Jacques Roy (abt. 1728 - abt. 1788)

Born about 1728 in Hally, Poitou, La Rochelle, France

Husband of Marguerite (Lehoux) LeHoux — married 22 Jan 1746 in St. Louis Church, New Orleans, Louisiana

Descendants

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Biography

Jacques Roy, an early New Orleans settler born in France, was one of the first barrel-makers in the colonial city. It is possible, but not proven, that his parents were one of several "Jean Roy" families listed in the early censuses of the Louisiana Colony. More research in colonial archives is needed to determine whether they died in the colony.

Translation of the marriage contract between Jacques Roy and Marguerite LeHoux.

January 22. 1746, marriage contract of Jacques Roy, son of deceased Jean Roy, and of deceased Jeanne Girard, a native of Hally in Poitou, Bishopric of La Rochelle, of age and acting within his rights, on the one side, and Miss Marguerite Lehon [LeHoux], minor daughter of deceased Pierre Lehon [LeHoux] and of Marguerite Lormaiseau, here present, now wife of Jacques Cantrelle. stipulating for the minor, on the other side; who have come to agreement with consent of the following relatives: on the side of the groom, Sr. Gilbert Damard. Lempileur, and Sr. Songy, settlers, in default of relatives; on the side of the bride, Madame Cantrelle, her mother. Sr. Cantrelle. her stepfather, Sr. Jean Cariton, tailor of New Orleans, Sr. Urbain Picou, her cousin, and Sr. Augustin Chantalou, her friends. Signed: Marguerite Lehoux; Cantrelle; Songy; Chantalou; Cariton; Lenormand; Jahan; Henry. Notary

From this informative document we learn the names and origin of Jacques Roy's parents and get a glimpse of the French creole social environment of early New Orleans. Living on his own as an orphaned cooper, Jacques Roy relies upon his tradesmen friends and neighbors [Damard, Lempileur & Songy] as a surrogate family. His underage bride is supported by her widowed mother [Marguerite Larmusieux] and stepfather [Jacques Cantrelle], as well as several prominent friends and relatives [Cariton, Picou, Chantalou, etc.]. The Cantrelles eventually became the first family and commandants of St. James Parish, and Margaret LeHoux would move to St. James Parish with her Simon grandchildren.

Around 1763, Jacques retired from his role as a master cooper in New Orleans and moved to a large farm several miles up the river on the German Coast, near modern Taft in St. Charles Parish. He spent the rest of his life as a planter, dying two decades later in 1788.

Sources

• Elton J. Oubre, Vacherie, St. James Parish, Louisiana: History and Genealogy, 2nd Edition, Oubre's Books: Thibodaux, 2002
• Ernest Simon, The Simon and Related Families: Some of the Paternal Ancestors of Ernest Simon, Self-published in 1990 (typescript) and 2011 (pdf format)
• Mrs. Stephen R. Campbell, "Notes on Guillaume Simon and Some of His Descendants," New Orleans Genesis, Vol. 16, No. 62, March 1977.