NORMAND
The NORMAND and GASPARD families of Avoyelles share the same family roots. Both surnames revolve around one Jean Gaspard Normand . Jean Gaspard Normand's parents were both natives of Quebec. His paternal grandfather, Jean le Normand , was born in 1638 at Dige, Normandy. He was the first of that family in Canada. He was the son of Gervais le Normand and Leonore Janet. Jean's paternal grandmother was Anne le Laboureur, daughter of Thomas le Laboureur and Marguerite Bardin. They were from Caen, Normandy. Jean le Normand and Anne were married at Quebec on July 18, 1656.
Jean Gaspard Normand's mother, Francoise Jean, was born at Quebec, daughter of Denis Jean and Marie Peltier. Denis Jean was the son of Elie Jean And Elizabeth Lambade (Lambert) of Saintonge. Marie's parents were Nicolas Peltier and Jeanne Voisy of St. Pierre de Gallardon Parish, Beauce in Orleanais.
Jean Gaspard Normand was born in 1712. He married on February 14, 1734, Marie-Josephe Chenier at Bout-de-l'Isle, Montreal. Marie-Josephe was the daughter of Joseph Chenier and Magdeleine Duboc. Jean Gaspard Normand, his wife, and four sons ( Jean Pierre, Daniel, Joseph, and Laurent ) moved from Canada to St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, in about 1765.
Daniel "Gaspard" Normand , born around 1750, married at St. Charles sometime between 17700-1773 Francoise Materne called Jean des Jean. She was born at Natchitoches Post on June 29, 1755, the daughter of Jean Mader called Jean des Jean and his wife, Marie Thiley. Jean Mader died at Natchitoches on April 21, 1758. His wife died there on March 20, 1761. It is apparent that after Marie Thiley's death, her minor children (including Francoise) moved to St. Charles Parish to live with relatives. This is how Francoise came to meet and marry Daniel. There were seven children born to this couple. Daniel and family, along with his brother Jean Pierre, came to Avoyelles from the German Coast in about 1790. After the move, Daniel called himself "Gaspard" and Jean Pierre retained the surname "Normand". The children and grandchildren of Daniel used the "Gaspard" name exclusively.