lasted 32 hours, after which time Lou had no further desire to ever see desert again.
 
The couple was assigned a room in an old house which, despite its simplicity, offered many amenities that the couple had never had before: a telephone, electricity, running water, a bathroom in the house with hot water… Life in the city definitely differed from their lives back home.
 
Rebecca, their first baby, was born in April. Two months later, Helin got word that he was shipping out and the couple agreed that Lou should go back to Louisiana. The train ride home for mother and baby was unforgettable. At supper one evening, an officer explained to her that she was on the wrong section of [the] train – these cars were heading to Chicago! Panicked, unprepared for such a declaration, Lou moved to the correct train cars only to find them overcrowded with no available seats. The two spent the night on the floor between two cars – well shaken and dusty by journey’s end!
 
I wondered how everyday life was affected by the war. The couple explained that farmers and their families suffered less from rationing than those in the cities. While there were plenty of eggs, milk, and meat, canning materials (metal lids, rubber gaskets) were in short supply. Sugar, a precious commodity to all and was often hidden in jars buried in the ground.
 
While in California, the couple was well supplied with meat-rationing coupons from their families, often leaving Lou the envy of other shoppers. Of course, with the men abroad, it was difficult and emotional time for wives, children, and mothers at home.
 
Aviation machinist mate 3rd class [Petty Officer] was discharged on December 3, 1945. He eventually settled in the community of Soileauwhere the couple raised five children; Rebecca (Grand Chenier), Gentry (Tampa, FL), Monica (Reeves), Malcolm (Alexandria), and Cory (L’Anse ‘Prien Noir). Helin and Lou Ella will celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary next month.
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The McCauley Family book available for purchase at Lulu.com.

By Bernice Ardoin and published in the 75th Anniversary Edition of The Weekly Gazette, February 23, 1989, Ville Platte, LA

The Town of Mamou, incorporated in 1911, has a population of approximately 5,000 today. The town is the second largest in Evangeline parish.

The charter granted by the governor for a proclamation of incorporation called for a governing body composed of a mayor and three aldermen. The council was allowed to employ officers.

Members of the first council were Adophe Dugas as mayor, Arnold Bougeau, Arance Bacon and Simeon Vidrine as aldermen. Euclide Landreneau was named treasurer while Avey McCauley was marshall and tax collector. Simon B. Tate served as the town's first clerk. They met for the first time in February 1911 and the population of the town was approximately 250.

The first ordinance adopted by the new officials prohibited the carrying of concealed weapons by any person within the corporate city limits of the town. This included pistols, bowie knives, and any other dangerous weapons.

In 1911, the town officials purchased a lot for the purpose of erecting a city jail. A committee was appointed to meet with the parish school board in Ville Platte to discuss and set up ways and means by which the town could assist in the erection of a public school building in Mamou.

There are several stories about how the Town of Mamou got its name. One was from a legendary Indian, Chief Mamou. It is certain that the vast prairie was known as Mamou Prairie as far back as the 1700's. The Anglo-Americans first called it "Mammoth Prairie" [it was  Mammouth in the article, which is in error[] because of its size. When the Frenchmen came, they called it "Mamou," short for "Mammoth."

There was strong competition between Mamou and Ville Platte for the parish seat. The result was the location of the parish seat in Ville Platte.

According to Robert Gahn Sr.'s book the The Opelousas Country, in 1909 the Southern Pacific Railroad built a branch line from Eunice to Mamou, making Mamou it terminal.

In the early 1900's, several enterprising young black men settled in Mamou. Joseph Celestine and son-in-law Arthur Thomas, and Mark Frank played an important role in education and business in the black community there.

Most of the black settlers worked on farms as laborers and share croppers.

Zan Matthew had the first dance hall in the black community, located where Zion Travelers Church is now.

In 1912, Mamou acquired its first bank; Evangeline Bank and Trust Company of Ville Platte. In 1914, a second bank, Farmer's Bank of Mamou was established where American Security Bank is now located. The bank was absorbed in 1924 by Evangeline Bank. In the early 1950's, Guaranty Bank of Mamou was established as a home-owned bank. Citizen's Bank opened a branch office in Mamou in 1977 and American Security opened its branch in 1983.

Mamou obtained telephone service in 1910 from the Louisiana Telephone Service. Telegraph service was extended from Ville Platte to Mamou in 1911 after the Rock Island Railroad was built in 1911.

