Leontine Vertefoix Hequet

A family dispersed by two deaths

Leontine Vertefoix and Jules Hequet built their family across France and the United States. The accepted family record gives her birth as May 2, 1889 in France. Family testimony places her migration with the older children around 1913.

The inherited family reconstruction names eight children, although Deloris and Velora Inez’s placements remain disputed: René, Robert, Deloris, Henry Joseph “Toby,” Velora Inez, Abraham, Charles and Daniel. Census information places the family in Dallas, Texas, in 1930, with Jules working as a baker. A city-directory entry identifies René as a cook and Robert as a cleaner.

The family then suffered two deaths within a year. Jules died on November 4, 1934, and Leontine on November 2, 1935. Their youngest child, Daniel, had been born in December 1929 and was still five when his mother died.

Family testimony describes older members taking responsibility for younger children after the parents' deaths. In particular, it recalls Charles being brought up by his brother René and René's wife Dorine.

The fuller family names include Deloris L., Abraham T. and Daniel F. Hequet. Family accounts place her death in San Diego and associate her burial with Holy Cross Cemetery.