The information contained in this short "history" of our family was told to us mostly by Aunt Vivian "Pete" Bergeron Spencer. The dates, facts and chronological order of various events were quoted mostly from memory and while we feel that they are close, we realize that we may be a year or two off in some cases. Hopefully, this will give some background into the roots of the Bergeron Family.
The Bergeron family originated in an area of Assumption Parish near Napoleonville, Louisiana in a farming area along Atakapas Canal. This canal drained into Lake Verret and was originally settled by the Atakapas Indians. Very few people know the area as Atakapas Canal, however, and it is known simply as "down the canal." This area was inhabited mainly by French Canadians, Cajuns, and a mixture of the original Spanish settler's descendants and some French settlers. The culture was rural farming, French and Cajun. The language was French with some of the people speaking both French and Spanish and even some a third language, English. Schools were limited to mostly elementary schools. Transportation was by horse and mule and by flatboats and barges. Practically everyone farmed and also, almost all were Catholic.
During the period of 1877-1878, Louzien Bergeron married Stephanie Martin. Both were from "down the canal" and both were of French Canadian descent. Louzien was a farmer, owning his own land and farming "down the canal." Stephanie Martin was described as a lil' old, short french lady. Her father was Martin Martin, remember this name as it comes up again and illustrates how close Cajun families were and how the culture bound everyone together.
Louzien and Stephanie Bergeron had twelve children, four sons, Albert (b. ? d. 1954), Clebert, Edgar and Phillip. Then four daughters, Elvira, Judith, Addie and Bernadette, and four more sons, John, Allen, Paul, and Ignace. The oldest, Albert Bergeron was the one whose family is represented here. He was born August 7, 1879. Albert's father, Louzien, is remembered as a gentle, much loved Cajun. His sons cared for him during his last illness and were grief stricken when he died.
On a separate but equally important note... Eli Willie Westerman (b. 1847 d. 1924) came to Bayou Lafourche with his people from Kansas through Tennessess. They settled in Donaldsonville, Lousiana but later Eli was "taken in" by the Martin Martin family. You'll remember that Martin Martin was the father of Stephanie Martin who married Louzien Bergeron. "Taking in" children was very common practice back then - families lost mothers and/or fathers and the children were absorbed by the other families, often living with several families before they went on their own. Families were large then, so one more didn't make any difference. We don't know why Eli lived with the Martins, whether it was due to loss of his parent(s) or their having moved away, wasn't remembered.
About the same time that Louzien and Stephanie were getting married, Eli Willie Westerman and Clementine Barbier married (1877-1878?) and had 2 children, a son (unknown?) and Mary Adrien Westerman (b. ? d. 1956). Eli died of pneumonia in 1924 and is buried in St. John's Cemetary near Thibodaux, Louisiana. He is remembered as a tall, cheerful man who loved his grandchildren. Many stories are told of him in the family. He was a boy of about 14 years when the Civil War started, and he told many stories of the troops and the fighting to his grandchildren. Not much is remembered of Clementine Barbier Westerman, probably because she died relatively young. She burned to death when her nightgown caught on fire as she stooped in front of the fireplace to dress her children. She panicked and ran until the flames overcame her.
Albert Bergeron and Mary Adrien Westerman lived and grew up "down the canal." Adrien was born near Morgan City, Louisiana while the family had moved there for a while to farm. Families drifted back and forth from Assumption Parish to the Bayou Bouef, Morgan City area when work and land were available. It may seem an odd move now, but at the time Cajuns moved regularly through the Atchfalaya system of lakes and bayous by barge and boats. Adrien's family came back to Napoleonville, Louisiana after a short time and Albert Bergeron married Mary Adrien Westerman on June 11, 1900. They were tenant farmers, farming on "the share," first at Bellewood Plantation, then "down the canal." Albert and Adrien had 11 children, two were stillborn and one died at 3 months of age - surviving were Herbert, Norine, Fannie, Vivian, Detta, Eric, Elie, and Aaron. Later came a move by barge to Amelia on Bayou Bouef. The children, the furniture, the chickens, pigs, mules, farm implements, etc. were loaded onto the barges and everything went to Amelia. It must have looked like Noah's Ark - a big adventure for the young people and a difficult time for Mama (Adrien). The culture in Amelia was very much Acadian - farming, fishing, boucherie, fais-do-do, and other forms of self-entertainment were prevalent. In fact, Adrien is remembered as a pretty fair harmonica player, accompanying her brother who played the violin. After farming on Bayou Bouef for about 14 years, Albert and Adrien moved back to Bayou Lafourche, again to tenant farm sugarcane, first at Waverly in Thibodaux, Louisiana and later at Trinity Plantation. During this period, the girls (Norine, Fannie, Vivian, and Detta) went to New Orleans to work and support themselves. Even though the depression had not yet officially begun, things were pretty tough on the bayou. From the stories we've heard through the years, this period in New Orleans was a highlight in the lives of the Bergeron daughters.
While Albert and Adrien were at Trinity, they lost their son Aaron to pneumonia at the young age of 12 years. It was a sad time - Aaron was a family favorite. Sulfa drugs and antibiotics were not available then, and pneumonia took many lives. During this time at Trinity some of the children were marrying. In 1933, Adrien and Albert moved to Glenwild to farm it "on the share." Glenwild was owned by a bank which repossessed it during the depression years. Eric, Elie and Detta, by then married to Sidney Cavalier, went with Adrien and Albert to get Glenwild going. It was completely abandoned and overgrown. Three years later, the opportunity to buy the present family estate, Autridge, came up, which he (who's he?) did, for $10,000. This included about 200 acres, a home, laborer's houses, barns, etc. Detta and Sidney Cavalier moved down first, then Albert and Adrien followed in 1938. Eli (or Elie?) purchased Glenwild and settled there. Albert and Adrien lived on Autridge until their deaths; Albert in 1954 and Adrien in 1956. They are both burried at St. John's about a a mile from Autridge.
As stated earlier, this "history" does not claim to be exact, but it does give and outline of the beginnings of the family. Listed below are the descendants of Albert Bergeron and Mary Adrien Westerman Bergeron.