(The Albert and Cecilia Toups oaks are located in front of, and on the side of, the historic yellow Creole Cottage home at 2177 Highway 308. This is a private residence.)
The Albert and Cecilia Toups Oaks are registered with the Live Oak Society (#3032 and 3033). The Albert Oak is named after Albert Toups, Sr., the current owner’s great-grandfather. The Cecilia Oak is named after Albert’s second wife, Cecilia. The two lovely oaks shade the yard of the historic 100-plus-year-old Creole cottage-style home, the former residence of Albert and Cecilia. The current owners, Philip and Debbie Toups, have named the historic home the “Cecilia” House after three different Cecilia’s connected with the history of the Toups’ home.
According to genealogical research done by Philip, his branch of the Toups family arrived in Lafourche Parish in June of 1817. That’s when Telesphore Toups Sr. purchased land near the present community of St. Charles on Bayou Lafourche and built a home there for his family. Telesphore Toups had been born in Louisiana’s “German Coast” (St. James Parish) on March 25, 1755, to Gaspard Toups and his wife. Gaspard had immigrated to Louisiana in 1721 with some of the first German immigrants to settle the French territory.
Like other settlers to the Bayou Lafourche area, Telesphore moved to Bayou Lafourche from the German Coast of the Mississippi River. Telesphore and his wife had a son, Zephirin, who was born on Bayou Lafourche and later built a home for his family also near the St. Charles community between Thibodaux and Raceland.
In 1974, Philip and his wife Debbie purchased the 109-year-old home of Zephirin Toups. Zephirin was Philip’s great-great-grandfather. At the time, the home was in danger of being torn down by a farmer who owned the property and wished to expand his amount of land under cultivation. Philip and Debbie then moved the Zephirin house to a new location, restored it, and lived there for 23 years. In 1996, they sold Zephirin’s home and purchased Albert Toups Sr.’s home in the St. Charles community. Albert Toups Sr. was Zephirin Toups’ son and Philip’s great-grandfather.
The Lafourche Live Oak Tour was created through the generous support of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism. For more information on Lafourche Parish events and activities, visit their website at LACajunBayou.com.