She authored Vidrine -Ve'drines, Volume One 1600-1750 in 1981. ISBN: 0-937-614-04-1. Acadiana Press, Lafayette, LA 70504

​Article on Veillon family.

More about Jacqueline Elma Olivier.
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VILLE PLATTE - Funeral services for Ms. Jacqueline "Jacky" Olivier Vidrine, 88, will be held Saturday February 3, 2018 at 11AM in the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ville Platte, with burial to follow in the church cemetery.
Ms. Jacky, a resident of Ville Platte, passed away Sunday January 28, 2018 at her residence. 

Jacqueline Olivier Vidrine, nee Jacqueline Elma Olivier, dit "Jacky" to her friends, was the widow of Drouet W. Vidrine (Sr.), and a noted historian and genealogist. Jacky graduated as valedictorian from Sacred Heart High School, and latter attained a bachelor's degree cum laude from SLI (USL), as a member of Kappa Delta Phi and Sigma Kappa Delta. She is the published author of five major books on genealogy and Louisiana history, as well as numerous papers and articles. Jacky has been accepted into and done on-site source research in the archives of the Opelousas Post, New Orleans, Alabama, Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, Washington DC, Canada, France, and Mallorca, Spain. She collaborated on genetic research projects with Tulane and LSU. Jacky was a member of many professional societies, notable as a founding associate of the National Honor Society, elected president of the Louisiana State Historical Association, and a founding member of the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL). She was also appointed by the Governor as a member of the State of Louisiana's Commission on Historical Records, and it's commission on Cultural Resources.

Born on October 28, 1929 to Jacques Joseph Olivier ("Jake") and Elma Veillon Olivier, Jacky is survived Cecile Olivier Daumueller of Freeburg IL, and six of Jacky's seven children, as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Children: Drouet Warren Vidrine (Jr.) and his wife Donna, of San Clemente, CA; Jacqueline Ann Therese Vidrine ("Jinx") and her partner Peggy, of Mandeville, LA; Thomas Lucien Vidrine and his partner Charmaine, of Ambergris Caye, Belize; Nicole Marie Vidrine Kroeger and her husband Steve, of Fredricksburg, TX; Henri Jacques Vidrine and his partner Patrick (both deceased); Jean Phillipe Vidrine and his wife Shaun, of Ville Platte, LA; and Pierre Etienne Vidrine and his wife Shirlene, of Ville Platte, LA.

Grandchildren: Elizabeth "Libby" Vidrine-Storey; Drouet Warren Vidrine III; Paul Henri Vidrine; Valeska (Kroeger) Wells; Christy Angelle (Vidrine) Bauman; Nicholas Courtney Vidrine, John Travis Vidrine, Bonnie Ann (Vidrine) Isbell; Kinsey Adele Kroeger Aleski; Kyle John Kroeger; Max Eloi Vidrine; Tiffany Marie (Vidrine) Fontenot; Kirk Boone Kroeger; Bri Anna Vidrine; Michael Pierre Vidrine; and Christopher Jacques Vidrine

Great-Grandchildren: Isabel Jo St. John; Joseph Drake Seay; Acelyn Nicole Wells; Rio Thomas Vidrine-Storey; Noah Ryan Vidrine; Caedmon Andrew Wells; Katriel Rose Wells; Lyric Steven Wells; Jackson Brave Bauman (deceased); Wilder Oak Baumann; Selah Anders Baumann; Rose Marie Isbell; Ezekiel Freedom Kroeger; Evangeline Story Kroeger; Micah Justice Kroeger; Piper Marie Fontenot; Orielle Dior Aleski; Jean Travis Drouet Vidrine; Everly Brynn Vidrine; and Charlotte Anne Fontenot, Benaiah Robert Vidrine-Isbell. 

Visitation will be held Friday, February 2, 2018 from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with a rosary being recited at 6:00 p.m., and will resume again Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 8:00 a.m.
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In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sacred Heart Foundation or the Evangeline Parish Library. 

