Felix Damare, St. James Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller


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Felix Damare, planter, Convent, is a native-born resident of St. James parish, La., his birth
occurring on August 3, 1839, and the son of Dr. Jean L. and Adele (Malarcher) Damare.  The
father was born in France and there received a thorough literary and medical education.  He
came to America when still a single man, located in St. James parish and was there married to
Miss Malarcher.  He practiced medicine and in connection also carried on planting for several
years, but was never naturalized.  He died in September, 1868, at the age of sixty-two, and his
wife died in 1875, when sixty-four years of age.  They were the parents of seven children, four
sons now living, of whom Felix is the eldest.  One son, Eugene, a dentist, is dead; Augusta is
a resident of St. James parish, and was for a time treasurer of the same; Germain, a planter
and dentist, was assessor of St. James parish, where he now resides, and Joseph, a dentist,
resides at Napoleonville, La.  Felix received his primary education in his native parish, and
subsequently attended school at Spring Hill, Ala.  He then began studying medicine with his
father as a preceptor, but later gave it up and opened a drug store at Convent, continuing this
from the close of the war until 1869.  He then commenced his planting career, and has followed
this ever since with unusual success.  He is the owner of St. Elmo plantation consisting of 540
acres, and situated six miles below Convent on the east bank of the river. Previous to the war
he was in the wholesale drug business in New Orleans with Woodman, and in 1862 he joined the
Confederate army, trans-Mississippi department, and was in service until cessation of
hostilities.  He was in a number of prominent engagements but was never wounded nor taken
prisoner.  He held the rank of sergeant.  Mr. Damare has ever been interested in politics and
has voted and worked for the success of democracy.  The family are Catholics.  In 1869 he
married Miss Leontine Jolly of St. James parish, who died in 1888. They had four sons and two
daughters.  Augusta Demare (brother of subject), was born in St. James parish, September, 1846,
and supplemented a common-school education by attending Jefferson college, which was then a
private school.  He left school to join the army, and in July, 1864, joined the Pelican
battery, Second Louisiana artillery under Captain Winchester, and served in Arkansas, Louisiana
and Texas, the company disbanding in the last named state.  After the war Mr. Damare engaged in
the drug business and continues this at the present time.  In 1880 he was appointed treasurer
of St. James parish, filled this position in a satisfactory manner for eight years, and at the
same time was treasurer of the school board.  He is single, and is a member of the Catholic
church.  He and his brother Germain are the owners of Oakley plantation, and are engaged in
raising sugar cane and rice.  Mr. Damare is a democrat in politics.  

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 1), pp. 365-366.
Published by the
Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.