The In-laws: Raymond and Celine Caillavet

Raymond Caillavet (1838-1898) called "Medeaux" was born at Biloxi in 1838.  He was the eldest son ofFrancois Caillavet (1815-1883), a carpenter, and Euranie Fayard (1818-1895).  Raymond Caillavet was the grandson of Louis Arbeau Caillavet (1790-1860), a native of the Opelousas Post, Louisiana and Marguerite Fayard(1787-1863) of Biloxi.  Louis A. Caillavet was baptized on March 31, 1793, with Louis Carriere and Marie Despaux standing as his godparents.  L.A. Caillavet's father, Symphroen Caillavet (1746-1806), was born at Bordeaux, France.  His mother was Marie Rose Carriere (1766-c. 1855), a native of New Orleans.

The Caillavet family at Biloxi was well respected.  Louis A. Caillavet, the progenitor of the family here, had arrived in 1809, from Opelousas, Louisiana.  His mother, Rose Carriere and brother, Adolph Caillavet (c. 1803-1842) joined him at Biloxi later. 

L.A. Caillavet married Marguerite Fayard (1787-1863) circa 1811.  She was the daughter of Jean Baptist Fayard Jr. (1752-1816) and Angelique Ladner (1753-1830).  These families are among the oldest at Biloxi.

L.A. Caillavet was fluent in the French and English languages and acted as an agent-interpreter and representative to wealthy Creole families from New Orleans as well as his neighbors in land and legal matters.  He was often called as a witness in Probate (Chancery) Court matters and his depositions in several court cases reveal something about his life.  From Nap Cassibry's II excellent two volume series, Early Settlers and Land Grants at Biloxi, the following has been extracted concerning L.A. Caillavet:

 

1.  was in Biloxi in 1809 and no later than 1812.

2.  sometimes he was the only one in Biloxi who could write.

3.  served as an interpreter and notary in legal matters.

4.  he was blind by 1848.

 

L.A. Caillavet acquired much land on the Mississippi coast.  In February 1837, he received a U.S. Government land patent on 71.85 acres at Jackson County, Mississippi described as Lot 1 of Section 32 T7S-R8W.(1)  It comprised the NE/4 and SE/4 of the NE/4 of that section.  This land

is located on the beach front at east Ocean Springs west of Halstead Road.  Louis A. Caillavet was elected treasurer of the Harrison County Board of Police (Board of Supervisors) for the term 1841-1843.

 

The Civil War

As a young man, Raymond Caillavet took the call of the Confederate cause and joined Company E (Biloxi Rifles), 3rd Mississippi Infantry, C.S.A.  He served as a private.  The Biloxi Rifles were mustered into State service on May 21, 1861, at Jackson, and Confederate service at Shieldsboro (Bay St. Louis) on October 5, 1861.  They were originally expected to be sent to Virginia, but Governor Pettus thought they would be better utilized as a home guard protecting the Mississippi Coast from Union excursions.

 

Celina Joucheray

Young Caillavet must have left the Coast during the Civil War for New Orleans.  Here he met and marriedCelina Joucheray (1841-1903) circa 1864.  Celina Joucheray was born at New Orleans on November 24, 1841.  Her father was Pierre Joucheray (1809-1842) and mother, Louise Denis (ca 1812-ca 1849).  Pierre Joucheray was born at Chare sur Argos, Canton Conde, Department of Maine and Loire on March 16, 1809, while Louise Denis was a native of Sable, Department of Sarthe.  The Joucherays were married at Paris, France circa 1836. 

 

Joucheray, Celina

Be it remembered that on the day to wit: the fourteenth of November of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty two and the sixty seventh of the Independence of the United States before me, Alfred E. Farstall, duly commissioned and sworn Recorder of Births and Deaths in and for the Parish and City personally appeared. Mrs. Louise Denis, widow of the late Mr. Pierre Joucheray, a native of Sable, Department of the Sarth in France, about thirty years of age and residing on Royale Street No. 358 in the first Municipality of New Orleans who in the presence of undersigned witnesses , doth declare that she bore a female child Celina Joucheray, the legitimate child of the late Mr. Pierre Joucheray born at Chare sur Argoz Canton Conde , born at Chare sur Argos Canton Conde Department of Maine and Loire in France, on the sixteenth of March eighteen hundred and nine and since about six years ago married at Paris in France, in (illegible) Department.  The child was born on the twenty fourth of November eighteen and forty one at half past eleven o’clock A.M. in a house on Louise? Street between Marigny  and Mandeville Streets in the first Municipality of this city.(Louisiana Department of Archives, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Birth Records Volume 7, p. 189)

 