Beverly is the daughter of Lindsey Veillon (1903-1983) and Gladys Miller (1910-1992) and the granddaughter of Gus Miller (1884-1944) and Anata Vidrine (1889-1949). Lindsey Veillon was a Chevrolet dealer in Ville Platte. Gladys Miller was described in the Clarion News in 1929 as "a young lady of charming personality and popular among the younger set. She is a graduate of the Industrial Institute of Lafayette and is a member of the faculty of the Vidrine High School." Gladys is the daughter of the late Gus Miller who constructed the lake which bears his name and covers several thousand acres of land. The lake, which is an engineering feat, is filled with sac-a-lait and other fish. 
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​VILLE PLATTE - Funeral services for Beverly Veillon Burnham, 87, Will be held at 10AM Saturday, August 12, 2017 at our Lady Queen of all Saints Catholic Church, with burial to follow in the Sacred Heart Cemetery. Father Mitch Guidry will officiate.
Mrs. Burnham a resident of Ville Platte passed away Sunday, August 6, 2017 at Heritage Manor nursing home.Beverly was a life-long teacher having taught in both Calcasieu and Evangeline Parish Schools. She retired from Evangeline Parish after being instrumental in setting up and teaching in the local Reading Lab. Reading was an avid passion and love of hers. Her lawn and flower gardens were well known in the area for their plushness, color, and beauty. Complete strangers would stop by requesting a clipping or a bulb. Of course,the inevitable questions on ‘how to’ would follow. Bev was an incredible cook who was able to make a hot dog jambalaya taste like a gourmet treat! But, her biggest passion was the love she had for the six children she raised as a single parent. The pinnacle came when she threw herself a graduation party after her youngest graduated from LSU. She had achieved her lifelong education goal of having all six of her ‘chicks’ earn a university degree. She was as kind as she was generous as her many friends would attest to. All those who knew her loved and respected her. A life that was well lived as an inspiration and mentor. Her sage wisdom and loving guidance will be missed. Beverly was the consummate host and a true Southern Belle.
She will be missed by her son James B. Shipp and wife Brenda of Ville Platte; daughters Martha S. Miller and husband Keith of Ville Platte, Paula S. DeShetler and husband Scott of Colorado, Juliana S. Darbonne and husband Randy of Texas, Rosemary S. Benoit and husband Ben of Lafayette, stepdaughter Annette Aucoin; brother Michael Veillon of Ville Platte; sister Barbara Friedman of Bunkie; 15 grandchildren Daniel Shipp, Hope Shipp Fontenot, Kevin Shipp, Heather Shipp Dupre, James Miller, Jeremy Miller, Zachary DeShetler, Katherine DeShetler, Anne DeShetler, Justin Lafleur, Dr. Elizabeth L. Pritchett, Lia Soileau, Amy Murphy, Sarah Mowery, Tyler Stephens II, 7 step grandchildren; 31 great grandchildren, five step great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents Lindsey and Gladys Miller Veillon, husband Gerald Burnham Sr., daughter Susan Lafleur, stepson Gerald Burnham Jr., brother Charles Veillon, grandchild Christopher Shipp, step grandchild John Burnham.
Visitation will be held Friday, August 11, 2017 from 5 PM to 8 PM, with a rosary being recited at 6:30, and will resume again Saturday, August 12, 2017 from 8 AM until the time of services.
The guestbook can be signed online at www.lavillefuneralhome.net
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Evangeline Parish library or the Sacred Heart Foundation.

Printed in a local newspaper and written by Bernice Ardoin, Lifestyles Editor; printed in May 1997
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Being a Mom:  The most important job Beverly Burnham ever had
The most important job Beverly Burnham has had in her entire life is being a mother.

Beverly will tell anyone that her family is the center of her life.

"I felt that being a mother was the most important job in the world. Mothers mold their children and have so much influence on what they become," Beverly says with a big smile on her face.

"My mother always told me it was so hard to be a good mother. After I had my children, I realized that was so true," she adds. "Ville Platte is a good place to raise a family," the retired school teacher continues. "People helped me so much. I believe that it takes a village to raise a child." "We have a close family," she said. When one is injured, they all hurt."

Beverly loves family get-togethers. "We do that often," she grinned with excitement. "My family is so supportive." 

The Ville Platte native is the former Beverly Veillon. She left her hometown at the age of 16 to attend college in Natchitoches and finished her studies at Grand Coteau. With her degree in elementary education, Beverly went to work in Calcasieu Parish and later taught in Pine Prairie, at James Stephens and Ville Platte Lower. "I loved working in the reading lab." she smiled as she reminisced back to those teaching days. "It was beautiful teaching in there," she adds.

At the age of 20, Beverly married Blake Shipp and the couple had six children: Jim Shipp, who resides in Ville Platte; Martha Miller of Slidell; Paula DeShetler of Denver, Colorado; Susan LaFleur of Ville Platte; Julie Darbonne of Kingwood, Texas; and Rosemary Benoit of Lafayette.

She has 16 grandchildren and eight step-grandchildren. Next month, Beverly will become a great-grandmother.
In 1965, after Beverly and Blake were divorced, she moved back to Ville Platte with her children. "We were living in Maplewood, near Lake Charles," she explains. "I was teaching there."

Ten years later, in 1975, Beverly married Gerald Burnham. He had two children: Junior Burnham and Annette Aucoin. "We had to add a big room onto the house, so there would be enough room for everyone," Beverly grins. "I have no regrets about having a big family," she emphasizes. "I'd do it again tomorrow if I had the chance."

