Fortier, Amedee

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), p. 168. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Fortier, Amedee, of New Orleans and Jefferson parish, rice planter, was born Dec. 1, 1851, at Waggaman, parish of Jefferson, Louisiana, the son of Eugene and Noelie (Drouet) Fortier, both natives of the parish of Jefferson and owners of the plantation which is still in the possession of their descendants.

Eugene Fortier was a soldier in the Southern army during the Civil war of 1861-65, having served
as a gunner in the Pelican battery, and having been in several battles, among which were those of Bisland, Mansfield and Pleasant Hill. His father, Eugene Fortier, and his wife's father, Edmond Drouet, were with the Louisiana troops that formed part of the army under Gen. Andrew Jackson at the battle of New Orleans in 1815, when the British invaders, commanded by Gen. Pakenham, were defeated by the American forces.

Amedee Fortier completed his education at Jefferson college, Convent, parish of St. James, Louisiana. After leaving college he returned to Jefferson parish and engaged in rice planting. He has followed that occupation ever since on the old homestead. Mr. Fortier married, Aug. 25, 1875, Miss Louise Soniat, daughter of Theodore and Amenaide (LaBranche) Soniat of Jefferson parish.

Some years after his marriage Mr. Fortier moved his family to New Orleans in order to attend
to the education of his children, still continuing to attend to his rice planting. Mr. and Mrs. Fortier have 6 children--Louise M., wife of W. J. Nelson of Mobile, Ala.; Noelie, Amenaide, Edvige; Eugene L., whose record is published in this volume, and Lucien A., who is a physician, residing in New Orleans. Mr. Fortier has always been a member of the Democratic party, and in religion is a follower of the Roman Catholic faith. He is affiliated with the order of the Knights of Honor.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 1), pp. 421-422.
Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.

Amedee Fortier is successfully engaged in the planting of rice, and as a wide-awake, enterprising and public-spirited citizen, has not his superior throughout Jefferson parish. He was born in the parish in which he is now residing in 1851, a son of Eugene and Noelie (Drouet) Fortier, who were
born in Jefferson parish about 1825 and 1830 respectively, their educations being obtained in the city of New Orleans. Although the greater part of their lives has been spent in Jefferson parish, they have traveled sufficiently to understand the ways of the world, but are now quietly residing at Carrollton.

Mr. Fortier is a wealthy planter, a public-spirited citizen, but has never aspired to any public office. He is the younger of two sons, his brother being Polycarpe Fortier, who died in 1877, a wealthy levee contractor. Their parents were Eugene and Selima (Darby) Fortier, the former of whom was born in Jefferson parish on the plantation on which the subject of this sketch now lives and the mother in Iberia parish. Eugene Fortier was a wealthy planter, was one of the first to engage in sugar planting in Louisiana and built one of the first sugar mills in his section. This building is still standing and is used as a shelter for machinery.

Mr. Fortier was in the battle of New Orleans with Jackson and his entire life was spent in Louisiana, where he became a useful citizen. His father was also Eugene Fortier, a Frenchman and one of the pioneers of the state, who settled on the land on which the subject of this sketch now resides. Here he was called from life. He now has many descendants in different parts of the state, some of whom have become eminent in the different professions. The Fortiers have all been members of the Catholic church.

The maternal grandfather, Edmond Drouet and his wife, whose maiden name was Arsene Toledano, were also natives of Jefferson parish, where they owned a fine plantation and reared a family of one son and five daughters. Amedee Fortier, the immediate subject of this sketch, was the second of nine children, all of whom are living except Frank, who died at the age of fourteen years. Idea is the widow of Arthur Tripagnier of Iberville district; Edmond is a planter of Iberville parish; Eugenia; Eugene a commission merchant of New Orleans; Joseph E., clerk; Selina; Mary, and the subject of this sketch. The latter was educated in Jefferson college in St. James parish, and at the age of seventeen years began to make his own way in life as an overseer, a calling he followed for fifteen years when he engaged in planting on his own account.

In 1875 he was married to Miss Louisa, a daughter of Theodore and Amencide (La Branche)
Soniat, natives of Jefferson parish, where they died in 1886 and 1882 respectively, both being members of old and prominent families. The Soniats were of French and the La Branches of German extraction. Mrs. Fortier was born in this parish and has borne her husband eight children,
one of whom is deceased, those living are: Louise, Noelie, Aménaide, Théodore, Edrige, Eugene, Lucien. Since his marriage, with the exception of one year, Mr. Fortier has resided on the old home farm which has been in possession of the family for many years.

His attention was chiefly given to sugar planting until the floods of 1884, since which time he has been engaged in rice growing. He has about 400 acres under cultivation which produces about 4,000 barrels of rice per year. Since 1887 he has been a member of the police jury but not by his own solicitation. He is a member of the Knights of Honor, Onward lodge, No. 3568 of New Orleans, and in his religious views is a Catholic. He is a useful and honored citizen.