Grand Prairie Historical Society BULLETIN
October 1985 Page 2
IM3EAU - A FIRST FAMILY OF ARKANSAS
Part II
Baptisms
St. Louis Cathedral Archives, New Orleans, LA, Baptismal Book III
(Mar 1753 - Mar 1759):
JEAN BAPTISTE TEMBEAU b. 24 Nov 1758, bpt. 25 Mar 1759,
son of Jean Baptiste Tembeau and Catherine Menier.
Sponsors- Martin Menier and Genevieve Dusin. (p 110)
St. Louis Cathedral Archives, New Orleans, LA, Baptismal Book IV
(Jan 1959 - Apr 1762):
JEAN BAPTISTE TOMBEAU b. 4 Nov 1758, bpt. 25 Mar 1759,
son of Jean Baptiste Tombeau, resident, and of Catherine
Menier. Godparents: fartin Menier and Genevieve Dusin.
(p 3) Note: This would seem to be a duplicate of the
above since only the date of birth varies.
St, Louis Cathedral Archives, New Orleans, LA, Baptismal Register
I (Jan 1777 - May 1786):
JUANA EMBO b. l6 Jan 1760, bpt. 4 Mar 1779, daughter of
Eautista Bubo and Catalina Martin. Sponsors: Buenaventure
(sic) and Juana Martin, (p 50) Note: Ihis register
is badly deteriorated.
MARTIN EMBOU, Adult, b. 4 Oct 1771, bpt. 9 Mar 1782 (par-ents
not given). Sponsors; Juan Bautista Embou and Lulsa
Margarita, (p 23*0
JULIAN AGUSTIN HIMBEAU b. 2 April 1781, bpt. by the Chap-lain
of the Regiment of Louisiana 14 April 1782, son of
Juan Bautista Himbeau and Cathalina Jfertin. Godparents:
Julian LeSassie and Francisca Villiers. (p 24l)
FRANCISCO AMBU b. in 1777, bpt. Feb (?) 1783, son of Juan
Bautista Ambu and Catalina Martin. Godparents: Valentin
Doblen and Carlota Simon. (p 270) Note: Record almost
destroyed.
JUAN BAUTISTA EMBO b. 3 February, bpt. 9 February 1784,
son of Juan Bautista Bubo and "his mother". Sponsors:
Juan Cahier and Juana Martin, (p 315)
FRANCISCO MIGUEL EMBO, age 6 years (Note: b. cal778), bpt.
l6 Aug 1784, son of Juan Baptista Embo and Catalina Martin,
Sponsors: Francisco Vils and Dorotea Vilier. (p 336)
St. Louis Cathedral Archives, New Orleans, LA, Baptismal Register
II (my 1786 - June 1796):
PEDRO, an adult of l6 years, a native of Arkansas, bpt.
Grand Prairie Historical Society BULLETIN
October 1985 Page 3
22 May 1788 (note: b. cal772), son of Juan Bautista Embo
and Catarina Martin. Sponsors: Pedro Resu and Genoveva
Callier. (p 48)
Census Records
Archivo General de Indias, Seville, Spain, Papeles de Cuba, Legajo
107:58:
Alexander de Clouet, Commandant, made a "Census of the
Habitants, Women, Children and Slaves of the Post of
Arkansas" dated 2 December 1768 in which he enumerated:
BAPTISTE LA JEUNESSE, his wife, three boys,
three girls, one negro man, one Indian man
Archivo General de Indias, Seville, Spain, Papeles de Cuba, Legajo
107:162:
Commandant Francois de Mazelliere on 4 Jan 1770 reported on
the "Present State of all the Habitants of the Post of Arkansas."
Qie of the eleven households enumerated was;
BAUTISTA LA JEUNESSE, wife Catharina
Three Boys - One unbaptized,
Anselmo and Joseph
Three Girls - Catharina,
Luisa and Angela
Marriages
St. Louis Cathedral Archives, New Orleans, LA, Marriage Book 1
(1777-1784):
PEDRO PERTUIT, son of Pedro Pertuit and Juana Francoeur
Married 6 March 1779
JUANA IMBAUT, daughter of Juan Imbaut and Catalina Martin
Witnesses: Nicolas Pertuit, Francisco Calimar, Andres du
Roches (p 42)
St. Louis Cathedral Archives, New Orleans, LA, Marriage Book 2
(1784 - 1806):
FELIX LOPES, native of Almachak (?), son of Juan Lopes and
Maria. Ruis, a native of Malaga
Married 9 March 1785
MARIA ANTONIA LA JOUNES, native of the Arkansas Post, dau-ghter
of Juan Bautista La Jounes and Juana Martin (p 35)
Diocese of Little Rock Archives, Register of Arkansas (1764 - 1858)
JOSEPH IMBAULT, native of this Parish, son of Jean Bte.
