AUCOIN, Kleber A., Assumption then Ascension Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Aucoin, Kleber A.; residence, Donaldsonville, Ascension parish, La., was born in Assumption parish, La., Nov. 21, 1857; son of Joseph and Parmelia (Giroir) Aucoin, both of whom were born in Assumption parish. The paternal grandfather was Augustan Aucoin. The Aucoin family in Louisiana originates from France. Four brothers of the name were exiled from France and located in widely different parts of the United States at a time early in this country's history. One of these brothers took up land and made his home in the vicinity of Bayou Sara, La., and from this early settler descended the branch of the family of which the subject of this sketch is a member. Augustan Aucoin, the paternal grandfather, followed the business of a blacksmith, and as such was long attached to the retinue of the noted Lafitte. Joseph Aucoin, father of the subject of this sketch, was educated for the priesthood, but did not enter the service of the church. Four sons and 4 daughters were born to his parents, and while the children were yet young their father died. Thereafter, the widowed mother, being moved to do what she considered best for her children, had all of her sons educated for the priesthood and influenced all of her daughters to become nuns. All of the 4 daughters are now deceased, and all died as nuns. The 4 sons, however, although they were trained for the service of the church, chose occupations other than the priesthood, and thus it came about that Joseph Aucoin passed his active life in the joint occupation of bricklayer, blacksmith, sugar maker and manager of sugar plantations. He owned a comfortable home in Assumption parish, and passed practically all of his days in Assumption and Ascension parishes. He was employed in Assumption, near Plattenville, until 1871, but in that year moved his family to Donaldsonville, and was thereafter employed as a plantation manager in Ascension parish during the remainder of his life. He died at New Orleans, where he had gone for medical treatment. His wife died at the age of 77 years. Seven children were born to their union, as follow: Ptolemy, now married to Camille Aucoin and living at the old homestead of the Aucoin family in Assumption parish, parents of 9 children; Numa, died of pneumonia at the age of 21 years; Wilbrand, married Leonie Thunoneaux and resides on the Teche, his wife is now deceased, leaving 1 child; Albert, married Mary Tompley, now at Lutcher, La., and they have 11 children, eight of whom are now living; Kleber A., the subject of this sketch; A. A. Aucoin, M. D., elsewhere mentioned in this volume; Anatole, the seventh child, married to Eva Woodward, followed the business of a planter, and died, leaving 3 children. Kleber A. Aucoin was educated at private schools. At the age of 16 years he began work as overseer of Santamo plantation, and during the succeeding 38 years remained identified with the same business, as overseer, sugar maker and manager, respectively. In 1894 he purchased some lands and began growing oranges on his own account, putting in 6,000 trees as a start. In 1895 a number of these trees were killed, and in 1899 the remainder of them were destroyed by a freeze. Mr. Aucoin then went to Florida for buds, and made a fresh start in orange culture, afterward making a commercial success of the business and increasing his acreage. In 1904 he sold half of this orange grove to John Meyer, of New Orleans, and in 1911 disposed of the remainder of the property to the same man. Mr. Aucoin then became a traveling salesman for the new owner of the grove, introducing Mr. Meyer to the fruit and truck growers. After passing 1 year in this way, Mr. Aucoin entered the service of Mr. Gueydan, on Old Hickory plantation, as sugar maker, and has supervised the grindings on this plantation to the present time. At an auction sale of town lots at Donaldsonville, in 1904-5, Mr. Aucoin purchased a block of 26 lots there, and in 1911 he formed a company and built a large garage on a portion of this property, he occupying the position of business manager for the company, which handles automobiles and supplies and conducts a general automobile service for the public. In the same year be built a commodious residence at Donaldsonville, and in Jan., 1912, moved his family into this. In July, 1913, he purchased all of the stock of the automobile and garage company, and has since conducted that enterprise on his own account. At this time, however, be still maintains his connection with the sugar business and supervises the work during the grinding season. In 1878 Mr. Aucoin was married to Miss Caire LaBlanc, daughter of Valerie LaBlanc of Ascension parish, and 7 children, four of whom are now living, have been born to their union, as follow: Julia, who died at the age of 2 years; Joseph C., graduated from Soule' college, New Orleans, and was married to Miss Louise Savage of the latter city. He died at the age of 27 years, leaving no children. K. F., educated at the Christian Brothers' college, Donaldsonville, follows the business of an overseer and sugar maker, is married and living at New Orleans, 3 children, only two now living; Alwyn J., graduated from the Christian Brothers' college at Donaldsonville, and spent 2 years in study at Baltimore with the intention of entering the priesthood, but then determined that the life of a churchman was not his calling, and after having taken a commercial course at the Massey business college, Houston, Tex., accepted a responsible position with a large mercantile house there, where he has since resided. He is married to Miss Ruth Pascal, of the latter city, and they now have 3 children; James B., graduated from the Christian Brothers' college at Bay St. Louis, Miss., and following this, passed 4 years in the study of electrical and mechanical engineering at Tulane university. He then entered the New Orleans college of pharmacy (now affiliated with Loyola university), from which he graduated with the degree of Ph. G. with the class of 1911. He is now engaged in the practice of pharmacy in the city of New Orleans. Lydia graduated from Sacred Heart academy, New Orleans, and is now the wife of Elmo Cire, a druggist of the latter city. They have 2 children, Edith, who also was a graduate of Sacred Heart convent, became the wife of Fred Rogge, of Donaldsonville. She died at the age of 23 years, leaving 1 child--Edith--now at the home of its maternal grandfather. Mr. Aucoin is affiliated with the republican party. He is a member of the Catholic church and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Knights of Columbus and the Holy Name society. He is deservedly popular among his fellow citizens, and has served 4 years as a member of the police jury of Ascension parish, being elected as a republican. He has a number of times acted as delegate to political conventions. He is a prosperous, active, progressive, whole-souled man, receiving a large measure of the substantially good things of this life, and contributing generously to the comfort and happiness of others. He has accumulated all he has through his own efforts and is in every sense a self-made man, respected and honored by the people among whom he lives. Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, volume 3, pp. 713-715. Edited by Alc e Fortier, Lit. D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.