Past, present and future moments transend the holidays for the Patout Family

Editor’s Note:

Telling Teche Life stories can sometimes be best shared directly from the source. After listening to Ann Patout talk about living with her in-laws, Fred and Yvonne Patout later Southwell, the rich memories seemed to be something others would enjoy. Coupled with other family stories, the following memories and feelings make for good Christmas tonic.

Days, years and Christmases have gone by never to return. The year was 1921 and Fred and Yvonne Patout had moved into their new home at 630 E. Main St. in New Iberia on Dec. 3, 1921. They had been living in the Hotel Frederic since their marriage in 1915. Two weeks later they hosted their families on Christmas Day with an elaborate dinner in their new home. Yvonne was expecting their third child, Jules Geriais “Jake.” Room was needed for the growing family — five other children were to follow.

Christmas was their favorite celebrated holiday — not for Santa Clause or Frosty the Snowman, but because it was the day Jesus, The Savior, was born. 

Fred died in 1942 but Yvonne would go for many years celebrating Christmas in a very special way. She lived to be 97 before passing away in 1993. To remember her memory were eight children, 22 grandchildren and many, many great-grandchildren. 

Her grandchildren looked forward to MoMo’s Christmas Eve Celebrations. All would gather together. The library doors closed tight until all were present. Eyes were wide, mouths drooling, but grace was said and Happy Birthday to Jesus was sung. When the doors opened to the library, everyone had a handmade decorated stocking with their name on it, strung across the fireplace. Carols were sung — smiles shinning.

Following the supper with pimento cheese sandwiches, hot chocolate and so many desserts to choose from -— divinity and chocolate fudge, ice box cookies, pralines and so many other wonderful delicacies. Most of these were prepared by Yvonne, from picking, cracking and cleaning the pecans. 

Musings of Christmas Past

As a native New Iberian, a retired research librarian and avid historic Louisiana cookbook collector, some of my fondest childhood memories of Christmas time in New Iberia were at my grandmother Yvonne Patout Southwell’s home at 630 E. Main St., as these notable occasions were truly centered around the sights, sounds and tastes of the holiday season. 

Firstly, my grandmother routinely hosted Christmas Eve in her well decorated home with traditional elements of the season. However, in the run up to Christmas, I vividly recall how we individually crafted tree ornaments, in particular, colorfully decorated “sequin” and used costume jewelry “Styrofoam” balls that we actually still have to this day. This exercise, from design to finished product, remains a great reminder of the holiday season, but more importantly is a treasured memory of a grandparent who went to great lengths to afford her grandchildren important time together, shared experiences and lessons that helped shape and mold a large extended family.  

Anticipating Christmas

The focal point of Christmas Eve in the Patout family home was the inviting and comfortable library. Surrounded by lots and lots of books, the Classics, noted works of Louisiana authors, beautiful monographs and works on art, architecture, flowers and gardening, this setting made for both a unique and dreamy allure for any child about to begin their own holiday journey. 

With the large and decorous wooden doors to the library promptly opened when all of the grandchildren had arrived early on Christmas Eve, to their delight a wide red ribbon was festooned across the back of the room, secured by the mantle in the middle of the rear wall. Attached were a continuous collection of handmade stockings, each with a grandchild’s name and literally filled to the brim with the whimsical spirit of the season and an outpouring of a grandmother’s affection for her family that was obvious. Lots of fun and truly a delight for all.

Another fond childhood memory of Christmas at 630 E. Main St. was largely sensory, the aromas and delicious tastes, most notably, the sweets!  As a great organizer and person of appealing hospitality, I remember a lot of discussions and the planning by my grandmother that went into the preparations as the holidays approached. 

Specifically, Divinity (fudge like candy) had to be made on a cold and dry day as it would not “set” if cooked on a humid or rainy day. Weeks ahead, pecans were roasted, pralines made and put in candy tins. A couple of the traditional Patout holiday fare confections that I do remember were the candied orange rinds as well as the customary ice box cookies. Both were a tasty treat and to me as a young child and easily became assimilated into my memories of the wonderful holiday flavors, tastes as well as the palette of seasonal colors and natural garden and plant decorations that were crafted for these occasions.

Having not given much thought in my youth as to how these wonderful confections, the delicious dishes as well as the overall composition and exquisite delivery of these Christmas Eve celebrations actually occurred, I have come to realize and appreciate that my grandmother left a remarkable legacy of family traditions that endure.  

To her credit and her talents, she inspired her family, and in particular, this retired librarian grandson, to both appreciate and attempt to preserve all that is good and enjoyable, including the warm memories of Christmas past. As I reflect back and plan my own holidays, today I am really enjoying a very scarce, autographed copy of the Matilde Geddings Gray and Ethel Wight Usher cookbook, “Food For Gourmets,” published in 1940. 

Grandmother Yvonne Patout routinely relied upon this cookbook in building her own hospitality and culinary skills and lovingly gave me page 55 from her cookbook collection.  To that end, you too can make these authentic Louisiana food traditions treatise, that remarkable recipe for Butter Ice Box Cookies —which reminds me the holidays are right around the corner and it’s time to get busy.

Back to Memories of Ann Patout

Several Years following Fred Patout’s death in 1942, Yvonne married the local architect, Owen Southwell. Owen had never been married, but he and Yvonne grew up together and had known each other for many years. At the time of their marriage in 1945, all of her five sons were in the different branches of the service in World War II. Owen ended up having all of those children and grandchildren as his own. He died in 1961.

While Ann and Gene Patout were living in the downstairs apartment of 630 E. Main St., Southwell would bring home plans and talk about the Trinity artwork being stalled over the altar at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, written about in The Daily Iberian Dec. 14. He was also the architect of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in New Iberia, St. Bernard Catholic Church in Breaux Bridge and the Catholic Church in Church Point as well as many homes in New Iberia, Atlanta and Beaumont, Texas. 

The Arceneaux Sisters

One of the stories of long gone days were the “live-ins” that graced East Main Street, the historical street in New Iberia. 

In the 1920s when the street was lined with large growing families, help was needed for the ones that could provide jobs, lodging and clothes for them. Someone found a family by the name of Arceneaux in Parks that had seven daughters and their parents were having a hard time raising them and other children in the family. 

The citizens of East Main Street got together an brought at least four of the daughters to New Iberia to live and work in their homes. Several of these ladies remained with the same family until they died, 60-some years later.

The Arceneaux sisters received an education  from these families that they would not have received living in Parks. The Patouts had two sisters, Irma and Gladys, the Schwings, the P.A. Landrys, the Estorage families each had one. 

These ladies went on to help take care of children, cook and clean for two generations, maybe three. They fell in love with their new families and were very devoted to children and adults. Never would you see this again. Yes, they lived in their homes and were educated by the ladies of the house between their duties. They were members of the family, too.