Paul Leger (1759 - 1818)

Born 1759 in New York, Province of New York

Ancestors

Husband of Marie Constance (Potier) Pothier — married 28 Jul 1789 in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana

Descendants

Died 11 Mar 1818 at about age 59 in Grand Coteau, St. Landry, Louisiana, United States

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Biography

Scholastique Leger is on the Wall of Names at the Acadian Memorial in St. Martinville, Louisiana Plaque 5 Left. She is listed as head of family with her brother Paul and sister Marie. ^[1]

Birth: Paul Leger was born about 1759 in New York Colony. He was the son of François Leger and Madeleine Comeau.^[2]

Census: 1777 Cabahannocer (Lower), St. James, LA ^[3]

Marriage 1 Marie Constance Potier 28 Jul 1789 in St. Martinville, St. Martin, Louisiana. ^[4]

Census: 1813 Opelousas, St. Landry, LA ^[5]

Death: 11 Mar 1818 in Grand Coteau, St. Landry, LA; Burial: 12 Mar 1818 Opelousas, St. Landry Parish.^[6]

Probate: 11 Mar 1818 Opelousas, St. Landry, LA ^[7]

Timeline

Born NY; son of Francois LÉGER & Madeleine COMEAUX of Port-Royal; brother of Marie & Scholastique; family exiled to Conn. 1755 then to NY;

Only seven years old and an orphan, in 1765 he followed his two older sisters to Louisiana, where they settled at Cabanocé/St.-Jacques on the river. Spanish officials counted him on the left, or east, bank of the river at St.-Jacques in 1777; he was an engagé, or hired worker, with the family of fellow Acadian Paul Martin.

Moved to Opelousas District;

In Opelousas census, 1788, Grand Coteau, with 1 male, no woman, 0 slaves, 3 cattle, 16 horses, 8 arpents;

On Opelousas militia list, Jul 1789, fusilier, called LEGER;

Married, age 31, Marie-Constance POTIER of Havre de Grace, France, daughter of Pierre POTIER & his first wife Anne-Marie or Marie-Anne BERNARD, 28 Jul 1789, Atakapas, now St. Martinville;

In Opelousas census, 1796, Grand Coteau District, with wife [Marie-Constance], 1 white male, 4 white females, & 0 slaves

LEGER, Paul widr. Marie Constance POTIER, Estate Dated 11 Mar 1818 (LSAR: Opel: 1818)

LEGER, Paul - spouse of Costance [Constance] POTHIE [POTIER] died 11 March 1818 at his home at Gran Coteau, at age 59 years, bur. 12 March 1818 in the parish cemetery.

LEGER, Paul m. Marie Constance POTIER; children: Marie m. David ACKSON; Anastasie m. Christopher STUT; Manette m. Orient PREJEAN; dec. Magdeleine m. Antoine RITTER; Eugenie; Hypolite; Julienne; dec. Alexandre; dec. Lucy; Scholastie. Succ. dated Sept. 1822 (Opel. Ct.Hse.: Succ.#288)

Children:

1. Marie Constance Leger, m. 12 May 1812 David Ackerson^[8]
2. Anastasie [Arthemise?] Leger, b. about 1791,^[9]
3. Anne Leger, b. about Jan 1793, bt. 9 July 1795^[10]
4. Eugenie Leger, b. about Apr 1794,^[11] m. 31 Dec 1822 Joseph Wyble (Opel. Ch.)
5. Marie Magdeleine Aspasie Leger, b. 20 Jan 1796, bt. 26 Jan 1797 at the home of Jean Mouton, uncle (SM Ch.); m. 6 Sep 1814 Antoine Ritter (Opel. Ch.).^[12]
6. Paul Leger, b. about 23 Nov 1797, d. 30 Nov 1797 age 7 days.^[13]
7. Alexandre Leger, b. 8 Jan 1799, bt. 25 Apr 1799 in Carencro (SM Ch.); d. at his home in Grand Coteau 27 Oct 1818 at age 20 years, bur. 28 Oct 1818 (Opel. Ch.)
8. Appolonie Lucie Leger, b. about Jan 1801; bt. 3 Aug 1803 at age about 2 1/2 years (SM Ch.); d. at age 17 years at her home at Grand Coteau, bur. 30 Aug 1818 (Opel. Ch.)
9. Hypolite Leger, b. 10 Jan 1803, bt. 18 Jun 1804 (SM Ch.); m. 20 Nov 1821 Marcellite Lebert (GC Ch.)
10. Julienne Leger, b. 3 Apr 1807, bt. 12 Mar 1808 at Carencro at the home of Sylvere Mouton (SM Ch.); m. Villeneuve Bordelon
11. Scholastique Leger, b. 15 Feb 1813, bt 29 Jun 1813 (Opel. Ch.); m. 5 Nov 1827 Gerard Prejean (GC. Ch.)

