Antoine Dubuclet....... click photo

Antoine Dubuclet
Submitted by Patricia Schexnayder
Slidell, Louisiana

(Excerptfrom“AFamily History” by Pat Schexnayder
and Kara Schexnayder Chenevert )

 

Antoine Dubuclet was born a free person of
color of French and African heritage in 1813 in
Iberville Parish, LA.

He was one of nine children
born to Antoine Dubuclet (I) and Rosalie Belly.
The Dubuclets were descended from an early
French military family, the Dauterive-Dubuclets,
who settled in south LA during the colonial era.

Antoine Dubuclet (I) married Rosalie Belly, the
daughter of Pierre Belly, a native of France
and an early Iberville Parish planter, and
Rose, a Jamaican slave of the Nago Nation
of southern Nigeria.

Rosalie was one of the
five daughters of Pierre and Rose. The Belly
daughters married into many prominent
families of color throughout south LA,
including the Dubuclets, Decuirs, and
Ricards.

The Ricard tomb in St. Raphael
Cemetery in Iberville Parish houses the
remains of Pierre Belly and Rose.

	The Family Web Site...; Click here

 

 

 

 

 

Antoine Dubuclet married Claire Pollard,
a free woman of color and the daughter of
Louis Pollard of France and Eugenie Decuir
of Pointe Coupee, in 1836. The Pollards and
the Decuirs were also wealthy sugar cane
planters in Pointe Coupee Parish.

Antoine
and Claire's 10 children were well-educated
young men and women from what appears to
be a "genteel" background. Several of the
children received their education in the
Beaumont area of France where some
remained while others returned home to LA.
Two of the Dubuclet sons were physicians
and at least two were musicians.

 

 

Claire and
her sister, Sophie Pollard, owned a
plantation in Iberville Parish together.
Adjoining their plantation was another one
jointly owned by their husbands, Antoine
Dubuclet and Pierre Durand.

Claire Pollard's
family inheritances and the success of these
plantations established Antoine as the
wealthiest free person of color in the US prior
to the Civil War. Claire died in 1851, leaving
Antoine and her children her share of the
Dubuclet/Pollard estate.

Antoine later
purchased from his sister-in-law, Sophie,
both the Durand share of the plantations and
Pierre Durand’s entire estate upon Pierre’s
death in 1856.

In 1854 Antoine Dubuclet began a domicile
with Mary Ann Welsh that lasted until her
death in 1866. Four children were born of
this union. The Welsh family remains research connecting Mary Ann to her family of
origin. However, upon her death Mary Ann left a
handsome estate, including property in New
Orleans, to her minor children.

Following the Civil War Antoine focused his
attention on politics. During those turbulent times
Antoine Dubuclet, along with several other
influential persons of color in LA, held State office
in the new Reconstruction government.

Antoine
Dubuclet held the office of State Treasurer.
Under Antoine's tutelage, unlike many other
southern states, LA did not bankrupt or fall into
financial ruin in the years following the War.
Antoine employed two of his sons as clerks in the
Treasurer's office and ran an efficient
organization free of corruption, withstanding
scrutiny and investigations that found no
wrongdoing on his part.

 

Source.. ...Family web site.... click here

 

Antoine Dubuclet held office as State Treasurer for 11 years through three terms. The State Treasurer's office at that time was located on Royal Street in New Orleansand during those years Antoine spent most of his time in the city He died in 1888 in Iberville Parish and was brought to New Orleans for interment in the old Dubuclet tomb in St. Louis No. 2.Cemetery.

Antoine Dubuclet is the great grandfather of
Odette and Noemi Dubuclet, the two little girls
who grace the cover of Sybil Kein's book, Creole,
The History and Legacy of Louisiana's Free
People of Color.

He is the gg and ggg
grandfather of the authors.
Anyone having any information on this family
please contact Pat at patschex@hotmail.coman
enigma and nothing has been found in research connecting Mary Ann to her family of
origin. However, upon her death Mary Ann left a
handsome estate, including property in New
Orleans, to her minor children.

Following the Civil War Antoine focused his
attention on politics. During those turbulent times
Antoine Dubuclet, along with several other
influential persons of color in LA, held State office
in the new Reconstruction government.

Antoine
Dubuclet held the office of State Treasurer.
Under Antoine's tutelage, unlike many other
southern states, LA did not bankrupt or fall into
financial ruin in the years following the War.

Antoine employed two of his sons as clerks in the
Treasurer's office and ran an efficient
organization free of corruption, withstanding
scrutiny and investigations that found no
wrongdoing on his part.

Antoine Dubuclet held
office as State Treasurer for 11 years through
three terms. The State Treasurer's office at that
time was located on Royal Street in New Orleans
and during those years Antoine spent most of his
time in the city He died in 1888 in Iberville Parish
and was brought to New Orleans for interment in
the old Dubuclet tomb in St. Louis No. 2.
Cemetery.

Antoine Dubuclet is the great grandfather of
Odette and Noemi Dubuclet, the two little girls
who grace the cover of Sybil Kein's book, Creole,
The History and Legacy of Louisiana's Free
People of Color. He is the gg and ggg
grandfather of the authors.

Anyone having any information on this family
please contact Pat at patschex@hotmail.com