I have been progressing with my “get it all input before the 1940 census is released” project. This week I worked on the Lascurettes family. After inputting the documents relating to the family, I set out to solve the mystery of Leon Lascurettes.
Lascurettes was not a common surname in the San Francisco Bay Area between 1880-1920. So, when I came across Leon Lascurettes I though for sure that I would fit him in. Even though I collected new information, I still have no clue if he is related. The Lascurettes married cousins of my Grandma and Grandpa. They married into both my Segalas and Breilh lines.
Leon came to America in October 1906 on the La Provence. He was from Arbeost, France which is the same place my Lascurettes are from. The ship manifest states that he is coming to see his brother Jean in Oakland, CA. I have a Jean in Oakland! Jean Pierre to be exact, though for some reason, he went by Joseph.
Jean Pierre Lascurettes was the son of Marcelin Lascurettes and Katherine Louby. He had these siblings: Jeanne Marie, Marianne, Anna, Jeanne, Elizabeth, and Jacques. Jacques also came to the US. He settled in San Francisco about the same time as Jean Pierre.
In 1910, Jean Pierre Lascurettes son (also of the same name) and his family lived on 22nd Ave in Oakland. Two entries above him on the census sheet is Leon Lascurettes.
I found several documents on Leon including census records and his WWII draft registration card. But, none of it confirmed a relationship to Jean Pierre Lascurettes. I checked city directories to see if Leon lived with Jean Pierre during his first years in the country. But, he was listed as living alone in San Francisco.
I found a funeral record for Leon at familysearch.com. This record only served to confuse things. Leon’s parents are listed as Jean Lascurettes and Maria Serres of France–not Marcellin Lascurettes and Katherine Louby!
There was an obituary in French along with the funeral record. I found an English language one online, but it wasn’t as complete.
I don’t know French. However, with the help of an online dictionary, it was easy to sort out. The wording in obituaries doesn’t change too much.
My assessment of the obituary shows several family relationships–some of which are suspiciously similar to Jean Pierre’s family.
Wife
Anna
Children
Georges and Doris
Siblings and their Spouses
Mr. and Mrs. Pierre Lascurettes
Mr. and Mrs. Georges Mickuls
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Woolsey
Sister-in-Law
Catherine Lascurettes (widowed)
Mother-in-Law
Catherine Mondot (widowed)
Uncles and Aunts
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Lemer
Mr. and Mrs. Francois Bellocq
Nephews and Nieces
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Grialou
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Lascurettes
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Philippi
Gloria Mickuls
Jerry Mickuls
Marilyn Woolsey
Cousins
Maria Trouillet (widow)
Mr. and Mrs. Alexandre Helip
Mr. and Mrs. Jean Serres
Phew! That must be half the French Community 😉
Their are a couple of connections in this list of names. Roger Grialou is the son of Marguerite (Lascurettes) Grialou. Albert Lascurettes and Mrs. Frank Philippi are the children of Jean Pierre Lascurettes and Maria Berges. As I mentioned above, Jean Pierre Lascurettes is the son of Jean Pierre “Joseph” Lascurettes. Marguerite was Jean Pierre “Joseph” Lascurettes’ daughter.
I have a Trouillet family in the tree as well–a very uncommon surname in California. But I don’t know how Marie Trouillet is related or if she is related.
The informant for the funeral information was Leon’s wife. She listed his nieces and nephews the children of Jean Pierre Lascurettes and Marguerite (Lascurettes) Grialou. But she left off several of their siblings who were living at the time. She also left off other nieces and nephews.
This leads me to believe that Leon is the son of Jean Pierre Lascurettes and Marianne Vergez (somewhat similar to Serres if you’re talking phonetics). But, that brings out all sorts of problems.
1. His age fits with Jean Pierre and Marianne’s children, but it falls on the same year as another of their children. Unless there were twins, that is a problem.
2. There is a geographical problem. Jean Pierre Lascurettes came to the US ca 1880. He married Marianna Vergez ca 1883 in California, probably in San Francisco. While Jean Pierre Jr was born in France, all the other children were born in California. I still haven’t cleared up how Jean Pierre Jr was born in France. It is possible that is an error.
We have a child maybe born to parents in a country where they weren’t even present at the time he was born. How confusing is that!
So, there are a couple of things I need to settle.
1. Was Leon really the child of Jean Pierre “Joseph” Lascurettes? If his birthdate is off, he could be the child of a first wife.
2. Is it possible Leon was taken back to France and raised by someone else?
3. Is the term nieces and nephews in the obituary a stretching of the term? I have seen this in early records. The terms had a much broader meaning that what we find acceptable today.
4. Was Leon a cousin of Jean Pierre “Joseph” Lascurettes from a sibling who stayed in France? This might explains some mixed up relationships in the obituary if Leon’s wife wasn’t clear how everyone connected.
I think obituary shows there is some sort of connection. But, I am reluctant to attach Leon to the tree with the information that I have. There is too much conflict between what appears to be a relationship and what the different bits of information are telling me.
It seems highly unlikely that two Lascurettes would end up living a couple of doors away from each other in 1900 and not be related. Hopefully, a document will turn up that settles things.
we have the photo send by Leon to his family in Beost , when he was in New York , send the 27 october 1906, and we have built th tree family.
I have to write it on the net.
Did you ever find out more about this? I’m also trying to figure out where Leon fits in on MY Lascurettes family tree …and so far am coming up empty.
Thanks!
Kyle
Kyle, thanks for your comments! I believe I know the connection to my tree now. I am going to send you and email so we can compare information.
Hello All Lascurettes! I am Leon Lascurettes granddaughter, Diane. My grandmother was Anna Bellocq Lascurettes, Leon’s wife. I pretty much know a lot about this family tree….so I would love to see what you have found out. I am very sure that Kyle Marcel Lascurettes is not related to us. Also, we have the postcard that Leon Lascurettes sent from the ship, La Provence in 1906 when he landed in NYC. I long ago knew a young man named Bob Breilh…..not sure if he is related to you in anyway. Also…Solange Lascurettes is in our family tree…..and my grandfather’s mother was Marie Serres. The Serres family still lives in San Francisco and the outer East Bay here in California