Before the vibrant community of Slidell stretched its limbs across the landscape, there nestled a spirited settlement named Bonfouca. Our cultural cradle, this 18th-century hamlet, sowed the seeds of heritage for many Creole families. The heartbeat of our lineage, a historic edifice, stands testament to times past—an ancestral nexus, if you will—erected by none other than Joseph Creole Laurent. Yes, that’s how he chose to ink his name!

La Toussaint

Digging into Arthur C Dale’s family history was like diving into a treasure hunt with twists and turns! My paid historian had a real challenge trying to uncover details about Arthur’s mysterious dad, Dr. John Thomas Dale.

But, luck was on our side when it came to Arthur’s mom, Ines “Clementine” Galatas. Her side of the family tree led us to a quaint cemetery in LaCombe, Louisiana, called Dubuisson Cemetery.

Before we journey to New Orleans, let’s explore how our ancestors arrived in Canada then with Iberville the Gulf Coast. In the three decades starting in 1632, a significant number of immigrants to New France came from Perche, in what’s known as the Percheron immigration movement. Many Percherons were recruited to work in seigneuries (The seigneurs were nobles or merchants that were granted a large piece of land) being established along the Saint Lawrence valley.