• Congrès to end on sweet note de resistance
• Cajun roots celebrated in southern Louisiana
• Guilbeaux pray, play
• Catching the Cajun Flavor
• Simon family took route through France to reach Louisiana
• Melancons gather in Opelousas
• St. Martinville hosts Congres activities 
• Acadian festivities unite scholars 

          About 500 people were expected and at least half were already there for morning
          activities that included genealogical exchanges, family photo opportunities and of
          course - food and music.

          The people appeared relaxed and good-humored. They were also cool, as the
          majority of the activities took place inside the center.

          Everywhere, smiles and cordial greetings were being exchanged.

          While rocking a grandchild in her arms, Linda Simon of Houston, Texas, said, "I
          think a lot of people came to trade out family histories and exchange information."

          It is all very interesting, once you start learning of the different family members and
          their individual lives, Simon said. "There is so much to learn," she said.

          At the Simon Family Reunion posters noted the first Simon to arrive in Louisiana.
          The year was 1785 and his name was Jean Baptiste Simon. He was from Hedé
          Ille-et-Vilaine, France.

          Mertie Simon Melancon, whose past four years of research is documented in the
          book, "Simon and Ancestors," said Simon traveled with exiled Acadians to the
          Louisiana Territory from Nante, France. It was during this voyage, aboard a Spanish
          ship called, the Amistad that he met his future bride, Marie Madeline Aucoin.

          Aucoin was the daughter of Alexander Aucoin of Cobequid, Canada, and Elizabeth
          Duhon of Acadia. She was born in Belle-isle-en-Mer, France, in 1765, 10 years after
          the 1755 expulsion of the Acadians by the English.

          Her father's first wife died in Virginia after being forced to leave Acadia. The father
          then travel to France, by way of Liverpool, England, and during that voyage met,
          Marie Madeline's mother. They were married in Liverpool, prior to arriving in
          France.

          While waiting there with the rest of the exiled Acadians, Marie Madeline was born.
          Marie Madeline, an Acadian by descent, lived the first 20 years of her life in France.

          "When you think of the hardships they went through, it gives you a new appreciation
          of family," Melancon said. "Many of them died" between the time they were forced
          to leave their homes in Acadia and by the time they reached France," she said.

          Melancon said the passenger list of the Amistad does not note Simon's name until
          arrival in Louisiana, leading one to believe he was either a sailor aboard the ship, or a
          stowaway.

          In November 1785, Simon and Marie Madeline married at St. Louis Cathedral in
          New Orleans. Their first child was baptized in the St. Martin de Tours Church in St.
          Martinville. Eight more Simons followed.

          Curley Simon Jr., one of the reunion's organizers, said it was only six weeks ago that
          he found out relatives of Beloni Simon existed. Beloni was the fifth child of Jean
          Baptist and Marie Madeline. "He migrated to Texas and we have a few of his
          relatives with us today. We are very excited about that," the cousin said.

          Dale Broussard, a Simon relation from Brunswick, Ga., said, though he was enjoying
          the day, "I was hoping for a more international flavor. More Canadian and French,"
          he said.

          Curley Simon Jr. said there is still future work involving the tracing of Jean Baptiste
          Simon's French lineage, as well as looking into the connection of a "non-Jean
          Baptiste" group of French relatives who settled in the Luling area and today use the
          name "Simoneaux."

          He said functions such as this help to place all those doing independent research into
          contact with each other "It's not nearly over with ...19,000 names later and I'm still
          looking," he said.