From Dr. Louis Bonnafons’ ledger, covering a six-year period from 1741 to 1747, come these names and families: Joseph Lattier, soldier; Claud Bertrand, soldier; Jean La Berry, soldier; Louis Juchereau de St. Denis family; Antoine Chesneau family; Michel Chesneau family; Pierre Baillio, soldier; Vencient Perrier family; Remi Possiot family; Louis Rachal family; Gaspard Barbier, brother of Madam Cheveret—“bought violin sold to me by Bartholmey Rachal”; Joseph Robideux (Robeaux), one powder horn; Jean Baptiste Gonnin, carpenter; Francois Gurno, carpenter; Pierre Allarg, carpenter; Pierre Mercer, farmer; Andre Barringer, farmer; Remi Possiot, soldier; Fancois Langlois, soldier; Edwardo Lattier, soldier-farmer; Louis Badin, farmer; Andries Rambin family; Louis Rambin family; Madam de La Chaise. There were many more, but to list them would be a repetition of names mentioned earlier in this book.
Dr. Louis Bonnafons died in 1759. He never married. His ledger brings out but one important fact: Natchitoches and El Camino Real area has always had possibilities for the right sort of man. Likewise, these so-called, one-stop, shopping centers are nothing new to our country. Too, during this early period of the Natchitoches community there was a form of socialized medicine, which proved even at this early period a doctor could not exist by merely depending on his chosen profession for a livelihood when controlled or limited by the state.
There was quite a stir on the fine spring morning of April 8, 1735 at Los Adais. Senorita Victoria Gonzales, daughter of the Lieutenant Governor of this Spanish presidio, had eloped with a Frenchman, Jean Baptista DerBonne, assisted by two other Frenchmen of the Post St. Jean Baptiste des Natchitoches after the High Mass that Sunday. Governor Gonzales, holding office during the absence of Governor Manuel de Sandoval, and Reverend Padre Ignacio Certa were talking when word of the elopement was brought. A searching party was immediately organized but was unsuccessful in capturing the culprits.
The next day Gonzales wrote a letter to his superiors, stating the above details and adding that, even though DerBonne was a French officer and a gentleman, he had refused permission for the marriage. He was so infuriated that he disowned his daughter, thereby wishing to show to the officials over him that he had nothing to do with this matter. However, he did suspect Padre Certa and his brother-in-law Juan de Mora, because both had intervened in DerBonne’s behalf. He also added that de Mora was in jail and at present he had not decided what to do with him. He received word that the party arrived in Natchitoches at midnight, and Father Pierre Vietry, a priest of the Jesuit Order, had married Victoria and DerBonne immediately, thus violating the laws of the Catholic Faith. He wrote: “As you know the banns of betrothed have to be announced at three Sunday Services before the wedding. I am told that the elopers traveled by pirogue, going from arroyo to arroyo and finally reaching the Red River and then on to Natchitoches, which explains why our land searching-party did not find them. Padre Vallejo of the Mission Margil de Los Adais is going to Natchitoches to request wine so necessary in the procedure of the Mass. I am sure Victoria will accompany him back to Los Adais to get her things and the family blessing. Now that she has been married by the Church there is nothing I can do. She is seventeen and of marriageable age.”
