Martin Benoni Pitre was born 6 May 1767 at St. Suliac, Bretagne, France, and died 21 November 1851 in Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA.
Wife Jeanne Dantin was born 4 August 1768 at St. Andre-des-Eaux, Cotes du Nord, France, and died 7 April 1825 in Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA. They were married 21 January 1786 at St. Louis Church, New Orleans, LA.
Their children were:
1- Marie Magdelene Pitre b: 4 October 1789 Donaldsonville, Ascension, LA; d: Bef. 1795
2- Julie Felicite Pitre b: 30 October 1792 Plattenville, Assumption, LA
+Louis Jean Hebert b: 9 June 1779 Nantes, France; m: 22 November 1812 Plattenville, Assumption, LA
3- Joseph Elinore Pitre b: Abt. 25 December 1796 Plattenville, Assumption, LA; d: 29 July 1854 Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA
+Ursule Delphine Molaison b: 5 November 1798 New Orleans, LA; m: 7 July 1818 Plattenville, Assumption, LA; d: Aft. 1854
Notes for Joseph Elinore Pitre:
-1830 Lafourche census: Joseph Pitre - males 1(0-5), 1(30-40); females 2(0-5), 2(5-10), 2(10-15), 1(20-30). [Joseph 34, wife Ursule 30, Delphine 12, Elisa 10, Aima 8, Melanie 6, Josephine 5, Euphemie 3, Joseph 1]
-12 December 1850 Lafourche census: Joseph Pitre 58 farmer; Ursule 40; Josephine 19; Euphemie 17; Ferdinand 14; Odilia 13.
4- Jean Pierre Louis Pitre b: 3 January 1798 Plattenville, Assumption, LA; d: 12 February 1855 Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA
+Rosalie Hache b: 2 May 1800 Plattenville, Assumption, LA; m: 4 May 1819 Plattenville, Assumption, LA; d: 24 May 1848 Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA
Notes for Jean Pierre Louis Pitre:
- 1830 Lafourche census: John P. Pitre - males 1(30-40); females 2(0-5), 1(5-10), 1(10-15), 1(15-20), 1(30-40). [Jean Pierre 32, wife Rosalie 30, Marcelline 7, Julie 5, Pauline 3, Carmelite 1]
- 1842 Sugar planters & mfr. - Jean Pre Petre (St. James)
5- Louis Auguste Pitre b: 31 August 1799 Plattenville, Assumption, LA; d: Aft. 1850
+Marie Clotilde Lefort b: 26 September 1805 Donaldsonville, Ascension, LA; m: 19 June 1826 St. Joseph, Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA; d: Aft. 1850
Notes for Louis Auguste Pitre:
- 1830 Lafourche census: Auguste Pitre - males 1(20-30); females 2(0-5), 1(20-30). [Louis Auguste 31, wife Marie 25, Marie 3, Arthemise 1]
- 1850 Barataria, Jefferson census (p. 65): Augustus Pitre 50 laborer, $1000 real estate, Clotilde 45, Eugene 18 laborer, Louisa 15, Lewis 12, Adrien 10, Elmire 8, Joseph 6, Gratien 3.
6- Louis Achille Argilo Pitre b: 8 May 1801 Plattenville, Assumption, LA; d: 30 September 1854 Houma, Terrebonne, LA
+Marie Clotilde Clouatre b: 21 January 1792 St. Gabriel, LA; m: 8 September 1828 St. Joseph, Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA
7- Mathurin Pitre b: 14 June 1802 Plattenville, Assumption, LA; d: 11 December 1852 Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA
+Felicite Esther Thibodeaux b: 6 April 1817 Plattenville, Assumption, LA; m: 11 July 1831 Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA; d: Aft. 1853 Lafourche, LA
8- Francois Basile Pitre b: 28 June 1804 Plattenville, Assumption, LA; d: 28 August 1876 Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA
+Scholastique Boutary b: Abt. 1808 Lafourche, LA; m: 30 August 1830 St. Joseph, Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA; d: Aft. 1853
9- Hypolite Paul Pitre b: 31 January 1809 Plattenville, Assumption, LA; d: 2 March 1867 Houma, Terrebonne, LA
+Marie Virginie Clouatre b: 20 June 1802 St. Gabriel, LA; m: 14 February 1831 St. Joseph, Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA
10- Arthemise Pitre b: Abt. 1810 Lafourche, LA; d: 17 May 1823 Thibodaux, Lafourche, LA
Notes for Martin Benoni Pitre:
- 1 January 1788 Lafourche census: Martin Pitre 20, Jeanne Dantin 19, Joseph 15 (his brother), Marie 12 (his sister); 6 arpents, 30 quarts of corn, 1 horse, 4 swine.