Imbault and Catherine Martin
Married 13 May 1793
MARIE BOLTON, native of Virginia, daughter of Daniel
Bolton and Marguerite Redde
Grand Prairie Historical Society BULLETIN
October 1985 Page 4
At the same time legitimatized MARIE, HELENE and PELA-GIE
"born of this marriage contracted in the presence of
witnesses due to a lack of a priest in the area."
Witnesses: Jean LaVergne, Anselme Billet, Jean Duchas-sin,
Rene Soumande
FRANCOIS HIMBEAU, of age, born in this parish, son of
Jean Baptlste Himbeau and deceased Catherine Martin
Married 27 February 1797
THERESE KEBED, of age, native of this parish, daugh-ter
of Joseph Barthelemi Kebed and Marguerite, an In-dian.
Witnesses: Jean Bte. Himbeau, Pierre Himbeau,
brothers of bridegroom, and Joseph Barthelemy Kebed and
Marguerite, father and mother of bride, consenting
PIERRE HIMBEAU, of age, born in this parish, son of
Jean Bte. Himbeau and deceased Catherine Martin
Married 27 Feb 1797
HELENE FATLLASSE, minor daughter of Jean Faillasse
who consents and deceased Marie Bart(?), born in
this parish
Witnessed: Francois Himbeau, Jean Bte Himbeau, bro-thers
of the groom j Pierre Pertuy, for the bride
JEAN BTE HIMBEAU, of age, born in this parish, son of
Jean Bte. Himbeau and Catherine Martin
Married 24 August 1797
MARIE KEBED, bom in this parish, minor daughter of
Joseph Bartelemy Kebed and Marguerite, an Indian,
consenting
Witnesses: Pierre Himbeau, Joseph Himbeau, brothers
of the groom, and Jean Bte. Duchassin, Pierre Jarde-las,
Pierre LaVergne
These are the primary source records for the outline of the
Arkansas Imbeau family that follows. Since the body of informa-tion
is admittedly incomplete and subject to individual interpre-tation,
translations of the records in full are presented. This
opportunity is taken to share what has been located to date with
those who do not have easy access to some of the sources.
this body of records illustrates the many spellings one name
can assume as it is written by various scribes and interpreted by
subsequent researchers. The problem is magnified in this instance
as frequently, during Arkansas's colonial era, the priests and civ
il and military record keepers were Frenchmen required to keep
records in Spanish and visa versa.
Evaluation of these records begins with a worksheet listing
chronologically the children named in the baptismal records: Jean
Grand Prairie Historical Society BULLETIN
October 1985 Rige 5
Baptiste b. 1758? Juana b. 1760? Martin b. 1771? Pierre b. 1772;
Francois b. 1777; Francois Michel b. 1778; Julian Agustin b. 178l?
Jean Baptiste b. 1784. That there are two boys named Jean Baptiste
and two named Francois is not unusual as it was once a custom -when
a child died young to use the name again. Although Martin's parents
are not named, the name and sponsors suggest strongly that he be-longs.
The first dilemma it is necessary to come to grips with in
structuring the family of Jean Baptiste and Catherine Martin Imbeau
is the variance in the names in Mazelliere's census with the names
in the only two baptismal records located for children born before
1770* Commandant de douet's unnamed six children presents no
problem—b, 1758, 1760, 17^2, 1764, 1766, 1768. Numerically, the
1770 census with one unbaptised son is not questioned as one son
could have died and another have been born.
As to the boys in January 1770s Joseph fits as Joseph Imbeau
enumerated by Sheriff James Hamilton in 1823 in Arkansas county is
"upwards of 45 years". Anselme can be accepted as it is logical
a son is named after the father's half-brother, Anselme Billette.
The initial assumption that Jean Baptiste b. 1758 died in infancy
and the name reused in 1784 is not consistent with the 1797 marri-age
of John Baptiste, son of the couple. Apparently, Catherine is
not the mother of Jean Baptiste b. in 1784. It is even possible that
Jean Baptiste b. 1758 was the father. One of the baptismal sponsors
is Juana Martin. Juana Imbeau b. 1760 also has a Juana Martin for
a sponsor, suggesting he is of this line of Imbeaus. He Is elimina-ted
from the list of Jean Baptiste and Catherine's children and
relegated to the "worry about later".
