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Grandpere Hoss and The Treasury AgentsLarry LaBorde Thanks to my sister-in-law I can now trace my family back to France on my father's side and I can trace my mother's family back through Tennessee, Alabama and Virginia. My father's family came to Louisiana in the late 1700's when Louisiana was still a possession of France. If my 4th great grandfather, Dr. Pierre LaBorde, would have known that Napoleon would become hard up for cash and sell the entire place to Jefferson a few years later in the world's largest real estate deal would he have come over at all? Flash forward about 4 generations to my grandfather. His nickname was Hoss. He was born in 1883 and married my grandmother in 1904. Grandpere Hoss enjoyed a good drink now and again. During prohibition this became a little difficult for the average man. However, Grandpere Hoss was anything but average. Yes that's right, he simply made his own. Life in those days was quite a bit different. There was no interface between the federal government and the common man. Grandpere didn't have a birth certificate (a baptismal certificate worked just fine). He didn't pay income tax. He didn't even have a driver's license. He was completely off the radar screen. Even duck hunting was not a federal matter - which was a good thing since he hunted ducks professionally during the depression for food for the community. He didn't even speak English very well after 4 generations. But during his lifetime were things ever about to change. Not only was prohibition a problem but the federal reserve, income tax, the new deal, social security and the US Navy would all change his life. One of the good things about a big family is lots of great stories. Now I can not verify that this one is true but I have learned with family stories to never let the facts get in the way of a great story. One day the US Treasury agents came to Avoyelles Parish. The English speaking foreigners were quickly suspected of something bad and word of their arrival spread quickly. Grandpere Hoss was alerted just in time. He poured out everything in the barnyard just as the Treasury agents arrived. Even though he had disposed of the evidence they found his still and gave him a large fine. That evening after all the excitement calmed down my Grandmother discovered that all the ducks and chickens had eaten the mash and had died. Since they had been dead for a few hours she plucked them for their feathers and had one of the boys haul them off and toss them into a ravine out back. The next morning my Grandmother went outside to see what was making such a racket and there were all the naked ducks and chickens without their feathers! They were not dead but simply dead drunk from the mash. The federal government would do what English society had been unable to do to the close knitted society of Avoyelles Parish for 4 generations. They would invade it and change the very fabric of their lives. The federal government is a big part of all our lives now. From income tax, to social security and other entitlement programs the fed is intertwined in all our lives. The NSA will probably even intercept this posting and correct the spelling for me (thanks fellows). It is hard to imagine a time when the fed did not even know your name. Grandpere met them however, for the first time in his barnyard. And wouldn't you just know it. The first thing they wanted from him was money! Larry LaBorde 321gold Inc |