Joucheray, Pierre

Be it remembered that on the day to wit: the fourteenth of November of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty two and the sixty seventh of the Independence of the United States before me, Alfred E. Farstall, duly commissioned and sworn Recorder of Births and Deaths in and for the Parish and City personally appeared.  Mrs. Louise Denis, widow of the late Mr. Pierre Joucheray, a native of Sable, Department of the Sarthe in France, about thirty years of age and residing on Royale Street No. 358 in the first Municipality of New Orleans who in the presence of undersigned witnesses , doth declare that her lawful husband Mr. Pierre Joucheray, born at Chare sur Argos, Canton Conde, Department of Maine and Loire in France, on the sixteenth of March eighteen hundred and nine and since about six years ago married at Paris in France, departed this life on the twenty first of May last past at ten o’clock P.M. by falling accidentally into the Blind River Parish of St. Tammany in the state of Louisiana.(Louisiana Department of Archives, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Death Records Volume 9, p. 383)

 

After Pierre Joucheray’s death in May 1841, Madame Joucheray and Celina disappear until the Orleans Parish Federal Census of 1850.  At this time, Celina is living in the household of Marcelin Effort (1828-1850+), a Louisiana born pilot, in the first ward of New Orleans.  It appears that her mother remarried or died before 1850. 

 

Coming Home

Raymond Caillavet and Celina’s first two children were born at New Orleans.  They had returned to Biloxi for birth of their third child in 1869.  On February 26, 1869, Raymond Caillavet bought a lot fronting on North Street at Biloxi from his father.  It was described in the land deed records as having a front of eighty-five feet on North Street and being two-hundred feet deep.  It was bounded on the north by North Street, east by Mrs. Lefaure, south by lands of Cook, and west by a street or road (Cuevas Street?).(2)  He paid $200 for the land.  Here Raymond Caillavet reared his family and made his livelihood as a carpenter.

In June 1869, young Raymond Caillavet for $100 acquired another lot from his father.  It had a width of sixty-five feet and was one-hundred twenty five feet in depth.  The lot was bounded on the north by John Latour Caillavet, east by Charles T. Couave (Cuevas), south by a street, and west by an alley.(3)  Caillavet conveyed this property to Phillip Lestrade (1832-1912) on January 5, 1876, as partial repayment for a debt owed Lestrade in a partnership that they had once participated.(4)

 

Butcher

In September 1876, Raymond Caillavet advertised his meat business in The Biloxi Mirror.  He  was situated at present day Main Street and Howard Avenue.

 

Public Service

Mayor Raymond Caillavet

 

Raymond Caillavet also had a career in public service in Harrison County and as a city official at Biloxi.  He served as Justice of the Peace District 1 (1873-1875), Corner and Ranger (1875-1877), Mayor of Biloxi (1877-1882), Corner and Ranger (1889-1891), and City Councilman (1894-1895).  In the January 1879 mayoral election, Caillavet defeated J.R. Harkness receiving 151 of the 200 votes cast.

In October 1883, while serving as street commissioner of Biloxi, Raymond Caillavet was lauded in The Pascagoula Democrat-Star for his expertise in opening the beach road from Porter Avenue to a point near the Biloxi City Cemetery to connect with the shoreline thoroughfare from Mississippi City.  Mr. Caillavet removed trees and stumps, but when completed, the road had the appearance of a “long avenue shaded on both sides”.  It was said of Commissioner Caillavet that, 

“The city fathers could not have appointed a more efficient man for commissioner that the present incumbent.”(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, October 5, 1883, p. 3)

Raymond Caillavet was elected as Secretary of the City of Biloxi in January 1885.  He defeated Thomas D. Bachino 147 votes to 72 votes.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, January 9, 1885, p. 2)

Mr. Cailavet lost to John Walker in the Biloxi mayoral election of 1888.(The Biloxi Herald, March, 1888)

 

Construction

Raymond Caillavet built a large storage house for the Biloxi Artesian Ice Manufacturing Company.(The Biloxi Herald, February 18, 1888, p. 8)

 

The Caillavet Family

Raymond and Celina Caillavet reared their family at New Orleans and Biloxi.  The Federal Census of 1900 indicated that Celina J. Caillavet had birthed nine children before 1900 and that seven were alive at this time.  The names of their known children are: Blanche Caillavet (1865-1940), John Caillavet (b. circa 1867-pre 1870), Aristide Caillavet (1868-1898), Emma Rose C. Murray (c. 1869-1955+), Alice C. Bellande (1872-1955), Edward Caillavet(1874-1923), Clarissa Rita Caillavet (1877-1885), William Caillavet (1879-1940), Lillian C. Holley (1883-1967), and Louise C. Morgan (1881-1965). 

Raymond Caillavet expired at Biloxi, Mississippi on February 16, 1898.  Mrs. Caillavet died on March 15, 1903.(The Biloxi Daily Herald, March 16, 1903, p. 6)

The corporal remains of both were interred in the Old Biloxi Cemetery.