I am looking for my mother's cousin whom the family has not heard from in quite awhile. I am hoping anyone can help me. I'm looking for a man by the name of Wilfred Barras (Barra). He was born an only child in 1916 somewhere in Southwest Louisiana, possibly St. Martin, Lafayette, Vermillion or Iberville Parish. He is the son of Eugene Clebert Barras and Elodie "Elea" Catalon. When Clebert married Elodie Catalon 5 April 1893 in Maurice, Louisiana (Lafayette Parish), he claimed that his father was Julien Barras. The 1920 U.S. census found Wilfred at the age of 4 years old, living in Plaquemine, Iberville Parish, Louisiana with his father, mother (or stepmother). The family was living next door to Clebert's half brother Terrance Mercier and his future wife Eunice Verrett's family.

The family story has it that Clebert's wife died sometime while Wilfred was very young at which time Clebert pursued and possibly married Elodie's sister or relative, Lena. Clebert died 25 Oct 1939 in a hospital in Lafayette. His death certificate stated that he was a resident of Ridge, Louisiana in Vermillion Parish. Shortly after the death of his father, family stories say that Wilfred joined the military, quite possibly the Air Force because he wanted to travel and see the world.

He was not seen or heard from since the death of his father with the exception of coming home once or twice for the funeral of a favorite relative. He was supposedly close to a pair of cousins, Lazaird LaSalle and Oliver Daigre LaSalle, both are deceased, the sons of his father's half sister Marie Louise Fontenette. They were all residents of St. Martinville, LA. Descendants of Wilfred Barras have not been located thus far. The family story is that Wilfred married a blond from Grand Maris or Patouville, La., a small town not far from Jeanerette, in Iberia Parish, LA. Supposedly, they had two children. When Wilfred joined the military, his wife and children returned to Grand Maris (pronounced Mary) to her family. Wilfred would be about 83yrs old by now. He has not been found in the SSDI and the military won't give me any information on him so he must be still living.

I am searching for him for family research and for my Mother, who's getting on in age, in her mid 70's now. She has always wondered what happened to her cousin Wilfred. I would like to find him for her, so she can have at least one last talk with him. She has fond memories of him being close to her father Joseph Edgar Mercier. According to her, he understood French but did not speak it.

If you know this man or his family, please feel free to email me at CherrylM@AOL.com