Jean Bernes

Family/Spouse: Therese Domerc. Therese was born before 1792 in Laas, Gers, France; died before 1833. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Catherine married Francois Morlas on 2 Oct 1833 in Laas, Gers, France. Francois (son of Dominique Morlas and Anne Matharan) was born on 29 Jan 1808 in Laas, Gers, France; died on 24 Apr 1878 in Laas, Gers, France. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Bennie Zahn writes that she married Isidore Toison-Pefau of Miramount, Gers, and they were the parents of two children, but had no known grandchildren.

Notes:

Bennie Zahn wrote that "Jean-Marie Morlas was born at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, 14 May 1846 au Capule with Joseph GORDAY, farmer, age 36, and Pierre BIAMOURET, 48, as witnesses." She went on to note that the dates of his immigration, marriage and death are unknown. As daughter Marie Morlas was shown on the 1870 census to be born circa 1862 in New Orleans, his immigration and marriage were sometime prior to that date.

There appears to be discrepency between Jean/John's date of birth as reported by Bennie Zahn, and as shown on the 1870 Louisiana census. If his age on the above referenced census was accurate, then he would have been born circa 1838. If the birth date of May, 1846 is accurate, then he should have instead been listed on the 1870 census as age 24. Being born in the year 1846 would also mean that he was just 16 when he married Caroline and when his first daughter born, with his wife being five years his senior. Perhaps the original French records were misread or mistranscribed?

Jean-Marie abandoned his family. It is assumed he vanished sometime in 1878, as according to Bennie Zahn, his sons Bertrand and John Dominic were admitted to St. Mary's Catholic Orphan Boys's Home on 17 Jan 1879, and discharged in February 1880. The city directory of 1888 listed his wife as the widow of John Morlas. Her residence at the time was Tonti between Poydras and Julia Street.

(Research):
Census Information:

1870 census

Lousiana, Orleans Parish, New Orleans, Ward 3
1155-2378
Morlas, John 32 Butcher France
Morlas, Caroline 29 Keeps house New York
Morlas, Mary 8 At School Louisiana
Morlas, John 5 Louisiana
Morlas, Bertrand 1 Lousiana

Jean-Marie married Caroline Maria Holmes before 1862. Caroline (daughter of James Holmes and Mary McKnight) was born in Jan 1841 in New York; died on 7 Jun 1901 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana; was buried in Cypress Grove Cemetery, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Bennie Zahn writes that witnesses to the registration of his birth were Pierre GORDAY, age 68, farmer and Jean SEISAN, age 69, blacksmith. Bertrand sailed from Bordeaux aboard the windjammer "Jupiter" when he was 13 years old, the journey taking over two months.

Bertrand's home and dairy were at 2220 Calhoun Street at the turn of the century, according to Simone Morlas of Marrero. "The home and business were shared by Bertrand Morlas Sr (born in France) and his nephew, John Dominic Morlas (born in New Orleans), and their families. Among them, the uncle and nephew and their spouses had 19 children. "A few years later, the uncle/nephew unit when into seperate businesses operating from the 3200 block of Calhoun called 'The Calhoun Dairy' and from the 6300 block of South Claiborne called 'La Creole Belle'. During the 1920s, there was an exodus of the large dairy farms from within the city limits," said Morlas, who added that both dairies moved to Jefferson Parish. (The New Orleans Times-Picayune, Sunday, January 9, 2000).

Bertrand married Anna Roquevert on 14 Jun 1884 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Anna (daughter of Jean Louis Roquevert and Blazine Pene) was born on 14 Jun 1867 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana; died on 1 Jun 1920 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Marie married Johnny O'Brien on 21 Aug 1884 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Johnny was born about 1856 in Ireland; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Owner of La Bella Creole Dairy. Bennie Zahn wrote, in the January 9, 2000 issue of THE TIMES-PICAYUNE (Living, Section E, page 7), that "The property was originally acquired in the late 1800s by John Morlas who made the purchase with silver dollar coins collected from wealthy customers on his milk route. The family legend is, that whenever he was given a silver dollar in payment for milk and cream, he tossed it onto the top of the armoire in his bedroom. When this property which adjoined the Tulane (University) tract was put on the market, he gathered all of the silver coins, counted them and found that he had $8,000, enough to buy the property. After his death in 1923, his wife, Lucine Roquevert Morlas, sold part of the tract, about 3,800 feet long with a depth varying from 100 to 140 feet, for $100,000 for the then proposed St. Vincent Infant Asylum. Within a year, the property was resold for $165,000 to men who had successful experience in local developement and who started immediately to beautify the ground. Today the property is called Versailles Boulevard and extends from Claiborne Avenue to Fontainebleau Drive."

John married Lucine Roquevert on 28 May 1888 in St. Stephen's Church, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Lucine (daughter of Jean Louis Roquevert and Blazine Pene) was born on 28 Jan 1869 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana; died on 16 Feb 1946 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana; was buried in Metairie Cemetery (Lake Lawn Metairie), New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Bertrand married Eugenie Pollet on 2 Feb 1901 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Eugenie was born about 1875; died on 16 Sep 1908 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Bennie Zahn writes that he was a bookbinder for IBOLB Hauser Printing Company. In 1896, he and Cecelia lived at 2027 Lafayette Street in New Orleans.

Henry married Cecelia Anderson on 6 Oct 1895 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Cecelia was born on 20 Mar 1880 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana; died on 27 Mar 1952 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Bennie Zahn notes that she married George Charles ATKINS, born on the Isle of Jersey to William J. ATKINS and Livinia THOMAS. He trained as a cabinentmaker in Europe, and worked in that profession for The Pullman Company. He studied batteries and electricity at Tulane, and eventually owned the A & G Battery company. They had one son, George Bertrand ATKINS.

Augustine married Jacob Joseph Hess on 30 Jul 1913 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Jacob was born on 9 Mar 1886 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana; died on 18 Oct 1955 in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Bennie Zahn writes that she married Joseph PALMISANO, Jr., who was in the Ice/Coal/Produce business. He and Marie also raised and sold roses. Later in his life, he was in the construction business. They had one daughter.

Notes:

He married Eugenie Josephine DE JEAN, and was the owner of Calhoun Dairy. They had three children.

Family/Spouse: Eugenie De Jean. Eugenie was born on 30 Aug 1902; died on 25 Jun 1994 in Marrero, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana; was buried in Metairie Cemetery (Lake Lawn Metairie), New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Bennie Zahn notes that he married Caroline Lillian DE JEAN, the sister of his brother Victor's wife. Bertrand and Victor were both owners of the Calhoun Dairy. Bertrand and Caroline had four children.