Name: Alexis Etienne Grasset LaTour-Blanche
Sex: M
Birth: 6 APR 1807 in BERGERAC, DORDOGNE, FRANCE
Death: 15 MAR 1870 in ST. LANDRY PARISH, LOUISIANA, UNITED STATES
Religion: CATHOLIC
Event: 1860 Census 1860 OPELOUSAS, ST. LANDRY PARISH, LOUISIANA
Reference Number: 121
Note:

Dordogne, France




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Aujourd'hui septième avril mille huit cent huit, devant nous
soussigné Jean VALETON BOISSIERE, officier public, maire de BERGERAC, chef lieu de sous préfecture du 4 ème arrondissement du département de la Dordogne, dans la salle de la mairie est comparu Jean GRASSET LouisianaTOUR, capitaine pensionné, habitant en cette commune, qui nous a présenté un enfant dont le
sexe est masculin, auquel a été donneé les prénoms de Étienne Alexis, à déclaré ledit GRASSET LouisianaTOUR que cet enfant naquit le jour d’hier à 9 heures du matin qu’il est son file légitime et de Marie BERTRAND, son épouse. Cette déclaration a été faite en présence de sieur Jean LESPINASSE, propriétaire agriculteur et de Gabriel CAILLOUX, employé à l’octroi de BERGERAC, lesquels on
signé avec le père, et nous, après avoir entendu lecture du présent acte.


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LOUISIANA NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

THE Alexis LA TOUR HOUSE



The Alexis LaTour House (1835-7) is a story-and-a-half bousillage Creole house located in the parish seat of Ville Platte. Despite a number of alterations, the house retains enough of its original architectural character to merit listing on the National REGISTER.

The LaTour House began in 1835 as a small cottage one room wide and two rooms deep, with a front gallery. In 1837 two more rooms were added along with an American central hall. The new enlarged house had something of a Greek Revival look with a more or less symmetrical facade and a central doorway with transom and side lights. The house
also had numerous traditional Creole features such as an exterior staircase, bousillage construction, beaded clapboarding, exposed beaded ceiling beams, and beaded ceiling boards. In addition, the 1835 part of the house had an unusual looking mantel with cove moldings, panels, and a large central lozenge motif. Other mantels in the house
were more conventional with panels and pilasters, but they too had a curious style.

In about 1900 a pair of large Queen Anne Revival dormers were added front and rear, along with a large rear wing. In addition, many of the windows and doors were replaced and the hall ceiling and garret were sheathed in narrow gauge beaded board. Finally, the front staircase was replaced.

In recent years many of the downstairs rooms have been resheathed in either plywood paneling or bagasse board. In addition, all of the gallery columns were replaced and scroll brackets were added.

Assessment of Integrity

There is no doubt that the LaTour House has had more than one set of columns since it was built. Taken without the brackets, the present solid wood gallery posts are probably fairly close to the original columns. Of course, the brackets are easily removable. In our opinion, the house is still easily recognizable for its early date and style. It still retains its basic Creole cottage shape as well as its bousillage
construction. Moreover, it retains vital decorative features such as mantels and copious beading. Even with the loss of some of its original details, it is still the most richly detailed early house in the parish. (See Item 8.)

To the rear of the house is a small nondescript shed which may or may not be fifty years old. Because it does not relate to the architectural significance of the main house, it is listed as a non-contributing element.


Specific dates 1835-37
Builder/Architect Builder: Alexis LaTour

Statement of Significance (in one paragraph)
Criterion C

The LaTour House is locally significant in the area of architecture as an early and important structure within the context of Evangeline PARISH.

Evangeline, once the northwestern part of Imperial St. Landry PARISH, broke off to form its own parish unit in 1910. According to the historical record, settlement began in the late eighteenth century, and by the mid-nineteenth century the area was fairly well populated. Ville Platte (where
the LaTour House is located) was incorporated in 1858 and is the parish's oldest town. Little is known of Evangeline's early architecture, but presumably there was the usual mix of Creole structures and structures combining Creole and American features such as the LaTour House. This,
of course, was the typical architectural pattern for French parishes during the period 1820 to 1860.

It should be noted that very little survives in Evangeline PARISH from before about 1880. Of the handful of early structures that do remain, the LaTour House is certainly the finest. As far as the State Historic Preservation Office can determine, all of the other earlier structures in the parish are humble one or two room cabins of indeterminate date with little or nothing in the way of architectural detailing. By contrast, the
LaTour House is as large as a medium size plantation house of the period. Moreover, it is well detailed, with decorative mantels, beaded clapboards, exposed beaded ceiling beams, and beaded ceiling boards. Clearly it is the architectural landmark of the parish.

