NOËL SOILEAU

NOËL SOILEAU
1700 - 1757

Noël SOILEAU was born in Mézièrs (now Charleville-Mézièrs in the département of Ardennes), France, on 22 November 1700 to Jean-Baptiste SOILEAU and Elisabeth PELLERIN. As a young man, he traveled to France’s Louisiana Colony aboard Le Comte de Toulouse with his uncle, Gerard Pellerin, arriving 15 November 1718, to settle at the Pellerin Concession. On 13 May 1722, he was at the Natchez Post, and again in 1726 (three years before the massacre of French settlers by the Natchez Indians), he and his first wife were enumerated on the second census of Natchez. Following the massacre, the post was restored, and Noël was appointed “Keeper of the King’s Warehouse” or Royal Quartermaster.

Noël had two marriages, the first before 1726 to Marie BORDEAUX and the second in 1737 to Marie-Josephe RICHAUME, widow of Bartelemy BIMOT and still a minor. At least nine children were born to the SOILEAU-RICHAUME marriage:

  • Marianne (b. 1743/4; d. 07 October, 1803; Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana), who m. Etienne Robert DE LA MORANDIÈRE, later, Commandant of Avoyelles Post
  • Noël Ètienne (b. 03 April 1743, St. Charles Parish, German Coast, Louisiana; d. 07 March 1810, Grand Prairie, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana), who m. Angélique FONTENOT, 19 August 1771, Opelousas. He was Commandant of Avoyelles Post from 1788 until 1805.
  • Françoise Catherine, who m. Nicolas, Comte de Longevaul, 03 August 1761.
  • Marguerite (b. 15 January 1749; bapt. 16 January 1749, New Orleans; d. 14 December 1806, Opelousas)
  • Augustin (b. 10 Nov 1751, Pointe Coupée, Louisiana; d. 14 December 1806, Pointe Coupée), who never married.
  • Jean-Baptiste Richaume (b. ca. 1752, Pointe Coupée; d. after 1818, Opelousas), who m. Marie-Jeanne VIDRINE
  • Fauchonette (probably died as a child)
  • Henry Joseph (b. before 13 September 1754)
  • Hélène (b. ca. 1754; d. 16 February 1816), who m. Gabriel FUSELIER DE LA CLAIRE, widower of Anne ROMAN, 30 April 1771. Gabriel was “Director of Commerce” in the Louisiana colony and later, Commandant and Judge of both the Attakapas and Opelousas Posts.
Before his death on 04 January 1757, Noël moved to Pointe Coupée where he had property. His widow, Marie-Josephe RICHAUME, married François MARCANTEL, a French soldier, and widower of Anne RONDOT. She died in Opelousas after 16 February 1816. The majority of Noël SOILEAU’s descendants are in Evangeline and St. Landry Parishes, Louisiana; however, they can be found in many other places as well.

First Family descendant member:
 Elba Anthony (Tony) DARDEAU, Jr.