The eldest of the Duvernay family is Louis Pierre Duvernay, who married Anne Marie Fague.  They were born about 1699, possibly in France.  Their son, Antoine Francois Duvernay, was born in Natchez, Mississippi.  At the time of his birth, Natchez was considered a part of the Bishophoric of Quebec, Canada, which extended from Canada down to the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana.

Antoine married a Louise La Parde, whose family migrated from Quebec, Canada to New Orleans sometime before 1730.  Antoine was buried in St. Louis Cathedral Cemetery in New Orleans, LA in 1803.

Another son was born to Louis Pierre and Anne Marie.  His name was Louis Joseph and he was also born in Natchez, Mississippi.  He married a Marie Rose Girardy, whose parents were Joseph Girardy and Jeanne Hery (Henry).  Joseph and his wife were one of the first people to settle permanently on the west bank of the Bayou St. Jean in 1719.  His property was located just outside the early city limits of New Orleans and was located about where the City Park in New Orleans stands today.  By 1731, Joseph and his wife had acquired quite a large plantation, and were one of the most prominent families in the New Orleans area. Joseph Girardy died in 1758, leaving his estate to his widow, Marie Jeanne Hery Girardy.

In 1759, Louis Duvernay purchased a portion of the Girardy estate from the widow of Joseph Girardy.  Then in 1771, Marie Jeanne Hery Girardy died and Marie Rose was given another portion of the great Girardy estate, giving Marie Rose and her husband, Louis Duvernay a good portion of the original Girardy estate. 

It is unclear at this time when Louis and Marie Rose died, and what became of their great estate.  I am looking further into this and will update this page as I find more information.  It is known, however, that some of the descendents of Louis and Marie Rose eventually migrated to the area of Ascension Parish.   (A  fascinating history of Bayou St. Jean and it�s settlers can be found in the book, �Bayou St. Jean in Colonial Louisian,� written by Edna Freiberg.)

The Morin family married into the Duvernay family on two major occaisions.   First, Francois Gonzales �Portugese� Morin married Bridget Duvernay, the daughter of Louis Joseph and Marie Rose Duvernay.  They married in New Orleans at the St. Louis Cathedral on 28 Apr, 1783.  Their son, Jean Eduardo Morin, married a Marie Dolores Dolhone Perdomo, whose parents came from Havana, Cuba.  Their son, Michel Celicoure Morin, married an Antoinette Duvernay, whose grandfather was Francois Antoine Duvernay, son of Louis Joseph and Marie Rose Girardy.

Last updated:  May 1999