Footsteps in Time

West Baton Rouge Museum's latest Lunchtime Lecture, Footsteps in Time: France to the New World, features genealogist and president of the Breaux du Monde Association, Gayle Breaux Smith. Smith will trace the journey of her Breaux ancestors over 360 years from France, Nova Scotia, Massachusetts, and of course, Louisiana, where they settled in the area now known as Breaux Bridge. Although the stories follow her Breaux ancestry, this is essentially the story of all Acadian families.  

Gayle and her husband John have traveled to France to search for Vincent Brault’s ancestral roots near LaChaussee and visited the port at LaRochelle, where he probably departed for Acadie. They have also traveled to areas of Nova Scotia where her ancestors once lived. South of Boston, they visited areas where the Breaux family was forced into exile until Smith's ancestor, Firmin, subsequently settled at in the area currently known as Breaux Bridge. Gayle’s talk recounts her travels, which trace the “footsteps” of her Breaux ancestors. 

Visitors are welcome to bring a bag lunch. 845 North Jefferson Avenue in Port Allen. 12 pm; free. westbatonrougemuseum.com or (225) 336-2422.