Billeaud, Martial, Jr.; Lafayette Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Billeaud, Martial, Jr., sugar planter, merchant, banker and president police jury of Lafayette parish, was born at Broussard, Lafayette parish, La., in the year 1862. His father, Martial Billeaud, Sr., was born in France, Aug. 25, 1834. His parents were natives of France, and emigrated to America in 1836. He was fourth of 5 children born to his parents. In 1857 he married Miss Lucy St. Julian. He enlisted in the 26th Louisiana Volunteer infantry, under Maj. Legarde, in 1863, and served until the close of the war. Lucile St. Julian was born in Lafayette parish, La., and died at the place of her birth in 1902. For details as to ancestry of the mother, see sketch of J. Gilbert St. Julian, elsewhere in this work. Jean Billeaud, father of Martial Billeaud, Sr., came from France to America in 1836, locating at the town of Vermilion, now Lafayette, La. He was a wheelwright by trade, having followed that occupation in France, and after locating at Vermilion continued to make that his business until his death in 1875. Martial Billeaud, Sr. also learned the wheelwright trade from his father, and followed that line of work some years in Lafayette. Later he removed to Broussard, where he followed the same employment, with an intermission of the time served in the Confederate army. After his marriage he engaged in planting, to which he devoted the remainder of his active life. Upon his retirement he disposed of his plantation interests to his children, in 1903, but continued residing at the old plantation homestead. Martial Billeaud was second of 5 children born to his parents, these children being: Eulalie, Martial, Jr., subject of this sketch; Charles, Alice, and Paul, all of whom are living. Martial Billeaud, Jr., was educated at public and private schools in the town of Broussard, later attending St. Charles college, at Grand Coteau, La., following which he was employed on his father's plantation, and later rented and cultivated and on his own account. He began renting land and growing cotton in the year 1882, at the same time giving diligent attention to saving as much of what he made as was possible. His father always made a point of having his sons associated with him in his business enterprises. In 1893 the present large sugar factory, located on the old plantation, was erected, and represents an expenditure of $500,000. The first mill on the place was erected in 1874, and was an open kettle mill run by horse power. This old mill was in successful operation until the completion of the present splendid plant. Until 1903 Martial Billeaud and his brothers operated their father's land, but in that year purcharsed the father's interest of 3,000 acres, and in that same year began purchasing additional land. This was continued until, in 1913, they owned 11,723 acres. In 1913 they decided to make a division of their property, and this was done, with the exception of the sugar factory, which they own jointly, and for which they produce about 40,000 tons of cane annually. Martial Billeaud, Jr., owns one-fifth of the sugar factory. Among other plantations in which he is interested are the Home plantation, Long plantation, Huron plantation, and De Laneville plantation. In 1889 Martial Billeaud, Jr., and Edward L. Estorge purchased the general merchandise stock of F. B. Grovenberg, at Broussard, which was then comparatively a small stock of goods, but which has been so largely increased since that now it is one of the largest retail stocks in the parish or in that part of the state. In 1899 Martial Billeaud's brothers purchased Mr. Estorge's interests in the store, and since that time the firm name has been M. Billeaud, Jr., & Co., Martial Billeaud, Jr. owning one-half interest. In 1906 Martial Billeaud organized the Bank of Broussard and was elected president of the institution at the start, in which capacity he has remained to the present. He was one of the organizers of the Brossard Cotton Oil Co., of which he is a director. He is also a member of the board of directors of the First National Bank of Lafayette, and of the Southwestern Louisiana Development bureau. Politically Mr. Billeaud aligns himself as an independent Democrat. During the past 18 years he has served the people of the parish as a memeber of the Lafayette parish police jury, and during 12 years of that tme has filled the important office of president of that body. His greatest activities have been in the direction of securing good, serviceable, and durable roads for the people of the parish, an din his official capacity he has done everything possible toward securing this much desired end, while as a private citizen he has contributed largely of both time and money for this purpose. He has also been an able champion of the public schools, and has done much good work toward securing improvements in these. In church affiliation Mr. Billeaud is a Roman Catholic. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Columbus and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He has contributed largely of his means towards the support of the church and convent at Broussard. Always a tireless worker, Mr. Billeaud's success in life has been achieved through earnest effort, diligent applcation and discerning thrift, intelligently directed, and no element of what is termed luck has entered into his steady upward climb. Mr. Billeaud is now casting about for the best means of offsetting or overcoming the effects of recent national legislation affecting the production of sugar in Louisiana, and with this idea in mind is contemplating a greater diversity of products on his lands. He is fully alive to the great possibilities of agriculture in Louisiana, and is exerting his energies toward practically demonstrating the feasibility of greater net acreage returns from the land, and his able efforts in this direction will undoubtedly be largely helpful to the cause of intelligrent agriculture in Louisiana. June 27, 1893, Mr. Billeaud was married to Miss Palmyre Bernard, and 5 children, as follows, have been born to their union: Della, Cornelius, Roy, Allen, and Louel. Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 47-49. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.