Bio: P. Emanuel Prudhomme, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller



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P. Emanuel Prudhomme.  A notable old family of Natchitoches Parish are the
Prudhommes, who have dwelt there since the French regime in Louisiana; have
been planters, professional people, and worthily connected with local affairs,
earning and enjoying prosperity and the reputation for high character.

P. Emanuel Prudhomme was born in the old Manor House on the Oakland
plantation, a house that was built in 1821 and has been standing one hundred
and three years.  It is one of the most commodious and beautiful of all the
old time Louisiana plantation houses, being surrounded by magnificent live
oaks.  Most of these trees were set out Mr. Prudhomme's father, Phanor
Prudhomme, in 1843.  The fifth generation of the family now occupies the old
homestead.

The founder of the family was Emanuel Prudhomme, who came with French soldiers
to Louisiana, and acquired the land from the French government.  His
plantation was located on both sides of old Red River.  When time Red River
plowed a new channel the old river bed was named River, and in modern
geography Oakland Plantation is situated on this stream.  The Prudhomme from
the first generation have been highly educated and cultured people, book
lovers, and before the war large slave owners.  The second generation of the
family was represented by P. Phanor Prudhomme and his two sons, J. Alphonse
and P. Emannuel, were of the third generation.  The fourth generation is
represented by P. Phanor, a son of Alphonse, and J. Alphonse, a son of P.
Phanor, is of the fifth generation.  P. Phanor, father of P. Emanuel, was a
member of the Louisiana Legislature about the time the war between the states
began.  He married Lise Metoyer, who was born on Cane River, a mile below
Oakland.  P. Phanor Prudhomme died just after the war, at the age of
sixty-two.  His son, Alphonse, being the oldest, retained the old home, while
subsequently P. Emanuel moved to the opposite side of the river.  The mother
of these children died in 1855.

P. Emanuel Prudhomme was born in 1844, and was educated at Georgetown, near
the City of Washington, and Jefferson College at Covenant, Louisiana.  His
brother, J. Alphonse, born in 1839, was educated in a school in Kentucky, the
University of Virginia, and at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and became a civil
engineer.  He helped survey the Back Bone Railway. P. Emanuel Prudhomme in
April, 1863, at the age of nineteen, joined Company B of the 26th Louisiana
Infantry.  He was at Vicksburg during the siege, was also at the battle of
Mansfield, and was an orderly sergeant.  After the war he and his brother, J.
Alphonse, took charge of Oakland plantation, but subsequently he moved to the
cast side of the river, and for many years has been a prosperous planter in
that district.  By appointment from Governor McEnnery, he served twelve years
on the police jury, eight years of that mime as president, and for four years
was a member of the Parish school board.

Mr. Prudhomme married Julia Buard, daughter of J. B. Buard.  She was born at
Natchitoches, and was educated at Nazareth, Kentucky.  The family are
Catholics in religion.  Of the eight children born to them seven arc now
living: J. B. 0. and P. Felix, on the home plantation with their father; J.
Edwin, who died in boyhood; R. Emile, a Cotton Belt Railway employe at
Shreveport; Lise, wife of B. F. Dranguet, of Natchitoches; Laura, wife of Hon.
Ed C. Prudhomme, a cousin Adeline, wife of C. E. Cloutier, a planter in
Natchitoches Parish; Cecile, wile of Philip Cloutier, a planter in
Natchitoches Parish.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 22-23, by Henry E. Chambers.  Published
by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.