My cousin Jude Vautrot's store

Pictured below are a couple of photographs of my cousin Jude Vautrot's store located in Church Point, Louisiana. That is the city that my father was born and raised in, until he moved to Lafayette to go to college and start our family. He is related to my father through their grandparents: Jude's grandfather and my father's father were brothers. Our forefathers migrated here (a Vautrot) from France in the mid-1800's. He settled in south Louisiana as a farmer, raising livestock, corn, and cotton.

Jude Vautrot tells me that he and my father (Henry Gabriel Vautrot, Jr) are second cousins. Jude’s father was Francis Percy (“Uncle Pack”). Francis Percy’s father was Francis Joseph, who is Jude Vautrot’s grandfather; he died at age 48 of a stroke in Church Point, LA.

My father’s (H.G. Vautrot Jr.) dad’s name was Henry Gabriel Vautrot (my grandfather). He was a resident of Church Point. He was known as “Uncle Gabe.” He was a very active town member: owned a lumber mill, owned the first Ford Motor Company car dealership in town, and was head of the school board. In fact, when he passed away in 1947 from a heart attack while brushing his teeth in the bathroom one morning, all the schools closed down in Church Point when he was buried.

Well, Henry Gabriel Vautrot (who married Dorothy Matthews, my grandmother) and Francis Joseph Vautrot were brothers: my dad’s dad and Jude’s grandfather. Francis Joseph Vautrot married Agnes Gardiner

There were quite a few male sibling Vautrots: Aside from Francis Joseph and Henry Gabriel, there were Preston Vautrot, Philippe Vautrot, and Louis′ Vautrot (5 males); moreover, there were several female Vautrots: Marie Verna, Marie Amelia, Mary Mabel, Philomene Matilda, and Marie Arthemise (5 females).

He tells me that Preston Vautrot (“Uncle Tot”) was a very nice man, yet did rob a bank and served prison time in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas: a Federal prison. When he came out, he was in his late 50’s or early 60’s and got married for the 1st and only time in his life when he was in his 60’s. After serving time in Fort Leavenworth prison, he worked as an engineer on a dredge boat, and he made a lot of financial investments in Evangeline Downs race track in Lafayette, LA when it was being developed. He died of a heart attack in Lafayette.

Mathilda Vautrot (“Aunt Tildy”) did marry a Henry Lee Simon; they lived in Branch, LA. One of the other sisters married an Arceneaux (a doctor). Mabel Vautrot married Joseph Daigle in 1918.

Cousin Jude is 1st cousins with Carol Ann Dingley. Joseph Erroll Vautrot, Carol Dingley's father, was a brother of Jude’s father, Francis Percy (“Uncle Pack”). Joseph Errol Vautrot was in the Navy for 31 years (he joined at age 16!), and he retired as a Captain. His ship left Pearl Harbor three days before it was bombed. Talk about luck! He got a bronze star for commanding an LST in the Normandy Invasion in WWII as well as a Purple Heart. He also was present on the deck of the Missouri when the Peace Treaty with Japan was signed. He retired in Charleston, SC and then we moved to Newport, RI. Their final move was to Dover, NH. His brother Leonard was also in the Navy.

Mr. Jude was born in his house, and he later attended Sunset High School. He was raised with two brothers and a sister; he had one uncle that was in the US Navy for 31-years, another uncle and an aunt. His two brothers reside in Georgia and Louisiana. His sister is now passed-on. Jude Vautrot, by the way, served in the US Air force from 1960-1964. He is one of our many patriotic veterans! He has been happily married since 1965; and he has some beautiful children and grand-children. His wife and he have run their store for 36 years as of February 2009. They have 10 employees.

Jude's store is terrific: it is not your typical convenience store/gas station. Inside, you'll find 2 unique, entrepreneurial enterprises. On your left, there is a very active, authentic, ethnic meat and seafood department. You'll find various local wildlife meats, most of which are seasoned with our local Creole and Cajun spices and marinades! He has pork and turkey tenderloins, which are injected and stuffed with dressing, garlic, and herbs within it. He has Cajun seasoned steaks and ribs, as well as local delicacies: Cajun and Creole potato salads, seafood and chicken gumbos, Cajun boudin, and Cajun seasoned sausages.

On your right hand side as you walk in, you'll discover a fresh deli, a virtual cornucopia of warm, ready-to-eat American food: hamburgers, fried chicken tenders, french fries, onion rings, fried chicken pieces, pepperoni and cheese pizzas, Cajun stuffed fried boudin balls, fried shrimp, and fried pork chops. Hey, I think that just about everything in South Louisiana is FRIED!

And it sho' does taste real good, boy. Ya'll come back, now!