Macimilian Becnel,  St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana

Submitted for the LA GenWeb Archives by Mike Miller, Dec 1997


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Maximilian Becnel
        St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana
    Maximilian Becnel, deceased, formerly a prominent merchant and
planter of Edgard, St. John parish, La., was born November 20, l839, in
the same parish.  He was a son of Norbert and Marceline (Trosclair)
Becnel, both natives of St. John parish.   The subject of this notice
was the youngest of four children.  He was educated at Beardstown, Ky.,
at St. Joseph college.  From l85l to 1853 he clerked in a store in New
Orleans, and then came to Edgard, and began merchandising on his own
account, in which business he continued until his death, and at the same
time he followed farming, raising principally sugar and corn.  In 1853
(July 30) he was married to Miss Azema Webre, who was born in Edgard,
December 10, 1836.  She is a daughter of Peter and Azelina (Rodrigue)
Webre, natives of St. John parish.  Her parents were of Spanish descent.
To Mr. and Mrs. Becnel were born thirteen children, as follows:  Joseph
deceased; Louise; Annette; Alice, deceased; Leonie, also deceased;
Rebella, deceased; Eva; Maximilian, deceased; Marie; Philomene; Cleona;
Bernardette and Maxie.   Mr. Becnel died August 14, 1882.  On his
father's side he was of English descent, and on his mother's he was of
French descent.  He had a very wide circle of friends, and was one of
the prominent men of the parish, being highly respected by all.  His
family still live on the old place.  He accumulated a snug fortune, and
was engaged extensively in farming.  His wife now oversees the
operations on the place.  He was a consistent member of the Catholic
church and his entire family are members of that organization.  He was
very much attached to his church, and it was a source of great pride to
him that his children all followed his teachings in that direction.  Two
of the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Becnel are married.  Annette is the
wife of Emile Laurent, a native of St. John Parish, La.  They have two
children, named Sabine and Lubin.  They are comfortably settled on a
farm in the parish of St. John.  Eva is married to Aristid Webre, who is
a planter in St. James parish.  He also does some merchandising.  They
are the parents of one child, named Charles.  Mrs. Becnel and all of her
children were educated in St. James parish at St. Michaels convent, and
all have received a good education.  Mr. Becnel was postmaster of Edgard
for twenty years.  He never graduated in college, owing to ill health,
but was a well-educated man.  He was well and favorably regarded in his
parish, enjoying the respect of all worthy citizens of that place, and
his death was greatly regretted by all who knew him.

 From Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, volume 2, p.
278.
Submitted by Mike Miller

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