Jean Bernard Couret

Other Events and Attributes:

• Obituary: Obituary, Times-Picayune, 3 May 1887, p4: In the death of John B. Couret the community is called upon to mourn the loss of a worthy citizen and an estimable gentleman. Born in the town of Aspet, Department of Haute Garonne, France, the deceased came to this city at an early age, and after a few years of apprenticeship embarked in business on his own account. For forty years past he has been known as the proprietor of “The Ruby,” one of the first-class saloons of this city. No man in his line of business or in the ordinary walks of life was more respected than John B. Couret. Quiet, good-natured and ever ready to oblige, he was one of Nature’s noblemen, and many there are who will read the announcment of his death and mentally exclaim that a cleverer gentleman than John B. Couret they never knew. His funeral will take place today at 5 o’clock P.M. from his late residence, 394 Canal street.
• Occupation: cafe owner
• Census: 1850, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Census: 1860, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Census: 1880, New Orleans, Louisiana

Notes:

Aspet is in the Pyrenees, near the town of Couret. According to the parish records of his family (as in for instance the record of his father’s death), his family lived “au hameau de Sarradère,” in the hamlet of Sarradère, which is basically a street on the edge of Aspet.

Jean Bernard moved to New Orleans in (about) 1836, and ran a coffee shop in the French Quarter named Ruby's. He seems to be the patriarch of the family's presence in New Orleans in his death, since obituaries identify other family members as his relations.

I have not been able to find a connection between this Couret family and the family of Jean Louis Couret and his daughter Marie Octavie, who married Paul Gelpi. If there is one, it must be back in France.

In 1855 or 1856 he opened a coffee shop and saloon at No. 87 Common St. called The Ruby.

This is about him, from the biography of his grandson, Maurice:

"Couret, Maurice, M. D., was born in New Orleans, La., Sept. 17, 1874; son of John Francis and Louise (Lamothe) Couret, both of whom were born in the Louisiana metropolis (the father in 1849), and reside there at this time.

The paternal grandfather, John B. Couret, was a native of France, and came to America when a young man. He engaged in business in New Orleans and conducted this throughout the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1886. The maternal grandfather, Lamothe, was a native of Hayti [sic], and came from that island to the United States, locating at New Orleans, at the time the French were expelled from the land of his birth the year following Napoleon's seizure of the ruler of Hayti [sic]. He was a silversmith, especially skilled in the manufacture of spoons and forks, and articles of this description of his handiwork are still retained in the family. He conducted a jewelry store at New Orleans. One of his brothers also became a citizen of the United States and served in the Revolutionary war"

A note appeared in the Times-Picayune, 16 Jan. 1887:

"After an illness of many weeks the good natured face of Major John B. Couret of the Ruby, is seen on the streets. The veteran is a little pulled down, but a good constitution will soon place him on deck again."

Calling him a veteran is I suspect just a figure of speech. He died later this year. According to his death certificate he died of a "carcinoma of the intestines."

His succession was filed in the First District Court, (no. 4478). Microfilms are available at the New Orleans Public Library/City Archives.

Census:
aged 31, born in France; "barkeeper"

Census:
aged 41, born in France; works in a coffee house; real estate valued at 6,000; personal estate at 3,000

Census:
aged 62, born in France; "proprieter coffee house"; living at 394 Canal Street.

Died:
Obituary in the Bee/L'Abeille

Jean married Lucie Maurice on 2 Feb 1845 in St. Joseph's Church, 1802 Tulane Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana. Lucie (daughter of Philip Maurice and Eulalie Bravat) was born on 28 Nov 1828 in New Orleans, Louisiana; was christened on 16 Jul 1829 in St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, Louisiana; died on 22 Apr 1890 in New Orleans, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Marie Francoise Couret was born on 24 Jan 1847 in New Orleans, Louisiana; died on 20 May 1943 in New Orleans, Louisiana; was buried in Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans, Louisiana.
2. Jean Francoise Couret was born on 9 Apr 1849 in New Orleans, Louisiana; was christened on 7 Oct 1849 in St. Augustine Church, New Orleans, Louisiana; died on 18 Jun 1931 in New Orleans, Louisiana; was buried in Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans, Louisiana.
3. Thomas Leon Couret was born on 2 Apr 1852 in New Orleans, Louisiana; was christened on 12 Aug 1852 in New Orleans, Louisiana; died on 17 Nov 1882 in New Orleans, Louisiana; was buried on 18 Nov 1882 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
4. Emma Olivia Couret was born on 10 Aug 1855 in New Orleans, Louisiana; died on 26 Jan 1926 in New Orleans, Louisiana; was buried in St. Louis Cemetery #3, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Obituary: Obituary, Bee/L'Abeille, Oct. 1870: Decéde le 6 du courant, a Aspet (département de la Haute Garonne), France, à l’ȃge de [?90] ans, M. Thos. Couret, père de J. B. Couret.

Notes:

Birth date is on his marriage record as well as his birth record.

According to the birth certificate of his first son, his profession was "scieur de long," or sawyer.

His 1870 parish death record says that he was 87, and that he lived in the “au hameau de Sarradere,” at the hamlet of Sarradere, which is basically just a road on the hillside outside of Aspet.

Thomas married Marie Françoise Agert on 29 Jun 1811 in Aspet, Haute-Garonne, France. Marie (daughter of François Agert and Germaine Caylat) was born on 13 Sep 1793 in Aspet, Haute-Garonne, France; died on 26 Jan 1862 in Aspet, Haute-Garonne, France. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Jean married Françoise Dhues on 7 Nov 1779 in Aspet, Haute-Garonne, France. Françoise (daughter of Bernard Dios and Marie Dencausse) was born in France; and died in France. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

On her son Thomas’s birth record her family name is spelled “Dhues.” On her marriage record, her name is spelled “Duos.” On her siblings’ birth records, the name is spelled “Dios,” which is what I go with for her father.

Notes:

Parish records identify him as “François Agert” (or “Agerd”), “boulanger,” baker.

Named on his daughter Marie Françoise’s birth record. Parish death record says that he’s 69, husband of Germaine Caylat.

François married Germaine Caylat. Germaine and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Named on her daughter Marie Françoise’s birth record and husband’s death record.

Notes:

Name appears as “Duos” on daughter Marie’s marriage record, and “Dhues” on her son’s birth record. On his own children’s birth records, however, the name is spelled “Dios,” and since they are the earliest, I go with them.

Bernard married Marie Dencausse. Marie and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name appears on daughter Marie’s marriage record. I take the spelling from her children’s baptismal records.