Sources

1. ↑ Title: The Wall of Names at the Acadian Memorial; Author: Wall of Names Committee; Jane G. Bulliard, Chair; second edition, 2015; Bodemuller The Printer, USA; p. 22
2. ↑ Bona Arsenault, Histoire et Généalogie des Acadiens (Montreal: Lemeac, 1978), 6 vols.; Note: Vols. 2-6 contain genealogies by area, paged continuously; p. 2547 (Louisiana).

   Text: Paul LÉGER, born around 1763, son of François & Madeleine COMEAUX of Port-Royal.

3. ↑ Lillian C. Bourgeois, Cabanocey (New Orleans, LA: Pelican Publishing, 1998) p. 188

   Text: Marie LEGER's brother Paul is found in the Paul Martin household...Paul Leger, engager, age 19. [next entry to her family].

4. ↑ Rev. Donald J. Hebert, Southwest Louisiana Records 1740-1900 ("SWLR"), CD #101 (Baton Rouge, LA: Claitor's Publications Division, 2001)
   • LEGER, Paul - native of "Nouvelle Yoir" [New York], province of New England (maj. son of dec. Francois & dec. Magdalaine CAUMEAU) m. contract dated: 23 July 1789 Marie Constance POTIE - native of Havre de Grace, Province of Normandie (maj. dgtr. of dec. Anne Marie BERNARD ) Wits: Philippe WISSE, Paul ROQUIGNY, Charles POTIER, Francois BEGNEAU; Armand DUCREST (SM Ct.Hse.: OA-v.7, #48)
   • POTIER, Marie Constance - native of Havre de Grace, Normandie (maj. dgtr. of dec. Pierre & de c. Anne Marie BERNARD) m. contract dated: 23 July 1789 Paul LEGER - native of "Nouvelle Yoir " [New York], province of Nouvelle Angleterre [New England] (maj. son of dec. Francois & dec. Magdelaine CAUMEAU) Wits: Philippe WISSE, Paul ROQUIGNY, Charles POTIER, Francois BEGNEAU ; Armand DUCREST (SM Ct.Hse.: OA-vol.7, #48)
   • LEGER, Paul (Francois - native "de la neuva Lionque" [from New York] and presently inhabitant s of the Opelousas parish & Magdeleine COMAUX) m. 28 July 1789 Marie Constance POTIER (Pierre & Ana BERNARD - of Havre de Grace) Wits: Jean Baptiste DOIRON, Olivier GUEDRY, Jean MUTON dit Le Jeunne, Joseph MODENA. Fr. de DEVA (SM Ch.: v.4, #32)
   • POTIER, Marie Constance (Pierre & Ana BERNARD - of Havre de Grace) m. 28 July 1789 Paul LEGER (Francois - of "Neuva Lionque" [New York], now in Opelousas & Magdeleine COMAUX) Wits: Jean Baptiste DOIRON, Olivier GUEDRY, Jean MUTON "dit LeJeunne" [known as the younger], Joseph M ODENA. Fr. de DEVA (SM Ch.: v.4, #32)
5. ↑ Attakapas Gazette Online; Article by Harold Préjean, "1818 [sic] Census of Opelousas."