Beverly's second husband passed away five years ago. "The only description I can give you is that he was a true gentleman. I just can't say enough about him." "I was blessed to have him." "There's so many rewards in being a mother," Beverly admits. "It's just wonderful."

Since her retirement from the school system, Beverly says she has two loves loves. "My kids are older now and I have plenty of time to do all the things I always wanted to do. But, I'll never enjoy anything more than being their mother," she says seriously.

His 33 years of work, took him into 10 states, traveling over 200,000 miles.  He sold most of his property, even a 40-acre tract of land in Allen parish, to finance his project.  In October 1963, he had a claim of $47,167.64 (equal to $333,831.28 in 2008 dollars) filed before the Gretna district court, seeking this sum, as payment for his efforts of 33 years to the estate of Francois Zenon Boutte.

Ulysse (1884-1969) is the son of Constantino “August Constant” Pierotti and Stephanie Martel.  He married Aminthe Fruge in 1907.  They had five children, Olivia (married Tanies LaFleur), Gladys (married Herbert Soileau, Sr.), Pearl (married George Richard), Ruby and Frances (married Warren J. Strohmeyer).

Ulysse was a farmer and later a deputy Sheriff with Ville Platte Sheriff Charles Pucheu. 

According to Pierrottie, Francois Zenon Boutte died about 1869, long after the deaths of his wife and child, leaving no natural heirs, and all of his fortune gone. His life and death were completely forgotten until 1930, when the Standard Oil Co., of Texas came into Louisiana to explore and develop the piece of land called Lafitte Island (now called Barataria Island) on the southern tip of the Louisiana boot.

While engineers and surveyors were going over the island, abstracting each and every strip of territory, they came across a forgotten strip of land some five acres wide and six miles long, land which belonged to Francois Zenon Boutte, and left by him to his heirs after his death. The story goes back into the years here, when Pierrottie told of how the land came into ownership by Francois Zenon Boutte and his uncle, Jean Baptiste Boutte. This island was once given to the famous pirate, Jean LaFitte by a grant of General Andrew Jackson, in payment for his services in the battle of New Orleans.

Jean LaFitte later sold the island to a man named "Villa" and this same Villa sold the land to Pierre Lavigne. At the time of the Louisiana Purchase it was owned by Pierre Lavigne, whose heirs sold it in 1915 to the brothers Hilaire and Jean Baptiste Boutte (uncles of Francois Zenon Boutte).

Pierrottie pointed out that Hilaire then sold his undivided half of the island to Joseph Triscoue and Triscoue sold his half to Francois Zenon Boutte in 1819, but the notary making the sale made a mistake and the sale read that Triscoue sold the entire island to Zenon Boutte. This necessitated a new document to read that Zenon Boutte had purchased only half of the island, the other half belonging to Jean Baptiste Boutte. To make it more clear, the two Bouttes then decided that they would divide the island in two equal parts, with Jean Baptiste Boutte taking the northern half of the island and Francois Zenon Boutte taking the southern half.

It is at this point, following the discovery of a forgotten strip of land located in the southern half of the island, land which belonged to Francois Zenon Boutte that Pierrottie comes into the story.  After digging back into old records and birth records, history books and deeds some 33 years later, Pierrottie completed his work - the finding of close to 3,000 heirs and descendants of Francois Zenon Boutte, Heirs and descendants of eight generations, of brothers and sisters, of Zenon Boutte - Marie Louise Hycinthe Boutte, Antoine Hilliare Boutte, Modeste Boutte, Louis Hilliare Boutte, Juan Leon Boutte, and Celestine Boutte.

Pierrottie's grandmother, Louise Mathilde Boutte, was a daughter of Antoine Hilliare Boutte.  Pierrottie's work came about by a request of heirs of Francois Zenon Boutte, who thought then that the estate could never be settled and nor could all the heirs be located.

In 1963, Pierrottie stated that this 500-acre tract, more or less, will never be sold by the heirs, and today is worth millions of dollars, and will, as years go by, bear more fruits, and will create more hardship, as heirs die and other heirs are added on, which could reach 5,000 heirs by 1975.

In his years of research, Pierrottie said, his work was greatly hampered because of all old documents and records being recorded in French.  This necessitated an interpreter and added expenses.  He also had to establish the fact that because of the known birth of a son by a second marriage, his son may have had heirs who would then be heirs of the Francois Zenon Boutte estate.  This claim had been filed by the heirs of Jean Baptiste Boutte, he stated.  After seven years of research of old records of the St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, it was officially established that his only son had died at the age of seven, Pierrottie said.

Ulysee won the court case and assets were distributed.  However, as a descendent of this family, am I owed some of these royalties?
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The above is based primarily on "One Fellow's Evangeline" by Elvin Reed and printed in The Daily World, Opelousas, LA on October 6, 1963
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See also: Pirate Lafette Really Name Boutte, Southwest LA Man