Family of Gustave Toussaint Ayo & Philomene Eucelia Trosclair
Gustave Toussaint Ayo was born 1 November 1847 in Lafourche, LA, and died 15 September 1937 in Plaquemine, Iberville, LA. Burial was 16 September 1937 in St. Philomene Cemetery, Pitre Family Tomb.
Wife Philomene Eucelia Trosclair was born 21 February 1854 in Labadieville, Assumption, LA (baptism: 20 May 1854 St. Philomene, Assumption, LA), and died 7 April 1938 in Plaquemine, Iberville, LA. Burial was 8 April 1938 in St. Philomene Cemetery, Pitre Family Tomb. They were married 7 February 1870 at Our Lady of Peace, Vacherie, LA. Link to photo.
Their children were:
1- Joseph Clinton Ayo b: 27 October 1870 Labadieville, Assumption, LA (baptism: 5 January 1871 St. Philomene, Assumption, LA); d: 21 February 1927 New Orleans, LA
+Seraphine Himel b: 25 April 1873 Labadieville, Assumption, LA; m: 19 January 1894 Lafourche, LA; d: 9 February 1967 New Orleans, LA
Notes for Joseph Clinton Ayo:
- 1900 Lafourche, LA: Clinton Ayo 30 (Oct 1869), wife Seraphine 28 (Jun 1871), Alberic 4 (Nov 1895), Freda 3 (May 1897), Hampton 1 (Mar 1899)
- 1910 Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA: Clinton J. Ayo 39 travelling salesman/candy factory, wife Seraphine H. 37, Alberic D. 14, Frederica M. 13, Hampton M. 11, Watson S. 9, Effie M. 5, Samson A. 2.
- 1920 New Orleans, LA: Clinton Ayo 46 (married), Joseph 24 fireman/steamship, Freda 22 wrapper/laundry, Hemton 20 fireman/steamship, Watson 19 duff/cotton mill, Effye 15 assorter/laundry, Samson 12, lodger Louis Nican 25 barber/barber shop.
- On SS Wawa sailing from Puerto Cabe Zas, Nicaragua on 9 February 1927, and arriving in New Orleans, LA on 13 February 1927: Clinton J. Ayo (age 57 years 4 months, b. 27 Oct 1869 New Orleans), single, address 547 Carondelet St., N.O.
- Death Notice: Times Picayune (N.O., LA), Friday, 25 February 1927: Clenton Ayo, Hospital for Mental Disease, 57.
2- Augustin Clerfe Ayo b: 4 April 1872 Lafourche, LA (baptism: 26 May 1872 Lafourche); d: 5 May 1929 New Orleans, LA
+Marie Keller b: 23 July 1879; m: 17 September 1896 Lafourche, LA; d: 8 March 1957 New Orleans, LA
Notes for Augustin Clerfe Ayo:
- 1900 Lafourche, LA: Clerfe Ayo 28 (Apr 1872) farm laborer, wife Marie 20 (Jul 1879), Samson (Nov 1899) 7 months
- 1920 Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA: C. A. Ayo 49 machinist/foundry, wife Marie 40, Bridget 16, Oliver 13, Sidonia 10, Beulah 8, Marie 4.
- Obituary: New Orleans States (New Orleans, LA), Monday, 6 May 1929: Ayo - On Sunday, May 5, 1929, at 9:15 p.m., Clerfe Ayo, beloved husband of Marie Keller, and father of Leon, Bridget, Ledonia, Beulah, Marie and Peggy Leon, aged 50 years, a native of Thibodaux, La., and a resident of this city for the past 4 years. Deceased resided at 813 Webster St. Relatives and friends, also the officers and members of Sovereign Camp No. 369, W.O.W., of Thibodaux, La., are invited to attend the funeral which will take place on Monday, May 6, 1929, at 4 p.m. from the funeral home of Lamana-Panno-Fallo, Inc.. Services at St. Francis of Assissi church.
- Tombstone Inscription, St. Patrick Cemetery #1, New Orleans, LA: AYO / Hayward 1923 - 1927 / Marie M. 1916 - 1936 / Bridget Nettleton / 1903 - 1984 / Wilson Nettleton / 1899 - 1986 / Clerfe 1871 - 1929 / Marie K. 1879 - 1957 / Beulah Deloume / 1911 - 1992
3- Marie Lea Ayo b: 18 December 1876 Vacherie, LA (baptism: 4 January 1877 Our Lady Of Peace, Vacherie, LA); d: 28 February 1962 Plaquemine, LA; burial: 3 March 1962 St. Philomene Cemetery, Pitre Family Tomb
+Henri Valery Pitre b: 27 October 1868 Labadieville, Assumption, LA (baptism: 30 January 1869 St. Philomene, Assumption, LA); m: 30 December 1891 St. Joseph, Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA; d: 10 December 1920 Plaquemine, LA; burial: 11 December 1920 St. Philomene Cemetery, Pitre Family Tomb
Notes for Gustave Toussaint Ayo:
- 1870 Lafourche, LA (ward 2): Gustave Ayo 22 farm laborer, living with family of Silvere Trosclair 39 & wife Delphine 38, Philomene 17, Xavier 12, Angus 10.