   Paul LEGERE, with him as voter.

6. ↑ Hebert, SWLR CD:

   Text: LEGER, Paul - spouse of Costance [Constance] POTHIE [POTIER] died 11 March 1818 at his home at Gran Coteau, at age 59 years, bur. 12 March 1818 in the parish cemetery. He had received the sacrament three days before his death. Fr. Flavius Henri ROSSI (Opel. Ch.: v.1, p.16 7)

7. ↑ Hebert, SWLR CD:
   • LEGER, Paul widr. Marie Constance POTIER; Estate dated: 11 March 1818 (LSAR: Opel.:1818)
   • POTIER, Marie Constance m. Paul LEGER In Estate of Paul LEGER dated 11 March 1818 (LSAR: Opel.:1818)
8. ↑ Hebert, SWLR CD:
   • LEGER, Marie - originally from this parish (Paul LEGAIRE or LEGERE & Marie Constance POTTIER) m. 12 May 1812 David AKERSON - originally from Pensilvanie [Pennsylvania] (Georges & Barbe ULRIK) Wits: Paul LEGAIRE, Jean GUILBEAU fils. Fr. Louis BUHOT (Opel. Ch.: v.1-A, p.223)
   • LEGER, Marie (Paul & Marie Constance POTIER) m. David ACKSON; in Succ. of Paul LEGER dated Sept. 1822 (Opel. Ct.Hse.: Succ.#288); note that a record for the baptism of one of their children shows her name as Marie Constance Leger.
9. ↑ Hebert, SWLR CD:
   • LEGER, Anasthasie (Paul & Marie POTIER) bt. 9 July 1795 at age 4 yrs. Spons: Pierre POTIER & Marie SAVOY. "Chez" [at the home of] Mr. Jean MOUTON "oncle dit Chapeau" [uncle known as Chapeau]. "Dans la mission que j'ai faite au Carencro ont ete baptises les enfants dont les noms suivent de l'autre part" [During a mission which I preached at Carencro were baptized the following children whose names follow]. Fr. Michel Bernard BARRIERE (SM Ch.: v.4, #724)
   • LEGER, Arthemise - 25 yrs. old; native of Opelousas (dec. Paul & Constance POTIER) m. 2 Jan. 1821 Christopher STEEL - 23 yrs. old; born in Pennsylvania (Nathaniel & Elizabeth HAYS) Wits: Henry GENERELLY, Pierre POTIER, David ARKISON. Fr. Hercule BRASSAC (GC Ch.: v.1, p.5, #15)
10. ↑ Hebert, SWLR CD:

    LEGER, Anne (Paul & Marie POTIER) bt. 9 July 1795 at age 2 1/2 yrs. Spons: Pierre RICHARD & Charlotte POTIER. "Chez" [at the home of] Mr. Jean MOUTON, uncle dit CHAPEAU. Fr. Michel Bernard BARRIERE (SM Ch.: v.4, #725)

11. ↑ Hebert, SWLR CD:

    LEGER, Eugenie (Paul & Marie POTIER) bt. 14 June 1795 at age 14 mths. Spons: Valerie BARRA & Marie DUCREST. Fr. Michel Bernard BARRIERE (SM Ch.: v.4, #685)

12. ↑ Note: There were two children named Marie Magdeleine entered here, but there was only one Magdeleine. A marriage to David Ackerson of Pennsylvania was incorrectly assigned to her; he was actually married to her older sibling Marie Constance.
13. ↑ Hebert, SWLR CD:

    LEGER, Paul (Paul & Marie POTTIER - inhabitants of this parish) "que murio el dia" [died on] 30 Nov. 1797; "di sepultura a los huesas" [buried the remains] on 12 Nov. 1801 at age "siete dias de edad" [at age 7 days] [This record is unclear - a discrepancy between his birth and his burial dates - perhaps indicating that his remains were brought to Opelousas for burial at this later date, although this would have ordinarily been explained in the record] Fr. Louis BUHOT (Opel. Ch.: Funeral Register: v.1, p.53)