SONGY, Edward B., St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana
Submitted for the LA GenWeb Archives by Mike Miller, Nov 1998

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Songy, Edward Barbarouse, of Wallace, St. John the Baptist parish, La., was
born in that locality May 13, 1854, and is a son of Lamie and Corinne
(Roussell) Songy, both of whom were born in the same parish as was the son,
where they were also married. The paternal grandfather came from France,
though his wife was a native of Louisiana. The maternal grandfather, Louis
Roussell, also was a native of Louisiana, as was his wife. In early life
Lamie Songy devoted his abilities to the vocation of a school teacher, in
St. John and Terrebonne parishes. Later in life he became owner of a tobacco
farm in the last-named parish, but after some years moved to St. John parish
and cultivated a tobacco farm there, but 5 years later moved his family to
New Orleans, and there engaged in dairy business. After a few years in the
city he removed the family to St. John parish again and shortly afterward
died, at the age of 45 years. His wife died in 1910. Ten children were born
to their union, and nine of these are now living, as follow: Aurelie, wife
of Joseph Schnexnaydre, of St. James parish, and mother of 3 children,
namely, Aurelia, Therd, and Amelia; Honorat, married Miss Doliska
Schnexnaydre, living at Wallace, and the father of 9 children, Cecelia,
Honore, Justin, Luke, Sidonie, Septune, Regima, Lamie, and Michel; Edward
Barbarouse, subject of this sketch; Alfred, married Miss Aline Songy and is
living at Wallace, where he owns a beautiful and commodious home and is
largely interested in sugar planting and is president of the Songy Planting
Co., which owns and operates Evergreen plantation, consisting of more than
2,000 acres, and a sugar mill with capacity for handling 500 tons of cane
per day. This mill represents an investment of more than $100,000. He
started in sugar planting and sugar making in a small way, using the old
open-kettle process, and has managed the business through its upbuilding to
the present large enterprise. Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Songy have 9 children,
namely: G., Elodie, Stephen J., Claude G., Alfred, Jr., Aline, Henrietta,
Gaston, and Hickley. Stephanie, the fifth child of Lamie Songy and wife,
married Roselius Laurent, is living at Wallace, and is the mother of 5
children, viz.: Lea, Leopold, Leonard, Ramire, and Rita; Amie married
Placide Hotard, is living in St. John parish, and is the mother of 12
children, namely: George F., Lionel P., Isaie, Joseph, Phebus, Annette,
Eleanore, Georgette, Theodore, Amie, Placide, and Charles; Blanche is now
the widow of John Landesche of St. John parish, and has 3 children; Mathilde
married E. O. Abadie, is living at Wallace, and is the mother of 13 living
children, namely: Theresa, Amede, Raymond, Ferdinand, Zeolide, Benoit,
Simone, Wallace, Alice, Georgine, Eunice, Robert, and Lester; Dantes married
Miss Lydia Sehnexnaydre, is living in St. John parish, and has 10 children,
namely: Dantes, Henry, Marie, Albin, Richard, Eva, Alice, Ida, Lionel, and
an infant child at this time not named. Edward Barbarouse Songy began farm
work at a very early age. At that time there was no school available to him,
and he acquired his education as best he could while going ahead with his
work. In 1874 he and his brother Alfred became associated with George and
Stanislaus Luke in the purchase of Evergreen plantation, and began sugar
planting on a large scale. Their business prospered, and about the year 1900
he and his brother Alfred bought the interest of the Luke brothers in the
plantation, and from that time continued its operation alone. In 1906 the
business was incorporated as the Songy Planting Co., Ltd., with Alfred
Songy, president; Edward Songy, vice-president, and P. G. Songy, secretary
and treasurer. Since that time the corporation has carried on the business
of the sugar plantation and conducted a large general store at Wallace with
conspicuous success. All of the stock is held by members of the Songy
family. In 1887 Edward Barbarouse Songy was married to Miss Melanie
Landaiche, daughter of Eugene and Ema (Haydel) Landaiche of St. John parish,
the former of whom was born in France and the latter in Louisiana. Thirteen
children have been born to this union, as follow: Eugene, Lucile, Cleli,
Oliver, Sidney, Louise, Eugenie, Pierre, Felix, Dennis, Emelie, Cecile and
Maurice. Twelve of these children are now living. Mr. Songy votes the
democratic ticket. His family is affiliated with the Catholic church. The
Songy brothers have forged their own way to a position of large importance
in the industrial life of Louisiana, and are held in high esteem as men of
probity and integrity.

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events,
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, volume 3, pp. 740-
741. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit. D. Published in 1914, by Century
Historical Association.

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