Which Grammont?

This little boy’s photo came up for sale on Ebay and I got it. On the back is written, “Little Grammont, age 3 yers.”. Written in pencil next to the age was “Tilhiol”. Of course that word had to be “Filhiol”. Great! We are off to a good start! Next problem: I know of at least four Grammonts and three of them are Filhiols. The first Grammont was our founder, Jean Baptiste’s son, Edmond Landry Grammont Filhiol. He was a child WAY before photography, so we can rule him out.

Grammont the first had two sons, each with a Grammont Filhiol son. The older of the two sons, Jean Baptiste Filhiol’s son Grammont would have been three in 1846. That rules him out since the photographer, E.W. Mealy, didn’t get to Monroe until after the Civil War. This Grammont died at the Battle of Chancellorsville, VA as a private with the Pelican Grays. He was the older brother of Hardy and Roland, whom I have talked about in a previous post.

Grammont Sr.’s second son, Hypolite Filhiol, had an only son Grammont Francis who was born in 1867. He fits. I really think this is him when he was three in 1870. Grammont Francis Filhiol was born in Monroe and was sent to school at Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmetsburg, MD when he was about ten. It was a Catholic school, and the Filhiols were devoted Catholics. In early March, 1882, fourteen year old Grammont Francis Filhiol, son of Hypolite Filhiol, grandson of Edmund Landry Grammont Filhiol and first cousin of Grammont Filhiol, passed away at the school of quinsy, an infection behind the tonsils. The boy’s body was brought back to his hometown and was buried in St. Matthew Cemetery. [See the Ouachita Telegraph, March 18, 1882, Page 3, Column 1]

And what about the fourth Grammont? The little boy Grammont, who died at fourteen had several older sisters. One of them, Heloise Aurora Filhiol, married Robert McGuire Breard, Sr. The two would name one of their sons, Grammont Francis “Gram” Breard. I have seen some instances where his middle name was referred to as Filhiol. He was born in 1890. I think the photo is older than 1893, but I am no photo expert.

Notice the little boy is in a dress. This was very common for very young boys in this time period. If you look near his feet, you will notice the bottom of a stand. This was a brace that held the child still for the camera. Even so, I STILL don’t know how they got a three year old to hold a pose! Why is the boy holding what looks to be a cane? Such an interesting photograph!

Find A Grave memorials for all four Grammonts:

Edmond Landry Grammont Filhiol: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10315058/edmund_landry-grammont-filhiol

Pvt. Grammont Filhiol:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12908816/grammont-filhiol

Grammont Francis Filhiol:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10315059/grammont-francis-filhiol

Grammont Francis/Filhiol “Gram” Breard:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10314656/grammont-francis-breard