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                                                                                                                               E-Mail: rabalaisfamily@zoomshare.com

           Its purpose is to share geneological information and solicit additions from the family or anyone with information which they would be willing to share.  My grandfather was Francis Marion Rabalais (1874-1953)  of Cottonport, Louisiana and  several  family members over the years have contacted me requesting information about relationships and offering details about our family that we have not known. This will be useful to us all!

  Our geneology will begin with the first positively identified generation in France, but it is not identical to other geneological accounts found on the web.   Research has revealed some seemingly valid  variations.  Differences however, may reveal truth if there is enough comparative input.

  Because I am not a geneologist, the form may not be acceptable to some.   Ours may be less well organized and in narrative style, however the essentials will be here.

  If there is enough website space, and time, a French language version might be forthcoming.

  I live in El Dorado, Arkansas  but we are in the pprocess of packing to move to Louisiana.  Many people in Louisiana and surrounding states know us through our business, Rabalais and Company, Pipe Organ Builders (http://www.rabalaisorgans.zoomshare.com).   We work widely throughout the area and for many years we were associated with the Canadian organbuilding firm of Casavant Freres, Ltee'. and we have  associations with folk in Quebec.

  Please offer anything that you may wish to contribute including suggestions, and expecially for family members or anyone else, let us know who and where you are.

Louis Rabalais makes a point during Organ History Lecture when he was teaching at South Arkasas Community College 

Geneological Sources

  My first genealogy came from a lady from Waldwick, New Jersey in 1985,  a decendant of Martin Rabalais from Pointe Coupee' or Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana.  It was prepared  by the New York Public Library.

  The second came from Harold Leneau, Director of Continuing Education at The University of Arkansas at Little Rock.  Harold's mother was a Rabalais from Cottonport, Louisiana and his principal genealogical source was Ira S. Couvillion.

  Another important source was an oral genealogy from my grandmother Laura Rabalais who was able to give family names, relationships and dates from the 18th. century.  It was taken by my mother in the 1950's.

  In the mid 1980's I met a French magazine editor at a reception given for French Exchange Students by Southern Arkansas University at El Dorado where I worked.  He saw my university nametag and began a conversation inquiring into my family's history in Louisiana.  He was an expert on French families and knew the Chinon Rabelais' very well.  He offered that our family is probably smaller in France than in the U.S.A. and perhaps 98 per-cent of the French family still resides in the region of Chinon.  There are no family members living in LaRochelle the city usually associated with Jean Baptiste Rabelais (Jr.), and he probably was born around Chinon.  LaRochelle was the port of departure for almost all of the settelers to Louisiana, and if Jean was a sailor it is easy to see how LaRochelle may have been  his home. There is a Rabalais street in LaRochelle. Unfortunately, my source's English was much worse than my French and there was some difficulty understanding each other perfectly.  He did end by saying that the Rabelais' now "own" Chinon.

  Most of the rest was obtained or confirmed from the Internet or from individuals who have contributed corrections and trivia regarding family members.

GENEOLOGY

    This genoalogy will proceed down the direct male line. 

1. Jean Baptiste Rabelais (Sr.)  most likely born near Chinon, France and his spouse Marie Magdeline bore a son who was the only family member to come to Louisiana.  How Jean Baptiste may relate to the famous Francois Rabelais of Chinon (1494-1533) is unknown.

2. Jean Baptiste Rabelais, (Jr.), (dit Mathelot), most likely born near Chinon about 1692 and who died in Pointe Coupee' February 3, 1759 married Marguerite Bellanger born at Seine, Sceaux (Paris) France who also died at Pointe Coupee'.  They were married in New Orleans at St. Louis Church on January 3, 1733.  Jean was apparently a sailor who came to Louisiana via LaRochelle .  A recently discovered story from a family member asserts that Jean "jumped ship" in New Orleans.  It is possible that he joined the ship's company expressly as a vehicle to get to Louisiana.  His nickname was Mathelot (Sailor) to the end.  French law required that settlers to Louisiana have skills useful to the colony, and many farmers or shoemakers had never seen a plow or cobbler's bench.  Sometimes a claimed "occupation" remained their nickname.  Marguerite was the widow of Joseph Ducro who was killed at the "Natches Massacre" in 1729.  Her parents were Jacques Bellanger and Catherine Garboise, both of Sceaux (surburb of Paris). Their second child was:

3. Joseph Rabelais, born in 1736.   Married Anne Barbe Boftz of the "German Coast" (St. Charles Parish) on July 16, 1754 .  Anne died at Pointe Coupee' November 2, 1764.  Anne's parents were Daniel Boftz, (b. 1704) at Cassen, Diocese of Spire, Platinate, Germany, and Anne Marie Werich (b. 1712) at Lorraine, Germany.  They were married at Lorraine.  Both are buried in Louisiana; Daniel (+ 3/15/1758 at Baton Rouge, and Anne Marie (+6/20/1750) at Pointe Coupee'.  Daniel had previously been married to Marie Eva Kuhn.  Anne's parents were Nicolas Werich and Anne Marie Werich.   Anne Marie Werich was born at Lampaitz, in the German Lorraine and died 6/20/1750.  Joseph died in 1788 at Avoyelles Post.  After Anne Barbe's death, Joseph married Elizabeth Malbert (b. 7/22/1761 in Natchitoches Parish.  She was the daughter of Jean Baptist Malbert and Jeanne Catherine Vercher.  When Joseph died she married Nicolas Chatelain widower of Catherine Juneau. Elizabeth died about 1799.  Strong legend has it that Joseph and Elizabeth were the first white settlers in Avoyelles Prarie (now Avolelles Parish), named for the Avoyel Indians.  Joseph owned land east of Mansura, Louisiana. He deeded this land to his son, Joseph II.  He also owned land on Lake Avoyelles, now called Lake Perl. Joseph and Anne Barbe had three children: Henrette, Jean Baptiste, Elizabeth and Joseph.  With Elizabeth there were three children: Jean Baptiste, Felecite and Adelaide.  Joseph and Anne's second child was:

