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Pierre Grasset LaTour-Homer LaTour and Irresponsible and Incorrect Research

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Pierre Grasset LaTour-Homer LaTour and Irresponsible and Incorrect Research

Posted: 19 Apr 2007 8:01PM GMT
Classification: Query
I am posting this information due to the confusion that certain researchers have concerning the line of Pierre Grasset LaTour and his son, Homer LaTour. Here are my findings and conclusions on this particular family.
I have also contacted descendants of the Pierre Grasset LaTour line and they are in agreement with my research as it matches their own. Homer LaTour married only once and that was to Emily Pasquier. He never fathered any children other than his two daughters, Marie Emilie and Alice Felicie, who are listed in Father Hebert’s SWLA records and the St. Landry Parish, LA census records. The Homer LaTour who married Emily Pasquier did not father a Black son with another woman. Pierre Grasset LaTour was of the White race as was his son, Homer. This is made perfectly evident by the census records. One researcher cited the 1850 and 1860 St. Landry Parish, LA Slave Schedules as proof that Pierre Grasset LaTour and his son, Homer LaTour were either Black or Mulatto. That is incorrect as the age, sex, and race listed in these census records are strictly for the slaves and not the owners. These slave schedules are lists of inventory and the owner is not part of that inventory. Please see my earlier posting regarding how to read a slave schedule. It is fairly straightforward and simple.
I am well aware that Whites of Acadian or French descent had children with Blacks or Mulattos. However, caution needs to be exercised here and not confuse the descendants of slaves with the Black or Mulatto descendants of the Acadians or French who settled in Louisiana. Many slaves took the names of their masters and do not have any Acadian or French blood. I have seen researchers take the name of an Acadian descendant that they found in Father Hebert’s SWLA records which matches a name in their own family and attach that person to a particular Acadian family where the parents are not even listed in these records for that person. I have seen where a Black child is represented by a researcher as being the child of a White couple with no known Black ancestry. This is what is called irresponsible speculation which has no place in the documentation of one’s family genealogy. I am seeing this done over and over again and it is not sound research. I guess that I am a truth seeker and would like to see accurate information posted on the Acadians who settled in Louisiana and their descendants. We owe them that much. I have recently learned that may be too much to hope for. We are who we are and the truth is the truth. No amount of lies or fabricating of one’s ancestral lineage can alter that fact. I for one am very weary of seeing shoddy and irresponsible research on these genealogy sites. I do understand that some researchers may honestly be confused regarding their ancestry but some are willfully posting incorrect data and know that it is incorrect. What sort of heritage is this to leave for posterity. It shows no pride in the truth and rightful origins of the researchers who post such information. It shows no pride in their own ancestry. If I were the ancestor of some of these researchers, I would be ashamed at how they treated the memory of their own people. It is denial of the worst kind.
The records listed below support my findings.

Year: 1850 State: Louisiana Parish: St Landry Sheet No: 126B
Reel No: M432-240 Page No: 251
Enumerated on: Nov 28, 1850 by: L.E. Nee
38 | 2270 2712 | Gracest Latour | 51 M | Gun Smith 700 | France White
39 | 2270 2712 | Felicia Latour | 39 F | | La White
40 | 2270 2712 | Homere Latour | 18 M | | La White
41 | 2270 2712 | Alfred Latour | 12 M | | La White

1850 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules
60 Male Black Grasset Latour St Landry, Louisiana
60 Female Black Grasset Latour St Landry, Louisiana
32 Female Black Grasset Latour St Landry, Louisiana
19 Male Mulatto Grasset Latour St Landry, Louisiana

1860 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules
43 Female Black Homer A Latour St Landry, Louisiana
28 Male Mulatto Homer A Latour St Landry, Louisiana

1870 St. Landry Parish census record
Alice Latour Opelousas, St Landry, LA abt 1867 Louisiana White Female
Emelie Latour Opelousas, St Landry, LA abt 1843 Ohio White Female
Emily Latour Opelousas, St Landry, LA abt 1861 Louisiana White Female
Homer Latour Opelousas, St Landry, LA abt 1833 Louisiana White Male
Anna Pasquier Opelousas, St Landry, LA abt 1853 Louisiana White Female
Joseph Pasquier Opelousas, St Landry, LA abt 1808 France White Male
Mannie Pasquier Opelousas, St Landry, LA abt 1843 Ohio White Male
Mary Pasquier Opelousas, St Landry, LA abt 1814 France White Female

1880 St. Landry Parish census record
Homer Latour Opelousas, Saint Landry, LA abt 1833 Louisiana Self (Head) White
Emile Latour Opelousas, Saint Landry, LA abt 1840 Ohio Wife White
Emily Latour Homer Opelousas, Saint Landry, LA abt 1862 Louisiana Daughter White
Alice Latour Homer,Emile Opelousas, Saint Landry, LA abt 1867 Louisiana Daughter White

LATOUR, Pierre Grasset - native of Bergerac, near Bordeaux, Departement de la Dordogne in France (major son of Jean Grasset & Marie BERTRAND) m. 4 July 1826 Felicia FRANCHEBOIS - native of Iberville Parish on the River in this state (minor daughter of dec. Jean FRANGEBOIS & Felicite VIGE) Wits: Charles Francois GENIN, Felix LAFONTAINE, D.D. DESESSARCHE, Samuel HOLLY, bride signs as Felicia FRANGEBOIS. Fr. Flavius Henri ROSSI (Opel.Ch.: v.1-B, p.466 & 466-A)

LATOUR, Omer [Homer] Alexis (Grasset & Felicite FRANGEBOIS [FRANCHEBOIS]) b. 24 Jan. 1833, bt. 15 Sept. 1833 Pats: Pierre Grasset LATOUR & Marie BERTRAND; Mats: Jean FRANGEBOIS [FRANCHEBOIS] & Felicite VIGE; Spons: Alexis LATOUR & Catherine DOUCET. Fr. Flavius Henri ROSSI (Opel. Ch.: v.3, p.250)

LATOUR, Homer (Pierre Grosset & Felicite FRANCHEBOIS) m. 9 Oct. 1860 Emelie PASQUIER (Opel. Ch.: v. 2, p. 319)

PASQUIER, Emelie (Joseph & Marie STIPUET) m. 9 Oct. 1860 Homer LATOUR (Opel. Ch.: v. 2, p. 319)

LATOUR, Marie Emilie (Omer & Emelie PASQUIER) b. 23 Aug. 1861 (Opel. Ch.: v. 6, p. 157)

LATOUR, Alice Felicie (Omer & Emilie PASQUIER) b. 23 Aug. 1867 (Opel. Ch.: v. 6, p. 261)


SubjectAuthorDate Posted
LionheartCour... 20 Apr 2007 2:01AM GMT 
harrisonlatou... 2 May 2007 5:29AM GMT 
harrisonlatou... 19 May 2007 9:15AM GMT 
LionheartCour... 19 May 2007 4:34PM GMT 
louiseleblanc... 20 Aug 2007 5:15PM GMT 
harrisonlatou... 18 Sep 2007 3:30AM GMT 
latourcollect... 11 Aug 2014 2:05PM GMT 
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