For the girls in 1770: None are named Juana or Marie Antoi-nette
married, according to the records, in 1779 and 1785 respec-tively.
Obviously Juana was bom prior to Jan 1770. Marie Antoi-nette
could have been married at age 15. More likely, Commandant de
Mazelliere did not know, or inquire, the names of the three girls
but listed them in his report with commonly used names of the day.
The two Francois records also present" a problem on closer
scrutiny. Francois b. 1777 but not baptized until 1783 is incon-sistent
with a second Francois b. 1778. The deteriorated condi-tion
of page 270 in the register makes it impossible to guarantee
the accuracy of the abstracted data. It will have to suffice that
Francois, son of Jean Baptiste and Catherine Martin Imbeau, who mar-ried
at Arkansas Post Therese Bartelemy in 1797. was born 1770-1780.
Outline
1. JEAN BAPTISTE IMBEAU b. ca 1735 in the French Colony of Louisi-ana,
minor son of Lambert Imbeau and Marie Louise Marchand (both
natives of France), d. after 6 June 1818, probably in Pulaski Co.,
Ark., signed a Marriage Contract 30 Jan 1758 in New Orleans with
Grand Prairie Historical Society BULLETIN
October 1985 Page 6
CATHERINE MEUNIER b. after 1740 in New Orleans, minor daughter of
Martin Meunier and Louise Talebaud (both natives of France). She
died after 13 May 1793 probably in Arkansas, (l)
2. JEAN BAPTISTE IMBEAU b. 4 (24) Nov 1758 bpt. 25 Mar
1759 m. at Arkansas Post 24 Aug 1797 MARIE BARTELEMY,
minor daughter of Joseph Bartelemy of Quebec and
Marguerite, an Indian.
3. JUANA IMBEAU b. l6 Jan 1760 bpt. 4 Mar 1779 in New
Orleans m. at New Orleans 6 Mar 1779 PIERRE PERTUIT,
son of Pierre Pertuit and Juana Francoeur.
4. ANSELME IMBEAU b. before 4 Jan 1770. No further
record.
5. CATHERINE IMBEAU b. before 4 Jan 1770. No further
record.
6. JOSEPH IMBEAU b. before 4 Jan 1770 in Arkansas d.
ca 1827 at Arkansas Post (2) m. at Arkansas Post
13 May 1793 MARIE BOLTON b. 1770 - 1780 in Virginia,
daughter of Daniel Bolton and Marguerite Redde. She
died at Arkansas Post after 3 April 1838. (3)
7. MARIE ANTOINETTE IMBEAU b. before 4 Jan 1770 at Ark-ansas
Post m. at New Orleans 9 Mar 1785 FELIX LOPEZ.
No further record,
8. MARTIN IMBEAU b. 1771 bpt. 9 Mar 1782 at New Orleans.
No further record.
9. PIERRE IMBEAU b. 1772 bpt. at New Orleans 1?88 d. after
27 Feb 1819 m. at Arkansas Post 27 Feb 1797 HELENE
FAILLASSE, minor daughter of Jean Faillasse and de-ceased
Marie . (4)
10. FRANCOIS IMBEAU b. 1777 (?) bpt. Feb 1783 (?) at
New Orleans. Assumed to have died young.
11. FRANCOIS MICHEL IMBEAU bpt. at age 6 on l6 Aug 1784 at
New Orleans d. ca 1838 in Pulaski county, Ark. (5),
m. at Arkansas Post 27 Feb 1797 THERESE BARTELEMY,
daughter of Joseph Bartelemy of Quebec and Margue-rite,
an Indian.
12. JULIAN AGUSTIN IMBEAU b. 2 April 1781 bpt. 14 April
1782 at New Orleans. No further record.
REFERENCES:
(1) Core, Dorothy J., "Imbeau - a First Family in Arkansas", Grand Prairie Historical Society
BULLETIN, Oct 1984, p 5 - 12; Ark. Co. (DeWitt) DEED BK B:503-505
(2) Tax records in custody of County Clerk, DeWitt, Ark.
Grand Prairie Historical Society BULLETIN
October 1985 Rige 14 Page 7
(3) Gore, Dorothy J., "The Unrecorded Will of Mary Imbeau", Grand Prairie Historical Society
BULLETIN, April 1984, p 43.
(4) Ark. Go. (DeWitt) DEED Book Cj130
(5) Information supplied by direct descendants Marion Imbeau
Williams, Memphis, and Vivian Imbeau CGLds, Sherwood, Ark.
