VICTOR SANGUINET BENOIST, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Printing Company, Chicago & Nashville,  1890

VICTOR SANGUINET BENOIST

Victor Sanguinet Benoist has devoted his attention to mercantile pursuits in this parish for many years, and the reputation he has acquired for honesty and upright dealing is above reproach.

He was born in Cloutierville, La., January 30, 1838, to Charles Francis and Suzette (Rachal) Benoist, who were born in St. Louis, Mo., and Natchitoches Parish, La., in 1800 and 1808, respectively, the former being a son of Charles Francis and Catherine (Sanguinet) Benoist, the former being a Canadian by birth, and the latter a native of St. Louis, Mo., and the grand daughter of Dr. Conde, who was a surgeon in the French army at Fort Chartres in 1755.  The mother of Mr. Benoist was a daughter of Louis Julian and Madam (Lavespere) Rachal.

He was descended from a family of some nobility in France.  His grandfather, Jacques Louis Benoist, the son of Antoine' Gabriel Francis Benoist, "Le Chevalier," was born in 1744, emigrated into Canada, and married in the Soumande family in 1765.

Charles Francis and Suzette ( Rachal) Benoist were married in Natchitoches Parish, La., about 1824, and became the parents of eight children, the subject of this sketch being the sixth in order of birth, and the only one now living. The names of the others are Amanda, Julia, Charles F., Clemence, Jules, Alphonse, Suzette and a daughter that died in childhood.  The father of these children died of yellow fever in 1853, and their mother in 1869.

Victor Benoist spent his boyhood in Cloutierville, which place has been his home thus far. At fourteen years of age he entered the St. Louis University, a Jesuit institution, which he attended nearly two years, after which he entered Georgetown College of the District of Columbia, which he attended two years.  He then returned home, and in 1862 was   married to Mrs. Marie Celine Cloutier, who was born on Cane River, in Natchitoches Parish, to Neuville and Clara Prudhomme.  Soon after the close of the war Mr. Benoist opened a mercantile establishment at Cloutierville, which he has conducted ever since, keeping an excellent general line of goods, and treating his customers with fairness and courtesy. His patronage is exceptionally large, but fully deserved, for he is one of the honorable business men of the parish.

His marriage has resulted in the birth of seven children, as follows: William R., Neuville, Felix, Suzette, Clemence, Victor Sanguinet and Ludwig, all of whom are living except Felix, who died September 20, 1890. 

Mr. Benoist, his wife and children are consistent members of the Catholic Church, and he is a man in whom the public has the utmost confidence, being thoroughly reliable in every respect, and a man whose word is considered as good as his bond.

Mr. Benoist's paternal grandmother, Catherine Benoist, was born in St. Louis, Mo., February 2, 1781, a daughter of Charles and Mary Ann (Conde) Sanguinet, the former being a son of Simon Sanguinet, who was a leading merchant of St. Louis for a number of years. Mary Ann Conde was a daughter of Augustus and Mary Ann (La Ferne) Conde,  the Doctor, a son of a wealthy merchant of Bordeaux, France. The Doctor came to America about the middle of the eighteenth century, as an army surgeon, with the rank of major, and was stationed at Fort Chartres. In 1762 he married, his wife being a daughter of Bardet La Ferne, surgeon at Mobile. In 1765 he located in St. Louis, Mo., where he practiced medicine until his death, in 1776, leaving two children.  Contance and Mary Ann, the former of whom married Patrick Lee, and the latter Charles Sanguinet.