L.P. Provost (1838 to 1888) and Nicholas Provost, Jr.
The killing of Benjamin Robertson took place in Jeanerette, Louisiana, where my ancestors lived. This man suffered greatly. “…he had been arrested for stealing chickens, was confined to the town jail, but was assaulted by a mob, taken from the jail and whipped, and when he ran, was shot and killed.”[1] L.P. (Louis Philemon) Provost and Nicholas Provost, Jr., and at least one other person were charged for the killing of Benjamin Robertson in 1881.[2] The roles of L.P. and Nicholas in the incident were not described in the newspapers. The jury acquitted them.[3] This must be one of the stories about which my great-grandfather Carrow was known to say, “I know about those Provosts.”
There were three Nicholas Provosts living in Louisiana in 1880 making it somewhat hard to determine which Nicholas Provost was involved in the incident even with the descriptor of “Jr.”[4] Since the Nicolas Provost who lived in New Orleans would unlikely be involved due to proximity, he should be eliminated. That brings the two Nicholas Provosts living in Jeanerette, father and son living next to each other.[5] The father was Nicholas Provost (1831-1893). He was the son of Nicholas Philemon Provost (1802-1849). Godefroy Nicholas Provost (1851-1898) was the son of Nicholas Provost (1831-1893). There is evidence that Godefroy Nicholas also used Nicholas as his name and not Godefroy as you will see later in this article.[6]
The 13 October 1881 article stated it was Nicholas Provost, Jr. whereas the 29 May 1883 article used “N.P. Provost, Jr.” as the person involved in the shooting.[7] If both father and son were using the given name of Nicholas while living in the same town, it would stand to reason that the son was labeled “junior.” However, the elder Nicholas Provost could have been considered a “junior,” but his father was not alive when the killing occurred, so it is unlikely he would have been identified as “junior.” Further, the use of N.P. Provost Jr. as the name of the person involved, doesn’t fit with either son or father, but the grandfather of Godefroy Nicholas, Nicholas Philemon Provost (1802-1849). The newspapers articles proved not to be helpful in determining which Nicholas Provost was involved in the incident.
L.P. Provost and Nicholas (1831-1893) were the sons of Nicholas Philemon Provost and Marie Amelia Judice.[8] Nicholas (1831-1893) was my grandfather’s grandfather while Godefroy Nicholas was my grandfather’s uncle. L.P. was my grandfather’s great uncle. (See Figure 1.) All died before my grandfather was born.
These three men would be involved in another incident with a gun resulting in death.
(Figure 1)
Descendants of Nicholas Philemon Provost & Marie Amelia Judice
Generation 1
Nicholas Philemon Provost married to Marie Amelia Judice
Generation 2 — Children
i. Marie Virginia (1822-?)
ii. Alexandre (1824-)
iii. Ameline (1827-1878)
iv. Julie Evelina (1829-?
v. Nicholas (1831- 1893) m. (1) Matilda Judice; m. (2) Marie Emilie Armide Judice
vi. Marie Elia (1837-?
vii. Louis Philemon (1839-1888) m. Victoria Marie Provost
viii. Ophelia (1841-?
ix. Lucien (1845-1867)
x. Maximilian (1847-?)
xi. Suzanne Aurelia (1848-?)
Generation 3 — Children of Nicholas & (1) Matilda Judice (2) Marie Emilie Armide Judice
Children of Matilda Judice are in italics; children of Marie Emilie Armide Judice (Mathilda’s cousin) are not in italics.