Historical Note:

It is said that Ville Platte was named in the parlor of the LaTour House, which could be true, but is very difficult to document.


Major Bibliographical References

Conveyance Records, Evangeline PARISH.

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Joseph Aldebert To Pierre Labyche
Sale of negroes
Recorded 3 may 1837

State of LOUISIANA PARISH of St. Landry Opelousas. Be it Known that this third day of May in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven Before me George King PARISH Judge and ex-officio Notary Public in and for the
Parish of St. Landry residing in the Town of Opelousas. Personally Came and Appeared, Joseph Aldebert, residing in the Town of Opelousas, who declared, that for and in consideration of the sum of sixteen hundred dollars Cash to
him in hands Paid By Pierre Labyche, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged he the said Joseph Aldebert do by these presents, grant, Bargain, sell, convey transfer, assign, set over, with a full guarantee against all troubles, debts mortgages claims, evictions, Donations, Alienations, or other
encumberance whatsoever unto Pierre Labyche residing in the said Town of Opelousas here present and Accepting, his heirs and assigns and Acknowledging possession thereof two certain negroes Boy slaves for life, towit, Same [Sam?]
aged ab[ou]t. fourteen years & Bobb aged ab[ou]t. thirteen years warranted free from the vices and maladies prescribed by Law and being the same which the present sellor [sic] Acquired from William Moore By Act passed Before
Pierre Labyche Notary Public on the Third day of September in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty four. From the certificate of the recorder of mortgages of the said PARISH of St. Landry it appears no mortgage exist[s] on the said two slaves against the said Joseph Aldebert. To have and to hold
the said two slaves, unto the said purchaser his heirs and assigns to their proper use and behalf for ever and the said sellor [sic] for himself and his heirs the said two slaves t o the said Purchaser his heirs and assigns, shall and will warrant and forever defend again[s]t the Lawful claims of all persons whomsoever by these presents and the said Vendor does moreover subrogate the said purchaser to al the rights and actions of warranty which he has or may have against his own Vendor as Against the vendors of his Vendor fully
authorising [sic] said purchaser to exercise the said rights and Actions in the same manner as he himself might or could have done. This done and passed in my office in the Town of Opelousas aforesaid in the presence of Louis
Nicolas Moulin and Alixus LaTour competent witnesses of an full age and domicilated [sic] in the Town who have hereunto signed their names together with the said Parties, and me the said Notary & ex-officio [Notary Public] the
day and year first above written.

Joseph Aldebert Labyche Moulin Alixis LaTour Geo. King P. Judge

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Name: Alexis LaTour
Land Office: OPELOUSAS
Sequence #: 1
Document Number: 2697
Total Acres: 94.78
Signature: Yes
Canceled Document: No
Issue Date: October 01, 1845
Mineral Rights Reserved: No
Metes and Bounds: No
Statutory Reference: 3 Stat. 566
Multiple Warantee Names: No
Act or Treaty: April 24, 1820
Multiple Patentee Names: No
Entry Classification: Sale-Cash Entries
Land Description: 1 1 LOUISIANA No 4 S 2 E 21


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Name: Alexis LaTour
Land Office: OPELOUSAS
Sequence #: 1
Document Number: 269
Total Acres: 101.8
Signature: Yes
Canceled Document: No
Issue Date: June 01, 1846
Mineral Rights Reserved: No
Metes and Bounds: No
Statutory Reference: 3 Stat. 566
Multiple Warantee Names: No
Act or Treaty: April 24, 1820
Multiple Patentee Names: No
Entry Classification: Sale-Cash Entries
Land Description: 1 2 LOUISIANA No 4 S 2 E 21


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Name: Alexis LaTour
Land Office: OPELOUSAS
Sequence #: 1
Document Number: 7837
Total Acres: 40.53
Signature: Yes
Canceled Document: No
Issue Date: December 1, 1860
Mineral Rights Reserved: No
Metes and Bounds: No
Statutory Reference: 3 Stat. 566
Multiple Warantee Names: No
Act or Treaty: April 24, 1820
Multiple Patentee Names: No
Entry Classification: Sale-Cash Entries
Land Description: 1 SWNE LOUISIANA No 5 S 1 W 8