- 1880
- 1900 Lafourche census (ED 29, W5, 3B): Gustave Ayo 51 (NOV 1848); can't read, write, or speak English; Philomene 48 (FEB 1852); can't read, write, or speak English (she states 3 children, all living at this time; married 33 years); They live next door to Martin Pitre and Odile Vicknair.
- 1910 Lafourche, LA: Gustave Ayo 64 & wife Philomene A. 56, living with family of Henry Pitre.
- 1920 Lafourche census (ED 50, W5, 1A): Gustave Ayo 68, wife Emila 62.
Tombstone Inscription: St. Philomena Cemetery. Labadieville, Assumption, LA: HENRY PITRE / 1922 / Gustave Toussaint Ayo / 1847 - 1937 / Philomene Trosclair Ayo / 1854 - 1938 / Henri Valery Pitre / 1868 - 1920 / Lea Ayo Pitre / 1876 - 1962 / Gustave Andrew Mire / 1904 - 1981 / Clotilde Pitre Mire / 1906 - 1994 / Callie Bolnar Pitre / 1901 - 1991 / Henry Gabriel Pitre / 1900 - 1949 / Cyrille Charleston Pitre / 1894 - 1945 / Jennifer Pitre / 1924 - 1936 / Judith Pitre / 1945 - 1945
- (Thanks to cousin Lana Merliss for collecting all the stories!)
Gustave Toussaint Ayo was born 1 November 1847 (November 1st being All Saints Day, e.g. "Toussaint"). His mother died before his fifth birthday, but his father married again when he was 7. By the time he married in 1870 he had a dozen siblings and half-siblings to keep him company. He married Philomene Trosclair 2 weeks shy of her 16th birthday. (The Trosclairs were originally Germans - Troxler - who came with many others to settle what became known as the German Coast during the 1700's. They had intermarried with other German settlers as well as the Acadian descendants during this time.) Philomene was the only surviving child of Silvere Trosclair and Marie Elodie Prejean. Twins born the year before her hadn't survived their first year, and her mother died a year after giving birth to Philomene. Her father married again 16 months later to Marie Elodie's younger sister Delphine (so Philomene's step-mother was also her aunt). Gustave and Philomene had only 3 children. They were still living a rural existence by the turn of the century. Neither Gustave nor Philomene could read, write, or speak English. Philomene was a registered midwife who actually delivered many of her own great-grandchildren as late as the 1920's when she was in her 70's. She was paid with groceries or a chicken. She got a great-grandson to fill out the birth papers which were sent to Washington. She was paid $5 for each one, and gave him 50 cents for helping. She had a lovely garden. Being a midwife she visited many homes in the area. When a family she delivered a baby for had a flower in their garden she didn't have, she got cuttings. She had camellias (scarce then), magnolias, and sweet smelling flowers (probably Japanese magnolias). Her granddaughter Bee said, "She had every kind of flower." Great-grandson Dickie said she had all kinds of "little things going" - she made capons out of roosters and could determine if eggs were fertile. The kids "picked up pecans", probably ate some and sold some. Gustave had some money but wouldn't give it to the women running the house or any of the kids. Philomene would share everything. They raised chickens and sometimes sold the eggs. They were known by the affectionate names of Grandpa & Grandma Cattoon or Pepere & Memere Cootoone. In later years Gustave was blinded in one eye as a result of a wood chip flying into it while he was chopping wood. (Granddaughter Chloe related that they were told that he had been sitting under a pecan tree when a small branch fell and hit him in the eye.) He smoked and great-grandson Pat rolled them for him since he couldn't see well enough to do it himself. Philomene would also roll them at night. He used King B tobacco in a yellow pouch. Gustave (Pepere) made a vegetable garden and helped with the yard work. During grinding season he would go "make grinding" away from home, sometimes as far as Sugarland, TX. He was also remembered as a marvelous storyteller. He would sit in HIS chair as his children and their friends would sit on the floor while he told fascinating tales in French, including "La Barbe Bleu" (Blue Beard) and Cinderella. He also sang the "Passion Song" which had 14 stanzas. No one ever had the voice he had or the way he told the beautiful and sometimes hair raising tales. They died within 7 months of each other, Gustave almost 90 (1937) and Philomene at 84 (1938). They were 14 & 7 respectively when the Civil War began, lived through World War I, and experienced most of the Depression.
 Philomene Eucelia Trosclair (Ayo) 1854 - 1938 |
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%20-%20Copy.jpg) Augustin Clerfe Ayo 1872 - 1929 |
 Marie Lea Ayo (Pitre) 1876 - 1962 |
Parents of Gustave Toussaint Ayo
Parents of Philomene Eucelia Trosclair
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Last updated: 15 March 2023.