IMBEAU LEFT-OVERS
The Arkansas Imbeau search uncovered items relative to another
Martin Imbeau in Louisiana. Even though the name suggests he may
belong with this family, fitting him in has not yet been effected.
It doesn't compute that Jean Baptiste and Catherine Imbeau, both
listed as minors when they signed a marriage contract in January
1758, could have a son who had issue as early as 1774. Certainly
he is not the Martin Imbeau b. 1771.
St Louis Cathedral Archives, New Orleans, LA, Baptismal
Register I (Jan 1777 - 1786):
EMELIA EMBAU b. 6 June 1774 bpt. 4 July 1784, daughter
of Martin Embau and Genoveva Callie (?) Sponsors: Jh
Carlie and Margarita Montenari (p 332)
JUAN BAUTISTA EMBO b. 2 Jan bpt. 9 Aug 1787, son of
Martin Bnbo and Genoveva Caye. Sponsors: Bautista Bnbo
and Genoveva Montenari (p 35)
PEDRO EMBO b. 2 Jan bpt. 9 Aug 1787 (twin of above)
Sponsors? Pedro Caye and Margarita Caue (p 35)
St. Louis Cathedral Archives, New Orleans, LA, Funeral
Register (1824 - 1828):
MARTIN AMBEAU, native of Louisiana, aged 35 years, d.
at Charity Hospital, New Orleans. Interred 14 Jan 1825.
The following from indexes of St. Louis Cathedral baptismal
registers printed in the NEW ORLEANS GENESIS published by the Gene-alogical
Research Society of New Orleans are thought to be perti-nent
to the same Martin Imbeau. The actual records have not been
examined.
Centanni, Irna Adams, "Index - St. Louis Cathedral Bap-tismal
Register II (Kay 1786 - June 1796)", GENESIS, Vol.
IX, No. 33, P 29:
HISISHEAU(IMBAU), Modestia 114
YMBAU, Martin 93
YMBAU, Leocadia 357
LAMBEAU, Maria Zelestina Josefa 5
Ibid., (cont'd), Vol IX, No. 34, p 143:
RUBEAU, Pedro 88
Grand Prairie Historical Society BULLETIN
October 1985 Page 8
Bernard, Paul H. P., "Index - St. Louis Cathedral
Baptism! Register 8 (1815 - 1818)", GENESIS, Vol.XIII,
No. 51, P 229:
CHENET/EMBAU, Maria Emilia Alexandrina 85b
CHENET/EMBAU, Alexandro 85b
Centanni, Irna Adams, "The Legend of Perique",
GENESIS, Vol. V, No. 20, p 281 - 288:
This article indicates that Francois Alexander
Ghenet married Marguerite Pankeme in St. James Parish
in 1770. Their son, also named Francois Alexander,
married in St. John the Baptist Parish in 1818 MODESTA
IMBEAU, daughter of Martin Imbau- another son, Maurice
Alexander, married AMELIE IMBAU, also a daughter of
Martin Imbau.
The brain is now in overload from wrestling with this enigma.
Hopefully, exposing the troublesome data will challenge others to
pursue.
Dorothy Jones Core
"ALMYRA at the (1924) RICE CARNIVAL
"Almyra attended en masse at the great Rice Carnival in Stut-tgart
last week and, as usual, carried off all the prizes worth
winning. She captured first prize for both float and booth, and
to say the least of it, in our estimation, neither could have been
better. Both were beautiful—and the exhibits and the manner in
which they were arranged in the booth were both beautiful and
tasty. Those who were in charge of the decorations deserve great
credit for the superb manner in which it was effected.
"The float under the supervision of Mr. James Laur, proved to
be a work of beauty and art and presented a very tasty appearance.
"In the poultry exhibits Dr. and Mrs. E. P. Hickman won four
first and two second prizes, and the championship over all breeds
of chickens. They exhibited their thoroughbred Rhode Island Reds.
"Mr, Herbert Harl also won two first and one second prize on
his White Qrphlngtons, and they certainly were fine chickens.
"When you sum. it up, Almyra was always there with the goods?
and when she goes after a thing, she most generally gets it. It
shows the public-spirit and coopoeration of our citizens and in
the not far distant future Almyra will be heard from in a greater
and more substantial manner. Yes, we're blowing our own horn; if
we don't, who will? But, even at that we have something to blow
about — ain't it (so)?" (GRAND PRAIRIE NEWS, Stuttgart, 23 Oct
1924, p 8 col 4)
COR! CGMKBNTi The Almyra "Hornblower" failed to mention the awards,
reported on pages 1 and 9 of the same issue, garnered by relative