FAMILY REUNION FOR DESCENDANTS OF

DOMINIQUE and LOUISA THOMASINE PETERSON-MONLEZUN Gen. 4!

Lake Arthur, Louisiana

 

Dear Cousin,

 

You are receiving this invitation because your relative provided me with your name and address. You are a direct descendent of Dominique and Louisa Thomasine Peterson-Monlezun. They settled in Lake Arthur, LA in 1873 after emigrating from southern France in 1866. You and your family are cordially invited to attend the First Monlezun Family Reunion in Lake Arthur, LA. It is 10 miles south of Jennings, LA, off of I-10.

     It is our hope that you can attend this special day of food, visiting, sharing of mementos, memories, and music.

 

Date: Saturday, April 23, 2005

Time: 10:00 a.m.to 6:00 p.m.

Place: Lake Arthur, LA, the home of Lee Joseph and Anna ‘Gertrude’ Hensgens- Monlezun.

Hosted by: Their children!

Cost: Donations to be collected at the reunion to cover a portion of the cost of the event.

What to bring: Special mementos of your Monlezun family tree for the “Memory Table” such as photos, old letters, special mementos you feel you would like to share (i.e. tools, garments, hats, religious articles, handmade items, favorite recipes, etc). Bring cameras!

Activities:

* Gather at 10:00 AM at the sign-in area to pick up your name tag and special ribbon identifying your branch of the Monlezun family (Pascal, Joachin, Josephine, Antoine, Emile, or Theodore)\

* Sign in with name and address. Pick up “The Monlezun Family” booklet of all family names and addresses (one per family). Special gift of Grandpa Dominique will be given at this time.

* Visit under the large tent where food will be served and Memory Tables will be set up.      

* 12:00 noon -Blessing of food and family; catered food and drink. Home open for use.         

      * 1:30 p.m. - Music provided by ‘Then and Now’…a band made up of relatives from Lake

Arthur! 

* More visiting, singing, dancing!

* Maps available to visit the graves of ancestors (less than one mile away) if you so wish.

 

 

Please spread the word of this Reunion reminding family members of the date and time.

Another letter will be sent closer to the time of April 23, 2005.  It is our hope that this day will be memorable for all who attend. Feel free to pass this invitation on to any family we may have missed. We are indeed a big family! Grandpa Dominique’s decision to come to America has borne much good fruit. So gather around the fruit trees in Lake Arthur and meet your cousins!

 

Sincerely,

Constance Victoria Monlezun Darbonne and Siblings, Lee Joseph., Robert Joseph, Charles Joseph, Anna Bernadette, Malcolm Joseph, Ione Marie, and Dominique Joseph

 

***(Please send me full & complete names, birth date, wedding anniversary date, death date and updated addresses to be included in the “Monlezun Family Booklet”)

The First Monlezun Family Reunion, 23 April 23 2005 in Lake Arthur, LA

Home place of the late Lee Joseph and Anna Gertrude Hensgens-Monlezun

Descendants of Dominique and Louisa Thomasine Peterson-Monlezun and

Pascal Monlezun

 

 

 

 

 

 

Host family for the Dominique and Louisa Thomasine Peterson-Monlezun and

Pascal Monlezun Family Reunion 23 April 2005!

Children of Lee Joseph and Anna ‘Gertrude’ Hensgens-Monlezun,

Left to Right:

#10 Dominique Joseph Monlezun, #6 Malcolm Joseph Monlezun, #2 Robert Joseph Monlezun, #1 Lee Joseph Monlezun Jr. &  #3 Charles Joseph Monlezun

Bottom Row: left to right:

#8 Ione Marie Monlezun-Broussard, #5 Constance Victoria Monlezun Darbonne, and

#4  Anna Bernadette Monlezun-Pontón

(#7 Alvin Joseph Monlezun 1954 – 1965 and #9 Veronica Gertrude Monlezun 1959 – 1965)

 

Ten Questions for Recorded Family Interviews

in the ‘Front Porch Room!’

 

…Name, ancestor, family members, reside…

 

  1. What has this day of this gathering of your family meant to you?
  1. Do you recall a particular story or memory of visiting family in LA, this home in particular?
  1. What particular characteristics or virtues that you admired in your ancestors would you like to emulate, exhibit, live by? What trait do you feel you have inherited from them?
  1. What have you seen or experienced that you hadn’t thought about doing for your children in rooting them with family afar?
  1. How does your faith sustain you?
  1. If your grandmother/father or parents were here today, what would they have to say about all of this?!!
  1. What would you like to see at the next Monlezun Family Reunion?
  1. Could-it-be you finish this statement ‘if family members hear the stories of their ancestors or studied their ways, we could begin to understand…?!’
  1. How would you like your children to remember you?
  1. What would you like to say (in thanksgiving) in closing!?

