Ash Kelley
👤 SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
And began overseeing the construction of a lavish multi-story mansion.
The first floor of this mansion would have several galleries, sitting rooms.
All were decorated in a style more American than French, which was pretty atypical at the time.
The second floor had living quarters, which included a parlor, bedrooms, and a large formal dining room.
And Carolyn Long suggests the attic under the hipped roof might have had quarters for the most favored domestic servants.
However, the majority of Delphine's servants would have been quartered in one or more of the outbuildings in the rear of the house.
Now, by early 1832, Delphine Louis and Jean Louis moved into the home, along with the four Blanc children, all but one of whom was an adult at the time.
Despite the new environment in the city proper at this point, Delphine and Louis' relationship continued to deteriorate over the course of the year, and in November 1832, she filed for divorce.
In the petition, she quoted state law almost verbatim, and she cited her reason for seeking divorce as his having, quote, treated her in such a manner as to render their living together insupportable.
She also alleged that he had been physically abusive and claimed that Louis had been living out of the house for some time.
Whatever the cause of the separation, it doesn't appear to be permanent, at least not practically.
By 1834, she was listed in the city records as being a, quote, wife separated in property of Louis LaLaurie.
But in reality, Louis had returned to living at the house at Royal Street and was at least very regularly an overnight guest, but was at home on the night of the fire in April 1834.