Lailhengue > Biane & Meyer - Alsace, France

 

Free
Only want to be free
We huddle close
Hang on to a dream

America, Neil Diamond

FRANCE to New Orleans, LA: Biane, Bernard Francoise - immigrated mid-1800s

FRANCE to New Orleans, LA: Meyer, Elisa Alice - immigrated mid-1800s (Alsace-Lorraine)

This morning (5 Nov 2023), I located the marriage of Bernard Beane (sic) and Eliza Meyer at FamilySearch.org: "Louisiana Parish Marriages, 1837-1957", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKJC-9318 : Mon Oct 23 14:56:12 UTC 2023), Entry for Bernard Beane and Eliza Meyer, 23 Apr 1868. The mention of Eliza being the Ward of Jean Baptiste Pittaluga led to me finding Eliza’s parents and grandparents in Alsace-Lorraine, France.

The top part reads: …Jean Baptiste Pittaluga…declared to me that he gives his consent to the marriage of his Ward Eliza Meyer a Minor, aged 15 years, with Bernard Beane… 23 Apr 1868.

 

 As shown directly above, Bernard’s signature shows his last name is Biane. There's also a witness, A. Lanartes(?). He showed up also in 1866 (see below).

So, now the hunt begins for finding out more about Jean Baptiste Pittaluga in New Orleans, LA.

In 1866, the New Orleans City Directory shows J.B. Pittaluga living at 352 Villere St. (This could be modern-day North or South Villere St.)

Other searches for Jean Baptiste Pittaluga in New Orleans reveal that he died at age 57 (birth year 1814) on 22 Jul 1871 in New Orleans, and his will shows he had two daughters: Marie and Clementine (also a popular name in the Biane family). His inventory shows he owned an “Oyster Saloon” that also served wine and liquors on Chartres Street between St. Louis and Toulouse Streets.

His wife’s name is Philomena Steyertt (also transcribed Strayer), and they married on 5 Aug 1864 in New Orleans, LA. She is from Alsace, France, was born abt. 1840 and died age 30 on 18 Dec 1870 in New Orleans, LA. On her death record, it shows his name as Jean Baptiste Pittalouga. Her death certificate says Philomena Steyertt, wife of Jean Baptiste Pittalouga, a native of Alsace, France, age 30, died on 12 Dec 1870. More about her later.

Now, I remembered that our Gabriel Bernard Biane in the 1930 Census said his mother (Eliza) was born in Alsace-Lorraine (a historically contested area where France meets Germany):

I did a quick search for Philomena and found a birth record of 7 Sep 1840 in Dannemarie, Altkirch, France (Haut-Rhin, Alsace births 1504-1922). If this is her, her parents are Joseph Steyert and Elisabeth Fasser (transcribed Faffer and Fassa). I made a quick mental note of this.

So I started digging in records for Altkirch, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France. I found the church still located at 25 Rue du Château courtesy of Google Satellite Maps:

 

THANK GOD FOR CHURCH RECORDS! Combining my basic knowledge of German and French, my husband’s knowledge of French, and Google Translate, I was able to identify Eliza’s parents, grandparents, and confirm that Philomena is an aunt! I’ve never hit such a genealogical jackpot! 

Thanks to detailed church records from “Haut-Rhin, France, Births, Marriages, and Deaths 1504-1922”, I was able to fill in the missing pieces:

Joseph Steyert, b. 1799, d. aft 1840, worked as a boulanger (master of bread baking) m. abt. 1830, Elisabeth Fasser b. 1807, d. aft 1840. They had at least 2 daughters:

1) Anne Steyert, b. 13 Sep 1831, Dannemarie, Altkirch, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France, d. bef 1866, Altkirch, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France m. abt 1849, Remy Meyer, b. 1822, d. aft 1855, worked as a boulanger (master of bread baking). They had at least 5 children:

a) Remy, Jr., b. 19 Nov 1850, Altkirch, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France

b) Xavier, b. 30 Dec 1851, Altkirch, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France

c) Marie Louise, b. 30 Dec 1852 at 3 a.m., Altkirch, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France

d) Elise “Eliza”, b. 30 Jan 1854 at 2 p.m., Altkirch, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France, d. 26 Jun 1890, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, m. 23 Apr 1868 in New Orleans, Bernard Francois Biane, b. Jan 1844 France, d. 20 Jan 1919, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana

e) Ulric, b. 5 Oct 1855, Altkirch, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France

2) Philomena Steyert, b. 7 Sep 1840, Dannemarie, Altkirch, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France, d. 12 Dec 1870, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, m. 5 Aug 1864 in New Orleans, Jean Baptiste Pittaluga, b. 1814, d. 22 Jul 1871, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana. They had at least 2 daughters:

a) Marie, b. 2 Jul 1866 at 8 p.m. in Altkirch, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France, d. aft 1871 

b) Clementine (Twin), b. 11 Nov 1867, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, d. aft 1871

c) Eleonore (Twin), b. 11 Nov 1867, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, d. bef her father’s death on 22 Jul 1871 since she is not named in his will