 

St. Anthony Cemetery, Lake Arthur, LA

…those who have gone before and

May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen

 

First row, north to south:

 

Blanche B. Monlezun                         Sept. 21, 1879 Dec. 15, 1977

Theodore Monlezun                            Nov. 29, 1879 Aug. 14, 1966

Milton A. Monlezun                           Sept. 14, 1911 Nov. 22. 1952

 

Alvin J. Monlezun                              Aug. 7, 1954   May 25, 1965

Veronica G. Monlezun                       Feb. 7, 1959    May 25, 1965

 

Antoine Monlezun                              Mar. 31, 1882 Mar. 29, 1971

1st  Lt. Alvin J. Monlezun                   Feb.  1, 1920   Oct. 10, 1044

Victoria B. Monlezun                          Feb. 10, 1884  June 12, 1989

 

Adeline Monlezun                              June 12, 1871  Mar. 11. 1950

Emile Monlezun                                 Nov. 3, 1877   Apr. 27, 1965

 

Louise M. Bertrand                            Nov. 20, 1903 May 21, 2005             

Freeman R. Bertrand                          Aug. 28, 1903 Feb. 5, 1963

 

Rita M. Broussard                              Feb. 21, 1906  May 5, 2001

Eldess J. Broussard                             Jan. 25, 1904   Nov. 3, 1973

 

Adelle B. Monlezun                           July 12, 1877  May 21, 1968

Joachim E. Monlezun                        Jan. 28, 1876   Nov. 4, 1960

 

William Monlezun                             July 22, 1910  Dec. 14, 1944

 

D. (Dominique) Monlezun                 Born 1845       Died June 29, 1928    

 

Second Row, north to south:

 

J.T. (Junior) Monlezun                       June 29, 1919  Jan. 30, 2004

Margaret G. Monlezun                       Aug. 18, 1920

 

Lee J. Monlezun, Sr.                           April 24, 1917 July 31, 1985

Gertrude Hensgens-Monlezun           Dec. 27, 1921  Nov. 28, 2000

 

Claude I. Monlezun                            Mar. 3, 1902   July 6, 1964

 

Geraldine M. Gaithe                           June 18, 1950  Nov. 14, 1974

Louis Marcel Gaithe                           May 10, 1906  Apr. 26, 1979

Alice M. Gaithe                                  Dec. 1, 1904    Nov.  8, 1980

 

 

 

PASSPORT OF DOMINIQUE MONLEZUN

 

TRANSLATION (French < > English)

 

I love these words…original passport is framed and has a place of honor in the

“Living Room”in our home of origin in Lake Arthur, LA…

translation generously transcribed by Danielle Miller.

 

General Administration          (Seal of the General Police)               French Empire

Passport to go Abroad Valid for one year

PROVINCE                             of High Pyrenees

Registration No. 231  

           

Passport to go Abroad Valid for one year IN THE NAME OF THE EMPEROR 

The Prefect of the High Pyrenees Request the military and Civilian authorities of the French Empire and ask the Civilian and Military authorities of countries who are friends or allies of France allow free movement of the name Monlezun

born in Lalanne residing in Lalanne going to New Orleans and to give him help and protection in case of need   This passport is valid for three months to leave France. Made in Tarbes, the first of October 1866 for the prefect for the Lieutenant General   The advisor Prefecture M Baily

 

Description   Age 21               Height   5 feet 4 inches           Hair Chestnut

Forehead Forward                  Eyebrows Chestnut                 Eyes Grey

Nose                                       Mouth Medium                       Beard None

Chin Round                             Face ?                                      Complexion ?

 Particular Signs that are Noteworthy Scar on Right Cheek

 

Signature of the bearer Monlezun Dominique

 

Price of the passport:  10 Francs

 

…sailed from Marsaille, France arriving in New Orleans, LA  1 October 1866…

 

 

 

GRATEFUL HEARTS

 

This is the day the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad!

 

In gratitude,

I have seen and experienced Your love ignited to

connect us all…You from whence we come.

 

Created in His image and likeness and down

through the ages, we were begotten.

 

It is now our turn to

be most grateful and celebrate in the footsteps of

those who have gone before.

 

Our steps intertwine with our ancestors

whom we can now call by name,

centering back to the palm of His hand Who,

counted every hair on our head before

we were formed in our mother’s womb!

 

They have prayed us forward since 1300!

 

We now become the pray-ers for our own yet to be born.

 

Family is a gift to be

nurtured by work, good example and unceasing prayer,

becoming good and wise stewards of that which has been entrusted to us;

by communicating and protecting,

by study of the steps taken by the ‘grands’

to insure our freedom, education and faith foundation

and lived in the daily, day by day, in trust, love and toil.

 

God of our ancestors, help us cling to You.

 

LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT!

Anna ‘Bernadette’ Monlezun-Pontón