04/24/2019
Cyprien CESAIRE was born circa 1810 in Plaisance, Louisiana to Cesaire, a Wolof West African and Marguerite. He died in 1875 in Mamou, Louisiana. Out of all my Louisiana relatives, Cyprien is one of my favorite relatives considering how he was granted freedom by a wealthy planter family into growing his land holdings to more than the family that liberated him which established him as being one of the most successful freed slaves in the Parish of St. Landry.
The first document Cyprien appeared on was on 10 Jan 1844 when he was listed as the property of Louis Belair FONTENOT being allotted to his widow Marie Fanie JOUBERT; Negro boy named Cyprien aged about 36 appraised as $1000.
On 11 Jun 1844, a few months after she was allotted Cyprien, Marie Fanie made her Last Will and Testament that requested an act of emancipation to Cyprien under these exact words, "I wish after my death to reward for the good and faithful service that has been done for me [by] my Negro Cyprien, aged today about 36 years, that he is to be free, in the same manner which I state, he is to be free and I wish and intend that my heirs give him an act of freedom [manumission] in accordance with [ the law] & in in due form. Cyprien was later recorded purchasing items from Fanie’s succession as Cyprien Belair, h.d.c.l, an indication that her wishes were respected.
Cyprien was married to Pelagie VICTORIAN, a free woman of Color, native of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. Pelagie is the great granddaughter of Marie Therese, affectionally known as Coin-Coin, who was a notable freed African woman who gained immense wealth during the antebellum period. She is largely known from her heirs establishing the Cane River Creoles, one of Louisiana’s most known early freed families. Cyprien and Pelagie had at least 13 children. Through oral history, I was told that Cyprien had at least two other sons during slavery who weren’t born to his union with Pelagie; however, I don’t have any conclusive documentation to prove who they’ve could have been. In consideration of not growing his land holdings from free slave labor, as a result, after the Civil War, Cyprien’s property holdings grew even more because he didn’t lose a helping hand as many who may have had slaves. Situated on the Ceasar family ancestral lands in Duralde, Louisiana, is the family cemetery that has been in the family for generations.
Cyprien is also an ancestor to many big-name Zydeco artists, one being Alphonse “Bois Sec” ARDOIN who is also buried at the family cemetery. Bois Sec is the late grandfather of Chris and Sean ARDOIN, brothers and top chart Zydeco artists.
Although the name Cesaire is now spelled in a variety of ways, if they are a CEASAR, CEZAR, CEASER or any of the other 20 plus variations with ties to Soileau, Duralde, Eunice, Mamou, etc., then most likely could be traced to Cyprien or his father Cesaire.
Cyprien’s story is very inspiring of an enslaved child of two Africans, who was liberated by one of his wealthy master’s to becoming a prominent land owner. The story of Cyprien could also make people understand that skin color sometimes had nothing to do with building success during the antebellum period and afterwards. The first generation of CESAIRE’s heirs weren’t Mulatto’s, however, that didn’t stop the affluent class of free mulattoes such as the GUILLORY’s from heavily intermarrying into the family. This also explains why the family is a beautiful blend of all phenotypes and could cease the claim of kinship by appearance.
I located Cyprien in the 1850 census living with his family. Cyprien was listed as a Grasser, a person that provides, perhaps farming or cattle raising, 10 years later, in the 1860 census, Cyprien’s wealth increased tremendously, even growing it 6x his value as a slave. He was worth even more than the legitimate heirs of the White family that formerly owned him, very impressive growth for any person Black or White during this era.
Cyprien’s household in the 1860 Census
By the 1870 census, Cyprien held on to his property and produced several more children. His nieces and nephew, children of his brother Julien GALLOT, were living with him. His father-in-law Joseph VICTORIAN was living next door.
Cyprien’s household in the 1870 census
When Cyprien died, according to his succession dated 3 Aug 1875, his estate consisted of 800 arpents of Prairie and woodland situated in Prairie Mamou, 30 head of gentle cattle and 90 head of wild horned cattle among other assets. Promissory notes: Francois JEAN $367.50, Victor RAMOS $100, Hilaire DANIEL $50 which totaled his estate to $3,704 which is an estimated $66,325.03 in today’s [2017] money. Since Cyprien had minor heirs, a family meeting of the closest relatives [in relation] was called which listed his brother Valerien CESAIRE, his nephew J. B. LEDOUX, his father-in- Victorianne RAMOS, and Victorianne’s sons Noel V. RAMOS and Gerand RAMOS. These relatives confirm the family ties of Cyprien to his brother Valerien and nephew Jean Baptiste LEDOUX, a nephew that him and his brothers purchased out of bo***ge Looking back, Jean Baptiste was also listed in the estate inventory of Louis Belair FONTENOT, the only document that listed Cyprien as a slave.
