[Excerpted from the Southwest Louisiana Biographical and Historical, 1892]
JOSEPH C. LeBLEU, Lake Charles.—Joseph C. LeBleu, one of the pioneer
planters of Calcasieu parish, who resides at English Bayou, Ward 3, is a native
of the parish, born April 8, 1841. He is the son of Arsine and Eliza (Milhomme)
LeBleu, natives of Louisiana, born 1783 and 1800, respectively. Arsine LeBleu
emigrated to California in 1849l; he died in Sacramento in 1850. His wife died
in 1883. By occupation Arsine LeBleu was a planter and stock raiser.
Our
subject is the youngest of a family of eight children, two of whom are now
living. Mr. LeBleu spent his youthful days in Calcasieu parish. At the
beginning of the civil struggle he entered Company K, 10th Louisiana
Regiment [Ed. Note: the original story mistakenly gave his unit as the 18th
La. Inf.], under Captain A.B. [Actually William H.] Spencer. He was in the
battles of Williamsburg, Seven Pines, [In the 10th La. Inf.] Mansfield,
Pleasant Hill, [In the 7th La. Cav.] and numerous other minor
engagements. He was paroled at Natchitoches,
Louisiana. After the war he returned home and resumed farming, which he has
closely followed ever since. He owns a good plantation where he resides, and
upon which he raises, principally, rice. He is president of the Lake Charles
Farmer’s Union, 587, and was the organizer of the Union in Calcasieu parish.
Mr. LeBleu was married, in 1867, to Leoneze [Laonaise] Hebert, a native of
Louisiana. They are the parents of ten children, five sons and five daughters,
six of whom are living: Beatrice (widow of Arthur Rosteet), Grace (wife of J.W.
Rosteet), Polignac, Evelina, Farrel and Ella.
[Excerpted from the Lake Charles Daily Press Special Edition, 1895]
When the war drum sounded,
Mr. LeBleu and fourteen other young men in the neighborhood came at once to
Lake Charles and started toward the front. At Opelousas they joined a company
being organized by Capt. W.H. Spencer, which became connected with the 10th
Louisiana Volunteer Infantry.
He served with this
regiment for two years in Virginia, when he was transferred to the 7th
Louisiana Volunteer Cavalry, serving for the remainder of the war in the South.
Since the war Mr. LeBleu has held a
number of official positions, among them chief constable of the parish until
that office was abolished, and he is at present a member of the police jury
from the third ward.
[Obituary of Joseph C. LeBleu, Lake Charles Daily American Press,
Saturday, Nov. 7, 1914]
MAJOR J.C. LEBLEU, PRESIDENT OF THE POLICE JURY, PASSES AWAY
A most distinguished and
venerable figure strongly associated with Calcasieu history and Calcasieu
up-building, passed from human ken last night when Major Joseph C. LeBleu,
president of the police jury and son of Calcasieu’s pioneer settler, passed
away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Henry Little in Seventh street. For the
past few years, Major LeBleu has been in failing health, but his energy and
strong will triumphed for weeks over the ravages of his ailment. Some weeks ago
he came from Chloe to that of his daughter to be in better reach of his
physician and here last evening about six o’clock the end came.
The funeral will take place
from the Church of the Immaculate Conception Monday afternoon at 3 o’clock.
Interment will be at the Catholic cemetery on Common street. The funeral will
be attended by Calcasieu Camp, United Confederate Veterans and Calcasieu
council, Knights of Columbus in a body, and by a host of people prominent in
public and civic life.
Joseph C. LeBleu was born
April 8, 1841, the youngest of eight children of Arsene LeBleu and Eliza Milhomme,
at the old LeBleu homestead east of Lake Charles. His father, Arsene LeBleu, was
born in 1787 and was the first settler in Calcasieu east of the river. He made
his home on the prairie east of Lake Charles over a hundred years ago, and in
this locality Major LeBleu was reared to manhood and spent his whole life. His
father was attracted by the California gold discovery in 1849 and was one of
the first to cross the plains to the new El Dorado, but did not live to return.
He died in Sacramento in 1850. His mother died in 1883, aged 83 years.
When the war between the state broke out,
Major LeBleu enlisted in Co. K, Eighteenth [10th] Louisiana, and served throughout the war,
participating in the battles of Williamsburg, Seven Pines, Mansfield and other
engagements. He was mustered out at Natchitoches and returning to the old home,
took up residence on the home farm east of Lake Charles where the rest of his
life was spent. He was one of the organizers of the Farmers’ union in Calcasieu
parish in the 70’s and served as president of the local organization. Eleven
years ago he organized the LeBleu Rangers, a troop of cavalry in the Louisiana
National Guard, which at that time had no unit in western Louisiana, and
officiated as its commander and later as major commanding the cavalry force of
the state national guard. Thanks to the interest aroused by his initiative,
several other national guard commands were formed later in western Louisiana.
Major LeBleu was elected a
member of the Calcasieu parish police jury in 1888 and served twenty years in
that capacity until 1908 when his precarious state of health forced him to
retire for a time from public affairs. He was re-elected in 1912. During most
of his service he was president of the governing body of the parish and was
always a worker for the public improvements which have made this parish
pre-eminent throughout the state.
Mr. LeBleu was married to Leoneze [Laonaise]
Hebert who survives him, with five of the ten children. The surviving children
are Mrs. Grace Rosteet, Mrs. Beatrice Richard, Mrs. Evalena Little, Mrs. Aarons
and Mr. P.D. LeBleu.
Other Historical Notes:
According to LeBleu’s military service
record, he was appointed color-bearer of the 10th Louisiana Infantry
1 Sept. 1861. He carried the regimental battle flag in the Battle of Malvern
Hill, July 1, 1862, one of the bloodiest battles in the War for Southern
Independence. Lt. Edward A. Seton of his company, wrote that LeBleu’s flag
staff was shot in two during the charge, but the color sergeant was
miraculously not wounded. The 10th Louisiana was the only
Confederate regiment to penetrate the Federal line and temporarily captured 10
Yankee cannons. When the regiment was not reinforced, they were driven back by a
powerful Yankee counterattack. His record also states, “Deserted his regiment
and joined the Confederate cavalry.” LeBleu later explained he was home on
furlough when Vicksburg fell and couldn’t return to Virginia. He then joined the
7th Louisiana Cavalry with the rank of second lieutenant and fought
in the battles of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill in the Red River Campaign. The 7th
Louisiana Cavalry also helped eradicate Jayhawkers in Southwest Louisiana, who
were terrorizing the population. During the Spanish-American War, he raised a
cavalry unit, called the LeBleu Rangers, serving as the major, in the Louisiana
State Militia. He was an active charter member of Calcasieu Camp No. 62, United
Confederate Veterans, and organized the first Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp
in Calcasieu Parish in his police jury office in 1911. Joseph Camarsac LeBleu
died Nov. 6, 1914 and is buried in the Old Catholic Cemetery in Lake Charles,
Louisiana.
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