What is most interesting to me is that for the birth of Philomena’s first child, she and her husband went back to her hometown of Altkirch so her baby could be born at her parents’ house. Thanks to the inventory of his will, we know that Jean Baptiste Pittaluga owned an “Oyster Saloon” on Chartres Street that had wine and liquor valued in the inventory. So, he was doing pretty good to be able to afford to take his pregnant wife back to France. They probably stayed in nice ship cabins and not in the steerage section. Here is the description of the birth with my quickie translation beneath:

 “1866 2 July...Jean Baptiste Pittaluga, age 51 and living in “Nouvel Orleans” North America presents…a female…born today at 8 in the evening, at the Steyertt house, and Philomena, age 27 and living in New Orleans…” I also noticed that one of the witnesses, A. Lanartes(?), also witnessed Eliza’s marriage papers in New Orleans in 1868.

I think this is when Philomena first met her niece, Elise “Eliza” Meyer, who would’ve been age 12. I don’t know what had happened to Eliza’s parents, but it’s odd Anne stopped having children after 1855 (when she was age 24).

Future research would be to see if there’s a passenger list from Le Havre, France, to New Orleans with the Pittalugas and baby Marie along with Elise “Eliza” Meyer and A. Lanartes (?) between Sep 1866 (birth of Marie in France) and Nov 1867 (birth of twins in New Orleans).

To follow up with Philomena, I wonder if she was strutting her pregnant stuff when she got back to Altkirch in 1866. She had married a man with money who could afford to bring her back home for the birth of their first child. Then, she found out her sister had possibly died. Perhaps Eliza looked like Anne. By 1868, Philomena has a 2-year old, possibly twins, and her husband has guardianship of Eliza in New Orleans. I don’t know if she suffered from post-partum depression or what, but we find her death record 18 Dec 1870 (From "Louisiana, Orleans Parish Death Records and Certificates, 1835-1954", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZHS8-RHMM : Sat Oct 14 02:39:31 UTC 2023), Entry for Philomene Steyertt and Jean Baptiste Pittalouga, 18 Dec 1870):

 “... Philomene Steyertt, wife of Jean Baptiste Pittalouga, a native of Alsace, France, aged 30, died on the 12th day of December 1870 at the Louisiana Retreat. Cause of Death: Insanity.”

Death by insanity? That’s a new one. I guess it could mean death from suicide, accidental deaths, or physical illness.

The Louisiana Retreat was run by nine sisters from the Sisters of Charity. It was the only private, clean, well-run house for mentally ill patients (called an asylum for inmates back in the day). According to an 1872 newspaper article, monthly charges varied from $15-$60, and the Retreat was already full. (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-picayune-history-of-the-louisi/21770028/)

On to happier times and our direct line from Alsace-Lorraine, France:

9) Joseph Steyert, b. 1799, d. aft 1840, worked as a boulanger (master of bread baking) m. abt. 1830, Elisabeth Fasser b. 1807, d. aft 1840

8) Anne Steyert, b. 13 Sep 1831, Dannemarie, Altkirch, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France, d. bef 1866, Altkirch, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France m. abt 1849, Remy Meyer, b. 1822, d. aft 1855, worked as a boulanger (master of bread baking)

7) Elise “Eliza” Meyer, b. 30 Jan 1854 at 2 p.m., Altkirch, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France, d. 26 Jun 1890, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, m. 23 Apr 1868 in New Orleans, Bernard Francois Biane, b. Jan 1844 France, d. 20 Jan 1919, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana

6) Gabriel Bernard Biane, b. 9 Aug 1873 New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, d. 10 Aug 1931 New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana m. Marie Amelia Mercier, b. 1 Oct 1874 LA d. 8 Feb 1938 New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana

5) Marie E. Biane, b. 10 Oct 1901 New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, d. 7 Jul 1972 New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana m. Pvt. Paul Leon Lailhengue, b. 8 Nov 1890 New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, d. 2 Aug 1962 New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana. They had 5 children:

a) Paul Robert (1923-1991)

b) Marie B. (1924-2004)

c) Andrew Charles Lailhengue, Sr. (1926-2004)

d) Lucien Leon Lailhengue (1931-1998) m. Mary Pauline McGee (1931-2003)

e) Shirley Eva (1932-1992)

4) Andrew Charles Lailhengue, Sr., b. 17 Apr 1926 New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, d. 15 Feb 2004 Chalmette, St. Bernard, Louisiana, m. Virginia Iris Botkin, b. 13 Jun 1924 Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, d. 17 Oct 1983 Chalmette, St. Bernard, Louisiana

3) Private (information withheld) and Private (information withheld)

2) Private (information withheld) and Private (information withheld)

1) BAC, my son-in-law (living - information withheld)