According to Mr. Revon Reed, the first school was built in 1911 and Victor Dupuis was the first principal. The two-room frame building was located in a curve off Hwy. 13 near Reddell. It was for students through the 11th grade. Pupils in the first grade ranged from 6-16 years old. The school met the requirements for state high school approval in 1916.

Mr. Revon Reed taught school in Mamou for over 20 years. His uncle, Dominick Reed, also taught school there. Dominick was one of the first graduates from the school. Ella Mae Boutte was another.

In 1924 Mamou High School and Elementary School were built. F.V. Launey was the first principal at the new school. He later became superintendent of the parish. Robert Gahn Sr. was then appointed principal in 1925 until his retirement in 1958.

The high school principals over the years included: Victor Dupuis (1914-15), F.V. Launey (1915-25), Robert Gahn Sr. (1925-58), Dan LaHaye (1958-71), Robert Dogia (1972-84) and Denny Guillory (1984-present).

In the early 1920's Mamou began to grow as it contained such businesses as doctors, a dentist, an attorney, a rice mill, hardware stores, drugstores, general merchandise stores, a car dealership, implement dealer, two railroads, two banks and a large warehouse extending to each railroad. The population then is believed to have been 603.

In 1921, The Evangeline True Democrat, the first newspaper in the town, was published in Mamou. Felix Pierrotti was editor of the publication. The newspaper in the small town was used to boost the town and its area in competition with the Ville Platte newspaper, the first in the parish.

Waterworks were acquired in 1922 and electricity in 1926. Gas was piped to the town in 1938.

When the depression came in the 1930's it wiped out everything.

In the 1950's a new growth came about. A bank was reorganized, a new Catholic Church was built, along with several other churches, a hospital was built, three drugstores, two rice mills, a large rice dryer and elevators, and various other stores as well.

Mayors during the first 50 years (1911-51) were Euclide Landreneau, James Hamilton Seiley, Dixie Tate, O.L. Fuselier, Simeo Vidrine, George Piersall, Y.E. Stagg, Phillip LaHaye, Frank Savoy Sr., White Fusilier, J.C. Duplechin, Simon Tate, Davis Bertrand, Charles Landreneau, Oxeme Fontenot, and J.S. Guillory.

Calvin Landreneau was mayor of the town from 1962-69. He was succeeded by Dr. B.J. Manuel in 1970. Manuel remained mayor until 1980 and was succeeded by Frank Peter Savoy III (1981-85). Clayton McGee served as mayor form 1985-86. Warren Pierrotti, who is presently serving as mayor, took over the duties in 1987.

First Justices of the Peace were Neville "June" Guillory, John Reed and Edovic Rougeau.

Two doctors served the vast prairie in the early days: Dr. T.A. Guillory and Dr. E.D. Conway. Dr. Frank Savoy Sr. began practicing in Mamou in 1920.

The third oldest Catholic Church in the parish is located in Mamou. Father August Viel was appointed pastor of St. Ann's Church in 1914. A new Catholic Church and rectory were built in the 50's.

There were always social events in the town. In the early days there were bal de maison (house dances). These evolved into Fais do-dos and were held at local dance halls. Today the Town of Mamou is well known for its Music Festival in June. The music festival, which began in 1974, sponsored by the Cajun Music Festival Association.

The annual Mardi Gras celebration is called le Courir de Mardi Gras a Cheval (The Mardi Gras Run on Horseback). Men and boys ride horseback or in wagons into the countryside for miles collecting chickens and rice for the evening gumbo. The Mardi Gras in the area dates back to before the Civil War. It wasn't held for many years, but was reorganized in 1953 by Paul Tate, Sr.

Several years ago Mamou was designated as the "Cajun Music Capital of the World." The town is also nationally known for its famous "Fred's Lounge."

A city park in the town was also developed in the early 1950's.

Mamou's second news paper, The Mamou Acadian Press was established in 1955 and is still serving as the town's newspaper today under the editorship of Miss Candace Riley. Other employees as the weekly publication are Leisa Deshotel as advertising representative and Gwen Landreneau as receptionist. The Mamou Acadian Press began as a bilingual newspaper under the editorship of Revon Reed. Mike Deshotels was publisher. The paper ran a number of French columns with the English interpretation as well. Although no longer bilingual, the newspaper remains an integral part of the community.

The Mamou Acadian Press Plus, an advertising supplement to The Mamou Acadian Press began publication in November 1988 and is delivered to residents in central Evangeline Parish.
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Mamou - Cajun Music Capital