- 1 January 1791 Lafourche des Chetimachas census: Martin Pitre 24, Jeanne Dantin 19, Marie 2; 6 arpents, 12 quarts of corn, 5 swine.
- December 1795 Bayou de Valenzuela census: Martin Pitre 28, Juana Dantin 28, Felicitas 4.
-10 April 1797 Valenzuela in Lafourche census: Martin Pitre 29, Jeanne Dantin 29, Felicite 5.
-1 January 1798 Lafourche census: Martin Pitre 32, Anne 30, Julie 6, Joseph 2; 3 arpents frontage by 25 arpents in depth.
-1810 Lafourche census: Martin Belloni Pitre - males 2 (0-10), 4 (10-16), 1 (45+), females 1 (16-26), 1 (26-45).
-1830 Lafourche census: Martin Pitre males 1 (15-20), 2 (20-30); females 1 (5-10), 2 (10-15), 1 (30-40). (Widowed Martin 63, son Francois 26 and wife Scholastique, son Mathurin 28; Sons Joseph, Jean Pierre and Louis Auguste are neighbors.
- Summary:
Martin Benoni Pitre was born in France to Acadian exile Paul Hypolite Pitre and his wife Marguerite Louise Valet. His birth in May of 1767 occurred a few months after his father's death and that of his 3 1/2 –year-old sister Genevieve. His mother remarried 2 ½ years later to another Acadian Charles Hebert.
The family joined the convoy to Nantes in 1775 and remained there until the Acadian exodus in 1785. By this time, it seems likely that the only surviving members of the family were the three who made the journey to Louisiana.
Martin Pitre, carpenter, 22 (really 18), his half-brother Joseph Hebert 15 (really 12), and his half-sister Marie Hebert 17 (actually 10) arrived at Balize from France on La Caroline after 64 days at sea, having missed L'Amitie which actually took 80 days to make the crossing. They took on a pilot there and sailed up the Mississippi for five days, presumably arriving at New Orleans on 17th of December 1785.
One month later Martin married Jeanne Dantin at St. Louis Church (now Cathedral) in N.O. Jeanne, the daughter of Louis Dantin and Jeanne Gesmier, had crossed with her family on L'Amitie so it is possible they had known each other in Nantes. He was 18 and she was 17.
Martin received a hatchet, knife and meat cleaver, two axes, two hoes and two shovels as assistance. Seventy-five percent of the families who arrived on La Caroline were sent on to the Lafourche area, around Plattenville and the Lafourche census two years later shows Martin and his wife Jeanne on their land at Bayou Lafourche with a frontage on the bayou of 6 arpents. Joseph Hebert and Marie Hebert were still living with them. They now had a horse and four pigs and 30 quarts of corn to see them through the winter.
In the census three years later (1 January 1791) they had a daughter Marie who was now two. (Neither Joseph nor Marie was listed, though Marie did not marry until 1793; and I can find no further trace of Joseph.) By the 1st January 1798 census they are down to 3 arpents frontage by only 25 arpents in depth. This is a rather small plot, so possibly Martin was earning some income from his carpentry work.
On 17 April 1828, Martin Pitre appeared before Pierre Daspit (Judge of the Parish of Lafourche Interior performing the duties of Notary Public). Martin is selling to Severin Forest for $500 (in payments) a tract of land (2 arpents front x 40 deep) on the right bank of Bayou Lafourche about 5 miles below Thibodauxville. Reservations are that the wing of the fence on the upper boundary cannot be changed within the present year in a manner which would disturb the neighbors; also, that the flour mill, small store, and debris from the cotton mill will be removed by Martin. This tract had been purchased at auction by Martin on 22 March 1828. Paul Foret stands as security for Severin Forest. The land is currently affected with a legal mortgage in favor of the minor Hippolyte Pitre. Martin Pitre will procure its release upon final payment from the purchaser. At the same time Martin is selling to Firmin Guedry for $300 another tract of land (2 arpents front x 40 arpents deep) on the right bank of Bayou Lafourche about 5 miles below Thibodauxville. Same reservations & same mortgage in favor of Hippolyte Pitre. Joseph Dantin Paul Foret stands as security for Firmin Guedry. [Martin Pitre was able to sign his name.]
Over the years Martin and Jeanne had at least ten children, and Jeanne died in 1825 at the age of 57. In the 1830 Lafourche census Martin is listed next to properties of his sons Joseph, Jean Pierre and Auguste. Martin Benoni Pitre died in 1851 at the remarkable age of 84 years.
Parents of Martin Benoni Pitre
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