Short Biography of Governor Beauvais: Part I
Jennifer Dyer
The year is 1783 and the weather is cooling in the region called Louisiana. In Point
Coupee Parish, Pierre Beauvais is expecting another child from his wife, Marie Francoise
Riche Beauvais. Pierre Beauvais is from Kaskaskia, Illinois but has come down to the
region of Point Coupee and made a life for himself and his wife. On the 6th of
September, Mdme Beauvais gives birth to a son they name Armand (Arnaud) Jules. He
is the youngest of their eight children. This son is the descendant of the Riche family
which has been in Point Coupee since at least 1745 and the Creole Beauvais family.
Iberville and his brother Bienville had seen assets in the False River region of Point
Coupee and eventually the area grew rich, first with indigo and tobacco and then with
sugar and cotton. Creole Plantations sprung up along the Fause river and it was into this
environment that Arnaud began his life and career.
Arnaud grows up among the wealthier families of the parish such as the Decuirs,
Poydras', and Porches. He becomes a friend and confidante to the other boys of these
families. This is evidenced in records and writings, especially those of the Decuir family.
Julie E. Lee states in Antoine Decuir and his Legacy that “The Beauvais family had
resided at the adjacent plantation of Antoine’s parents…noted in his mother’s inventory
of 1779.”(p 32) Presumably, Beauvais continued to reside near there as an adult.
A. Beauvais is recorded to have resided in Point Coupee in the 1804 Early Louisiana
Census (Petitioner’s list) and he a buys a plantation from his mother (11 arpents on the
Mississippi River) in 1806. Just four years later in 1810, census records indicate that he
resided in Point Coupee Parish, La as Head of Household with two other females,
presumably family members. It is in this year that Governor W.C.C. Claiborne names
him Justice of the Peace of Point Coupee parish in addition to him being president of the
Church Wardens of St. Francis Church. He was just 27 years old. It is important to note
at this point that in addition to Beauvais’ accomplishments as a politician, he began his
career as “planter” and probably continued to do so throughout his lifetime. Many
planters hired others (and expected their wives) to handle their business affairs at home if
they had to be away on business on a regular basis.
A year later, in 1811, Arnaud Beauvais married Louise Delphine Labatut. Louise was
a native of New Orleans and her background is rather unclear. It is assumed that she was
one of the seven children of Jean Baptiste Labatut and Marie Felicite St. Martin. Labatut
was distinguished as Attorney General (named by the Cabildo) and at the time of his
daughter Louise’s marriage, he was the Director of the Bank of Louisiana (He is buried
in St. Louis No. 2 in New Orleans). It is natural that Arnaud would decide to marry
someone of Louise’s background. Most planters who owned plantations along the river
also owned town homes in New Orleans. This would probably account for the
connection of Beauvais to the Labatut’s. It is not unreasonable to assume that he
participated in social and political events in New Orleans and spent a decent amount of
time there, even though his primary residence was in Point Coupee. Therefore, he would
have connections with respectable, wealthy families in the city as well as in his own
parish.
Around this same time, Arnaud’s sister, Louise Beauvais is married to her first husband
who is according to Lee “an immigrant from Haiti by the name of Charles Pierre
Tanneret”(32). This is significant to Arnaud in that, his sister was shortly thereafter
widowed and gave power of attorney over her affairs to him in 1815.(Lee, 32) This
would not be the last time that Arnaud is asked to handle the affairs of others which
indicates that he was most probably a dependable and trustworthy gentleman in most
people’s opinion.
In 1814, Arnaud was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives and held his
seat until 1820, having been elected again in 1816 and 1820. He served as Speaker of the
House beginning in 1821. Census records indicate that in 1820, Armand Beauvais still
resided in Point Coupee Parish while he performed his duties in the government.
Around 1822-23 several events occur that add to Armand’s reputations and
obligations. Personally, his childhood friend, Joseph Decuir is ill; fears he is dying and
has no heirs in 1821. Decuir names Beauvais and several other men as his heirs and in
particular named “Mr. Vincent Porche and Arnaud Beauvais, ‘both my friends,’ his
executors”. (Lee, 27) This event is another indicator that Armand Beauvais was a
trustworthy fellow. Specifically exemplified in the fact that Decuir consults with Porche
and Beauvais and “gives them instructions regarding his estate..”(Lee, 27) In addition,
Beauvais served as a confidante and friend to Joseph Decuir’s brother, Antoine, who was
wealthy and prospering. Here we see a snapshot of the life that Armand Beauvais led.
Some of his friends included, Sr. Destrehan, Sr. Duplessis, Sr. Sauve, Sr. Porche and Sr.
Poydras who, as Lee points out in Antoine Decuir and his Legacy, “comprised a group of
prominent planters, influential merchants and politicians.”(28) Furthermore, Armand’s
widowed sister, Louise enters into a contract to marry Antoine Decuir in 1823 thereby
linking the two families by marriage.
An interesting aside to this is that Antoine had two previous unlawful relationships
that produced many “illegitimate” children. When he married Louise Beauvais, they had
one daughter, Antoinette, who would be the only “lawful” heir out of all of the other
children of his and Louise’s prior to their marriage. He did provide for his other children,
yet as Lee mentions, “Antoinette was sole legitimate heir to a vast estate of one of the
wealthiest men in Louisiana…her birth was most certainly a bittersweet experience for
the future of her eight half siblings.”(34)
Armand Beauvais continued on to become a Louisiana State Senator and served as
President of the Senate for the three years from 1827-1830. On October 7, 1829 the
governor of the state was P.A.C.B. Derbigny and he was thrown from his carriage. He
died five days later and according to History of Louisiana, Armand Beauvais became
acting Governor until January of 1830. (p 213)