Nathan Abshire, son of Albert Lennis Abshire and Marie Broussard, was born in Gueydan, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana in 1913. He lived with his parents and siblings in Vermilion Parish in 1930.[1]
He became a noted Cajun musician from the 1930s until his death in 1981.
He married Ola Boudreaux before 1940. In 1940 they were living in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, without children.[2]
Known children:
Ray Allen Abshire (1954-2011)
He enlisted in the U.S. Army in Lafayette in 1942.[3]
He died in 1981,[4]
and was buried at St. Augustine Catholic Church Cemetery in Basile, Louisiana.[5]
From the Lousiana Historical Association:
ABSHIRE, Nathan, Cajun musician (accordion). Born, near Gueydan, Vermilion Parish, La., June 27, 1913. Re-corded extensively from the 1930s through the 1970s, including many original compositions like "Pinegrove Blues," "Service Blues," "French Blues," and "La Vie d'un musicien"; instrumental in Cajun music revival after World War II; active on the national folk festival circuit, including performances at the Chicago Folk Festival, the National Folk Festival (Wolftrap Farm), the Newport Folk Festival, the Mariposa Folk Festival (Toronto), and the Smithsonian Festival of American Folklife (Washington), as well as President Richard Nixon's inaugural celebration. Subject of several television documentaries, including "The Good Times Are Killing Me" (PBS), "Le Son des Cajuns" (CBC), and "Dedans le sud de la Louisiane" (Télévision Française). Died, Basile, La., May 13, 1981. B.J.A. [6]
Sources
↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMTZ-5RG : accessed 4 June 2020), Nathan Abshire in household of Lance Abshire, Police Jury Ward 8, Vermilion, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 21, sheet 21A, line 22, family 373, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 823; FHL microfilm 2,340,558.
Household Role Sex Age Birthplace
Lann Abshire Head Male 42 Louisiana
Lance Abshire Head Female 36 Louisiana
Nathan Abshire Son Male 17 Louisiana
Gilbert Abshire Son Male 15 Louisiana
Wilson Abshire Son Male 13 Louisiana
Glayds Abshire Daughter Female 8 Louisiana
Lula Mae Abshire Daughter Female 2 Louisiana
↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VY5T-K18 : 25 January 2020), Nathan Abshire, Police Jury Ward 8, Vermilion, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 57-22, sheet 11A, line 5, family 183, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1461.
Household Role Sex Age Birthplace
Nathan Abshire Head Male 27 Louisiana
Ola Abshire Wife Female 30 Louisiana
↑ "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMNS-S29 : 5 December 2014), Nathen Abshire, enlisted 24 Nov 1942, Lafayette, Louisiana, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JRY5-34D : 20 May 2014), Nathan Abshire, May 1981; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVQ-Z1GQ : 26 July 2019), Nathan Abshire, 1981; Burial, Basile, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, United States of America, Saint Augustine Catholic Church Cemetery; citing Find A Grave: Memorial #7087358, www.findagrave.com.
↑ Lousiana Historical Association, Dictionary of Louisiana Biography, online at Abshire, Nathan
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