Discovering Alexandre LEJEUNE

It isn’t easy to identify a slave due to many only being listed with a first, however due to having access to SW Louisiana Catholic records, I have been successful at identifying thousands of enslaved people of color throughout SW Louisiana, one being Mr. Alexandre LEJEUNE who went from being an enslaved man to a well decorated man of color.

Alexandre LEJEUNE was born circa 1838 in Opelousas, Louisiana to Louis LEJEUNE, a White Butcher, and Henriette CUNNINGHAM, formerly enslaved to Michel PRUDHOMME. On 28 May 1840, at the age of 2, listed as a Quadroon, his father purchased him from Michel PRUDHOMME for $250. It was under the condition that Louis Lejeune, his father, was to liberate him when the State permits. It was also understood that he was to never serve as a slave.

Michel PRUDHOMME to Louis LEJEUNE

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Just as his father, Alexandre also became a butcher who was involved into Politics. He was one of the leading members of the St. Landry Republican party, along with his brother-in-law John SIMMS.

He was married on 10 Dec 1869 to Louisiana SMITH. It was his Catholic marriage to Louisiana that showed why Louis purchased him, obviously securing his son’s freedom: LEJEUNE, Alexandre (Louis & Henriette CUNNINGHAM) m. 10 Dec. 1869 Louisiana SMITH(John & Judith JOHNSON)(Opel. Ch.: v. E, # 86).

In the 1870 census, his estate was valued at $1600 and his personal property was valued at $250, a very large sum for any person in general.

1870 Census Household of Alexandre LEJEUNE

In the same census, I discovered his parent’s living together. Not to romanticize a relationship, it was obvious that Henriette was more than is child’s mother or in today’s terminology baby momma, who knows?

1870 Census Househol of Louis LEJEUNE