1. Godfroy Nicholas (1851-1898)
2. Alexander Gaston (1854-1854)
3. Marie Mathilde (1856-?
4. Joseph Luc ((1860-?)
5. Anne (1861-1867)
6. Marie Angelina (1861-?)
7. Jean Jaque (1864-?)
8. Gabriel Amilie (1866-?)
9. Louis O’Neil (1872-?)
10. Antoine Adolphe (1874-1877)
11. Emelie (1875-1917) m. Alexandre Luc Provost (the compiler's great-grandparents)
12. Felecie (1877-1880)
13. Ambrose Armand (1878-?)
14. Paul Zachary (1880-1936)
15. Joseph Odilon (1882-?)
Generation 4 — Children of Emelie Provost and Alexandre Luc Provost (they were 2nd cousins)
a. Robert Nicholas (1888-1889)
b. Joseph Robert (1888-1889)
c. Earl (1900-1989)
d. Emile Louis (1902-1991) (the compiler’s grandfather)
e. Marcel Eno (1906-1980)
f. Gertrude Enola (1907-1985)
g. Lucy Helen (1909-1983)
h. Margaret Theresa (1911-1979)
i. Charles Luke (1913-1984)
[1] “A Strange Affair,” The Louisiana Sugar-Bowl (New Iberia, Louisiana), Newspapers.com, 6 October 1881, p. 3, col. 2; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/332995864/?clipping_id=187252710 : viewed 4 March 2026).
[2] “The Jeanerette Murder Case,” The Louisiana Sugar-Bowl (New Iberia, Louisiana),13 October 1881, p. 3, col. 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/332996537/?match=1&clipping_id=187252014 viewed 5 April 2026).
[3] “New Iberia, La.,” The Times-Democrat (New Orleans, Louisiana), 29 May 1883, p. 1, col. 6; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/130935569/?match=1&clipping_id=187305026). The Iberia courthouse was contacted to request records of the trial, but no files were found (17 April 2026).
[4] Nicolas Provost, 27, in 1880 U.S. census, Orleans Parish, New Orleans p. 689 stamped; T9, Roll 462, dwelling 71, family 201, (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/records/40202393?tid=&pid=&queryId=b4798d0b-7a99-4f3b-80b1-582fe9f30a75&_phsrc=bNI8&_phstart=successSource). 1880 U.S. census, p. 29th ink (309A, stamped,) Iberia Parish, Jeanerette, Dwelling 40, Family 57 Provost, Nicolas and p. 30 (ink) Nicolas Provost 28, married to Elmire Provost, Dwelling 42, family (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). T9, Roll 453. (images 4 and 5 of 13; https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/records/6670676?tid=&pid=&queryId=aaa71b9b-946a-4f83-a763-2916521c9a25&_phsrc=bNI4&_phstart=successSource : viewed 3 May 2026).
[5] The 1860 U.S. census reports Nicholas Provost, 28 with a son named Godfroy N. Provost, 8 years old, born about 1852. M653 Roll 425, p. 15 (ink), St. Martin Parish, Attakapas, Dwelling 102, Family 102. And 1880 U.S. census, p. 29th ink (309A, stamped,) Iberia Parish, Jeanerette, Dwelling 40, Family 57, Provost, Nicolas and p. 30 (ink) Provost, Nicolas Jr., 28, married to Elmire Provost, Dwelling 42, family (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). T9, Roll 453. (images 4 and 5 of 13; https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/records/6670676?tid=&pid=&queryId=aaa71b9b-946a-4f83-a763-2916521c9a25&_phsrc=bNI4&_phstart=successSource : viewed 3 May 2026).
[6] 1880 U.S. census, p. 30 (ink), Iberia Parish, Jeanerette, Provost, Nicolas Jr., Dwelling 42, family 53 (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). T9, Roll 453. (image 5 of 13; https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/records/6670676?tid=&pid=&queryId=aaa71b9b-946a-4f83-a763-2916521c9a25&_phsrc=bNI4&_phstart=successSource : viewed 3 May 2026). Untitled, New Iberia Enterprise, Newspapers.com, 19 November 1898, p. 3, col. 2. (https://www.newspapers.com/image/901085448/?match=1&clipping_id=188631507 : viewed 3 May 2026).
[7] “The Jeanerette Murder Case,” The Louisiana Sugar-Bowl (New Iberia, Louisiana),13 October 1881, p. 3, col. 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/332996537/?match=1&clipping_id=187252014 viewed 5 April 2026). “New Iberia, La.,” The Times-Democrat (New Orleans, Louisiana), 29 May 1883, p. 1, col. 6; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/130935569/?match=1&clipping_id=187305026 : viewed 3 May 2026).
[8] Donald J. Hebert, Southwest Louisiana Records (1750-1900) CD edition (Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Claitor’s Publishing Division 1975-2019); Prevost, Luis Philemond (Philemond & Marie Amelia Judice) b. 18 Feb. 1839 (NI Ch.: v. 1, p. 73).