St Landry County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....Garrigues, Paul A. May 7, 1882
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Mary K. Creamer marykcreamer@yahoo.com May 21, 2019, 5:18 pm

source: The Opelousas Courier. (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, May 13, 1882, English, Image 1

Paul A. Garrigues, only son of Judge Adolphe Garrigues and Delia Garrigues, 
was born on the 6th of January, 1851, and died the 7th day of May, 1882, 
aged 31 years, four months and one day.

Little did we think one month ago, that we would be called upon to chronicle 
the death of one who had such bright promise of life, such glowing health, 
and such buoyant and such animated spirits. No one dreamed that the 
destroyer Death would single out so shining a target as was presented to the 
pale archer in our lamented young friend, Paul A. Garrigues. Yet such was 
the case. Here again we have had the exemplification that "death has no 
respect to persons," and that "in the midst of life, we are in death." 
Garrigues, who numbered his friends by the legion, and whom we dare say had 
not an enemy, was laid away in the silent tomb by loving hearts and devoted 
friends.

His funeral cortege proved to the world the strong esteem that he held upon 
all of his friends and acquaintances - for upon that sad occasion the 
evidences of genuine sorrow could not be mistaken in the grave countenances 
and bowed heads of those who followed him to the grave. No young man was 
more universally known or more generously appreciated throughout the entire 
parish than he.

His official relations of life had thrown him in contact with all classes of 
society, and whether in town or in country, in the bright salons of wealth, 
or in the humble homes of poverty, he was at ease and at home.

His genial disposition and magnetic sympathy won him friends wherever 
circumstances placed him.

We do not pretend to say that he had no faults, because who among us are 
perfect? But his very faults, whatever they might have been, won him friends 
and disarmed all hostility.

A descendant of one of the oldest and most honored creole families of St. 
Landry parish, it would seem that he should have been spared; for he was the 
last male representative to perpetuate the historic name of Garrigues, which 
has figured with conspicuous destinction (sic) in Louisiana ans France. His 
aged and stricken father, Judge Adolphe Garrigues, now stands as the 
solitary landmark of that honored name.

Young Garrigues was the very soul of honor in all of his attachments, in all 
of his professions, and in all of his pledges to strangers or friends. His 
courage was as undaunted as his friendship was firm and lasting; quick to 
resent a wrong, yet he was as ready to forgive an injury. These noble 
characteristics were the key to his spontaneous and universal popularity.

We do not speak this in fulsome eulogy to himself, or his family, because in 
these utterances we feel that we reiterate the sentiment of our entire 
people.

Although he professed the creed of no religion during his days of health, 
yet during his last illness, he sought spiritual consolation through the 
Catholic faith - which his parents followed - and met his fate with perfect 
resignation, with a full belief and hope in a blissful immortality.

His sorrow stricken parents and innumerable mourning friends have the 
consolation of knowing that he died a christian, and in that sublime faith 
he received the last sacraments of the Catholic Church.

If we have lost him, heaven has gained him, and this should prove a greater 
balm to the wounds of sorrow than any condolence that could be expressed in 
words.

During his long illness he bore his sufferings with heroic fortitude and 
sublime patience.

He sank into death as peacefully as if going to sleep.

Loving but aching hearts stood around his dying bed to smoothe (sic) his 
exit to the shadowy land, and we believe that angels stood ready to attend 
him through the valley of the shadow of death.

"How lovely, how sweet the repose of the tomb!
No tempests are there; but the nightingales come
And sing their sweet chorus of bliss."
May he rest in peace. - A FRIEND.

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