4. Jean Baptiste Rabalais, born Febuary 15,1759 in Pointe Coupee' married Marie Louise Bouchard, born in Pointe Coupee' on September 22, 1759 at St. Francis of Assisi R.C. Church in Pointe Coupee' on  September 22, 1777.  Both died and are buried in Avoyelles parish.  Marie Louise's  father, Louis Bouchard was from Montreal, Quebec and her mother, Marie Anne Jeanne Lemoine was born in New Orleans.  One of their children was:

5. Paulin Rabalais, born in Avoyelles Parish on August 30, 1787  married Celeste Bordelon, born April 15, 1796.  The wedding was on September 3, 1806.  Celeste's father was Pierre Bordelon (b. 1761) and her mother was Adelaire (or Adelaide) Lacour. They had at two known children Heloise (b. 1809) and Evariste Paul.

6. Evarist Paul Rabalais married Marie Decuir who was born in 1814.  Everest is said to be buried in Hamburg, Louisiana on an indian mound because it was the only dry land available during a flood. (Ihave visited the site.)  One of their children was:

7. Aristide Francois Rabalais who was born December 19, 1848 married Sarah James Pavey (Biggie); born in Indiana on July 28, 1847 (sometimes said to be 1844).  The wedding was on November 22, 1866 at Moreuville.  Sara James' family were  originally French glassmakers and jewelers and the name was spelled Pavet.  They moved their business first to England and then to the United States.  They had 6 children; Phenius Paul (Pete) Ida Augusta (Mimmie), Rosa Theresa, Francis Marion, Albert Byron and Ernest Edward (Big Bud). Evarist and Aristide where the first of the family to consistantly spell the name with the second vowel with an "a" instead of an "e", but there are state documents with Aristide's name recorded as Rabelais even when he signed them Rabalais, but the Raba spelling can be found very early in France as well as Louisiana. We have the original document from the state of Aristide's Justice of the Peace certificate and it is spelled Rabelais.

8. Francis Marion Rabalais born May 18, 1874 at Cottonport, Louisiana married Laura Jeansonne born August 21, 1882 also at Cottonport.  The wedding was September 5, 1901 at Cottonport. Francis Marion died August 2, 1953, and Laura died February 13, 1980.  Both are buried at St. Mary's Cemetry in Cottonport.  On November 27, 1896 Francis Married Florida Couvillion who was born April 22, 1879.  Florida died March 21, 1898 and is buried at St. Mary's Cemetry.  Francis was a building contractor, farmer and sometime Mayor of Cottonport.  Francis Marion and Laura's children were:

   1.Francis Marion Rabalais, Jr. (Brother) 6/16/02- 5/08/79       married lma Chenvert on 12/15/26-

   2. Bryan Benard Rabalais (Lou) 8/18/04 -1967                      married Olivia Wright  (children: Laura Louise Rabalais Lewis, Francis Anne Rabalais Kennett

   3. Ogden Joseph Rabalais       12/14/05-4/08/97                 married Marie Ermeline St. Romain, (Amedia,pronounced Ah-mede) 8/14/07-5/19/85 Children:Harold Rabalais, adopted) (+)  (Harold was married and his son Kerry married Roseanna (B-?) and their children are Alexsis, Alex and Amanda)

4. Louis Lament Rabalais (Babe)       12/26/08 - 4/06/73 buried: Longview, TX married Sarah Abagail Offutt (Gala)                  children: Louis L. Rabalais, Jr. 12/10/39, Gala Louise Rabalais 1/24/44

   5. Aristide Anthony Rabalais (Shine)  12/26/08 - 3/20/77  Twin W/Babe

   6. Laura Ames Rabalais           2/24/13 - 8/17/89               married Hugh Edwin Coker (Buddy)

    7. Marion Joseph Rabalais (Little Marion)  12/22/15              married Dorothy Mayeau (children: Marion Andrew Rabalais, Janice Claire Rabalais Moulard, Paul Keith Rabalais (+)

  8. Gibbs Moise Rabalais                  3/21/20-11/11/87       married Dorris Poole, Mary Beth Boatner 2/03/27-8/17/89 

Gibbs and Doris's chilren (Darlene, Ronny)

Francis Marion's Grandchildren and Greatgrandchildren

  1. Louis Lament Rabalais, Jr.(Bo), born December 10, 1939 at New Orleans married Kathleen Marie Smith at St. Mary's Church, El Dorado, Arkansas on August 31, 1962. They have two children, Andrea Marie Rabalais Petrosh and Louis Lament Rabalais III.  Louis and Kathleen live in El Dorado, AR.  Louis is a retired college professor and Kathleen is now a part-time L.C.S.W. therapist.  They both operate Rabalais and Company, Pipe Organ Builders on a full-time basis.

   Gala Louise Rabalais, born January 12, 1944 is a High School teacher in Houston, TX.  She has two children, Jonathan Louis Gerber and Rebecca Gerber.         

   1a. Louis Lament Rabalais, III  12/20/1969 married Evelyn Joy Berthelot and they have one child, Christian Alexander Rabalais.

  1.b Andrea Marie Rabalais Petrosh, 2/3/64 Married Colonel Michael Petrosh.  Andrea is employed by St. Mark's Cathedral, Shreveport and Mike is a pilot for Delta Airlines and a reserve officer for the U.S. Air Force.  They have two children, Michael, III and Lauren Marie.

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