The Pierre Lezin Becnel who owned Becnel Plantation - aka Evergreen Plantation was not a 'free person of color"

There are several Leo Becnels and Lezin Becnels in that time period. I believe you have crossed lines.

Leo was short for Leopold.

There are several others working on this Leo Becnel who fathered children of Olivia Brown.

It is my understanding that a Leo Becnel (white) had children with Olivia Brown (Mulatto) who later shows up as the Widow of Louis Laporte on the 1870 census as below:

1870 Federal Census of the United States, St. John the Baptist, LA Ward 1; Dwelling 72/Family 72
Laporte, Wow. Louis 30 F M
Becnel, Henry 8 M M
Becnel, Opteme 12 M M
Becnel, Marie 7 F M

And then an excerpt from a message from George Vigreux:

I am researching this family. Henri had siblings named Optime, and Marie Becnel. Their mother was Olivia Brown born abt. 1840 in Louisiana. Olivia died in June 1888 in Louisiana. Optime marriage certificate (Dec 31 1885 in New Orleans) to Mathilde Forstall, shows that his fathers name was Leo Becnel.

And a message from Dave Roberts:
It has been a few years since I have written you. I have made a few additions to my Becnel line tracing it back to Leo Becnel but I have not connected Leo to your Becnel lines. Leo's had a son, Henri, by one of his slaves Olivia Brown , Dec 8, 1860. Henri was my g-grandfather, His daughter Jeanne Michiam Becnel was my grandmother.

I wish you luck with this research. Many have tried to identify which Leo. I have been told by someone who remembers their parents talking about a Leo Becnel who had two families - one white and one black.

Again, good luck

I believe the referenced obituary says that Capt Leo Becnel enlisted in Lezin Becnel's company. It is a bit confusing the way it reads.
That is a great find coming up with that photo, but there is nothing that I can find written there that would indicate that this particular Leo Becnel was a 'free man of color'.

Tulane University I believe is scanning the early issues of The Picayune, The Daily Picayune, The New Orleans Daily Creole, The Weekly Pelican, etc. -
libguides.tulane.edu/content.php?pid=161846&sid=1373000

The Picayune established in 1837 cost one picayune - Spanish coin equaling about 6 cents.
It became The Daily Picayune in 1848.
It then merged with the Times Democrat in 1914 and became The Times Picayune, then merged with The States Item and carried both names for awhile. Now know as The Times Picayune.

www.timespicayune.com/tphistory.html

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You wrote:
http://www.mytreasurespot.com/main/read.php?5,106587,106796#...
is I believe, Pierre Lezin " Leo " Becnel.

But I could be very wrong - on this or all of this.
The obit, is evidently from the times picayune..
Note "Leo" and "Lezin" both used in the obit...
Although Lezin was supposedly killed in Battle...??
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Hi David - which Becnels from Vacherie are you looking for. Elton Oubre had two issues of a History and Genealogy that included many Becnels.
Tell me what line you are searching for some names please.. There are thousands of Becnels.

Darlene:
Thank you for the clarification.
I very much appreciate it.
I have read Captain Becnel's diary and a few of the letters during the war at the Tulane Archives.They are beautifully written in French.

The photo, which is in the Memorial Hall collection
is not indicated as Leo or Lezin- but is supposed to be of Captain Becnel- who did die in the Battle.
He could not be the same who was outlined in the times pic as he did not return from war!?
The diary is very clear as the war intensifies, his writting becomes very very difficult to read.. and then stops, and the list of dead and wounded continues in another preson's handwriting.Tue, blesse, etc..
I am confused as to the obit -
as Leo Aime who married Noamie Marie did not die in Altanta and did come back to Louisiana.
I am not certian which Leo Becnel had two families, one white, one black.
And I have found census listings with Lezin Becnel ( two listed as free person's of color) which I listed earlier..
I am not sure which Lezins they are.
If you have information Specifically on
Leo Aime ( named for Vacour Aime) Becnel,
Who was married to Noamie Marie Hermann
and did not die in the battle of Atlanta.
I am looking for records of his
( Leo Aime Becnel's )father
I believe that Floristan, brother to Marie Emeronthe Becnel Brou
who married Samuel Hermann, may have been his father.
(This might make some sense to family stories that indicate that Leo Aime spent time at the Samuel Hermann household directly after the War.)
If not, Is Lezin Becnel who owned Evergeen the father of Leo Amie Becnel?
Any assitance would be deeply appreciated.
This is very complex!
Many many thanks, and again, please pardon my errors..

Darlene
Do you know which Lezin this is?
Lezin Becnel II ?
Who were his parents?

http://cdm15140.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISO...

Do you have an ancestry.com account. I have all of my Becnel line uploaded onto ancestry and will allow you access if you have an account. Let me know your account name so i can invite you.
You still have some of these people confused.
There is information about the Hermanns (jewish family) see info on the Hermann Grima house in New Orleans.
Aime Leopold Becnel was the son of Jean Florestan Becnel and Josephine Haydel. Aime Leopold Becnel married Noemie Marie Hermann who was the daughter of Laura Trepanier and Maurice Hermann. Their photos are at this site: http://www.rogueroots.com/becnel.html

their children included:
Marie Leah Becnel who married Octave W. Tregre
Angelle Becnel who married Cyril Millet
Denise Marie Becnel who married Emile A. Fabre
Aime Leo Becnel who married Adele Eschlard (they also had a son Aime Leo Becnel and lived in St. Charles Parish)
Noemie Aimee Marie Becnel who married Marius Dutreix
Maurice George Becnel who married Marie E. Trosclair
Joseph Sidney Albert Becnel, Sr. who married Malvina L Bossier
Edith Marie Becnel who married Felix Campo
Louisa Marie Becnel who married George Lorio
Carl Hermann Becnel who married Aimee Cambre

Most of this family has been thoroughly documented on the family groups on Ancestry.com although many of the serious researchers have private by invitation only trees.

The name Lezin is NOT interchangeable with Leo. Leo is short for Leopold.

After the civil war, freed slaves had to have a last name in order to register. Some took the last name of the land owner.
Also, when a slave was freed by manumission, he too took the last name of his prior owner
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manumission

Regarding the Aime Leo Becnel that married Adele Eschlard (presumed to be born about 1880 in Kentucky and died Sept 1959)
Their children include - as per 1920 census - Leola, Wilda, Herman and Leo Becnel. This family would be my best bet to investigate further.

I personally corresponded with some of the descendants of Joseph Sidney Albert Becnel, Sr. They knew very little of the Leo Becnel/Adele Eschlard branch.

The photo on that site is Pierre Lezin Becnel II, who married 1st to Marie Josephine Lennen and had two children:
Pierre Lezin Becnel, III (born 4/3/1837 who married Christine Armant) and Michel Alcide Becnel who married Leonie Provosty.
and 2nd Pierre Lezin Becnel II married Euphemie Therese "Fannie" de Baconnais of Baltimore Maryland.
His parents were:
Pierre Lezin "Lesaire" Becnel I and Mathilde Marie Rousselle. He was their only child as his father, Pierre Lezin Becnel I died in 1811.