Family of

Jules and Cecile Maricelli

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Bayou Bourbeaux meanders through the eastern edge of the Red River flood plain in Natchitoches Parish Louisiana.  Before the European settlers arrived in the Eighteenth century, the bayou was part of the spill channel of the river.  During flood stages, water flowed through several channels into Bayou Bourbeaux; Campti bayou; through a crevasse into Campti brake; Platte bayou and Couchinaha bayou. Eventually down stream  the water spilled over the banks or emptied into Saline Bayou.  The river water brought rich silt, eventually building up alluvial natural levees along the bayou.  These levees are highest at bayou edge and slope back into a brake or lake away from the bayou. 

This land is ideal for farming.  Early settlers naturally selected land along the bayou for their homesteads.  Three families are of interest to this story, the Maricelli, Barberousse and Landreaux families.  The Maricellis and Barberousses settled on the Upper Bayou, with close ties to the nearby town of Campti; the Landreauxs settled on the Lower Bayou, with closer ties to the Trichell settlement and Natchitoches.  As the crow flies, the distance between the settlements is about 5 miles. 

Mary Cecile Landreaux was reared on the Lower Bayou.  Jules Maricelli was reared on the Upper Bayou.  As part of the singles set in the early Twentieth Century, they were acquainted.  The house parties ranged through the larger community, and there were opportunities to meet at neutral sites such as Clarence, Grand Ecore and Natchitoches.  Mary Cecile visited her Barberousse grandparents who lived near the Maricelli farm. 

The Landreaux family moved to Campti in 1913.  At that time Mary Cecile accepted a teaching assignment at the 'Upper Bayou School'.  Cecile and Jules's romance intensified.  they were married June 27, 1915. 

The newlyweds settled into a new house with Jules built facing Bayou Bourbeaux.  The couple lived here for seven years; Jules farmed, Cecile taught school.  During this time, their first two sons, Nelson and Loyd were born.  All four grandparents and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins were nearby to  dote on the little boys. 

Cecile accepted a teaching assignment in Monroe, starting with the 1922 term.  The family lived there for three years, with Cecile teaching and Jules working as a journeyman carpenter.  During their stay in Monroe, their third son, Jim was born.  The parental responsibilities became too much for Cecile's career; she became a full time housekeeper and parent.

The family returned to Campti in 1925, just in time for Nelson to enroll in school.  They lived in Campti for the next eight years, during which time their daughter, Mary Cecile, and another son, John William were born.  Jules continued to work as a carpenter, house builder, plumber and blacksmith.