Henry Villar and Rosalie Vickner

submitted by D.N. Pardue, Aug 1998.

From the French Settlement Historical Register, published by the French Settlement Historical Society, French Settlement, Louisiana 70733.

Vol. 2, December 1977

Henry Villar was born on the First German Coast (St. Charles Parish) around 1764. He was the second of six children born to his parents, Jacques Villar and Catherine Schnexaydre. Of these six, on ly three, Henry and two sisters, lived to reach adulthood.

His father died when Henry was only sixteen years old and to him and his new brother-in-law of two months fell the responsibilies of the family. Like his father before him, Henry was the sole male survivor to carry the Villar name.

On April 29, 1786 (1), at the age of twenty-three, Henry married Rosalie Vickner, the daughter of Nicolas Vickner and Apolonie Elfer (Helfer). Rosalie was also born on the First German Coast about 1768. The newlyweds resided on the Second German Coast (St. John the Baptist Parish).

On August 12, 1788, upon reaching his majority, Henry received from his mother, the amount due him from his father's succession. (2)

Sometime between the baptism of their third child in June of 1790 and the birth of their fifth child in May of 1792, Henry and Rosalie, along with her parents, moved from the banks of the Mississippi River into the District of Galveztown. At the time, this district was bounded on the north by the Tickfaw River, on the east by Lake Maurepas, on the south by the Amite River, and on the west by the District of St. Helena (about twenty miles from the confluence of the Amite and Comite Rivers) (3) and was served by the Spanish priest of St. Gabriel and St. Bernard Churches. Most probably, Galveztown on the westbank of the Amite River was also included in this district. Proof of this early move into the area is established by the baptism certificate of the couple's fifth child, Rosalie, on May 11, 1792. (4) The priest clearly states that the parents, natives of St. John the Baptist Parish, were now habitants of Galveztown. From this date until October of 1804, St. Gabriel Church records contain the baptisms of five more children born to Henry and Rosalie. (5)

1. St. John the Baptist Church, Edgard, La., 1st Book of Marriages, page 27 B. 2. St. John the Baptist Courthouse Records, Edgard, La., Doc. #31 of the year 1788. 3. Pintado Papers, Vol. IV, Register D. 4. St. Gabriel Church, Gabriel, La., Baptisms, Item 9, Page 19, Entry 73. 5. Note: To research these records, one must look for Villar spelled: Bilak, Bigner, Bilark, Bilar, Villard, etc. Likewise, Vickner will be found spelled: Wikner, Wizner, Bigner, etc.

It is my belief that Henry Villar and his father-in-law, Nicholas Wichner (Vickner), were the first of the French and German families to leave the Mississippi River and move to La Cote (French Settlement) settling there among the few Spanish and Anglo-Saxon families.

French Settlement was not included in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and it wasn't until December 10, 1810 that the Florida Parishes, of which French Settlement was part, came under United States jurisdiction. At this time, land ownership had to be established. Each owner had to swear for one another that they lived on and cultivated their lands prior to 1810. Henry's land claim, Section 44 in French Settlement, totaled 332.43 acres.
(6)

Eleven known children were born to this couple. I have only been able to establish proof of four surviving childhood, three boys and a girl.

At the age of forty-eight, Henry Villar died in St. James Parish on July 9, 1812 and was buried in that churches' cemetery the next day. The funeral record clearly states he was a resident of Galveztown. (7)

His widow, Rosalie Vickner Villar, signed the marriage certificate of her son, Jean Louis, on April 27, 1820. (8) To date, this is the last known record I have been able to locate of her.

Although the Villar name has now passed from French Settlement, Henry's sons and grandsons went on to settle new areas of Ascension Parish and in honor of one of them, Lake Villar received its name.

6. State Land Office, plats of: Townships 8 South, Range 4 East and Township 9 South, Range 4 East - Greensburg District, La. 7. St. James Church, St. James, La., Book 4, page 35a. 8. St. Helena Parish Courthouse records.

CHILDREN OF HENRY VILLAR AND ROSALIE VICKNER

1. Enrrique (Henry) was born January 28th and baptized February 26, 1787, St. John the Baptist Church, Edgard, Louisiana, Book I, page 88b. He was a private in the War of 1812 and was married and living on Section 48 of French Settlement with his wife and youngest brother, Francois, by the 1820 census.

2. Heurtain was baptized October 1, 1788, St. John the Baptist, Book I, page 107b. His posterity is unknown.

3. Justina was born May 25th and baptized June 26, 1790, St. John the Baptist, Book I, page 125b. Her posterity is unknown.

4. Agustina (Augustine) was born in 1791 and died March 16, 1793 at the age of a year and a half, St. Gabriel Church, St. Gabriel, Louisiana, Item 13, page 4, entry 17. This funeral record states the parents were natives of the Mississippi Coast and habitants of St. Gabriel Parish.

5. Rosalia (Rosalie) was born May 11th and baptized June 3, 1792, St. Gabriel Church, Item 9, page 19, entry 73. She was confirmed at St. Bernard of Galveztown Church November 28, 1796. See Confirmaciones, Genealogical Research Society, page 64.

6. Anastasie was born about 1793 and confirmed at the same time as her sister Rosalie. She first married September 14, 1808, Joseph Fauzer of Galveztown, son of George and Dorothea Size, at St. James Church, St. James, Louisiana, Item 2, page 110. Anastasie secondly married October 26, 1825, Thomas Gonsalez (Gonzales) at St. Gabriel Church, Item 14, page 228.

7. Nicolasa was born July 13th and baptized July 27, 1794, St. Gabriel Church, Item 9, page 33, entry 106. She was confirmed as "Escolastica" with her two older sisters in 1796. Her posterity is unknown.

8. Lino Juan (Jean Louis) was born September 23rd and baptized October 15, 1797, St. Gabriel Church, Item 9, page 43, entry 134. His civil marriage to Marguerite Aurore Picou took place in St. Helena Parish, April 27, 1820. She was the daughter of Jean Louis Picou and Marie Francoise De Moulin and was born March 25th and baptized August 13, 1791, St. James Church, Item 3, page 42. This couple had four sons and two daughters and is our direct line through two of their children, Jean Baptiste Anatole Villar and Marie Claude (Clorane) Villar Tureau Diez.

9. Juan Zacharis (Jean Zachary) was born November 9, 1801 and baptized January 12, 1802, St. Gabriel Church, Item 9, page 57, entry 181. He died October 3, 1802 at eleven months, St. Gabriel Church, Item 13, page 17, entry 69.

10. Francisco Narcisso (Francois) was born October 9th and baptized November 30, 1804, St. Gabriel Church, Item 9, page 85. He married Marguerite Cidalize Landry, March 2, 1840, St. Gabriel Church, Item 16, page 79 and 80. She was the daughter of Olivier Landry and Angelique LeBlanc and the widow of Simon Babin. Francois died before the 1860 census leaving no male heirs.

11. Victoire was born August 9, 1809 and baptized January 31, 1810, St. John the Baptist, Vol. 2, page 121. Her posterity is unknown.

Mrs. Janice Young, Metairie, La.