Jacques Telesphore Roman

Jacques Telesphore Roman (March 22, 1800 – April 11, 1848) was a 19th century Louisiana businessman, sugar planter and builder of the famous Oak Alley Plantation.

Early years

Born near Opelousas, Louisiana, the son of Jacques Etienne Roman of Grenoble, France and Marie Louise Patin, Jacques Telesphore Roman and his family later moved to St. James Parish, Louisiana and engaged in the lucrative sugar trade.

As the Roman family achieved more and more prominence as leaders of society, their activities alternated between their sugar plantations in St. James Parish and elegant dwellings in New Orleans. Among the latter was the house now known as Madame John's Legacy on Rue Dumaine which was purchased by Jacques Etienne's widow for her and her bachelor sons shortly after her husband's death. From here Jacques Telesphore Roman began his courtship of Celina Pilie, whose very prominent family lived around the corner on Royal Street. They were married on June 14, 1834.

Oak Alley

At this point, the fortunes of the Roman family had reached their pinnacle. Jacques' brother, Andre was serving his first term as Governor of Louisiana, and his sister Josephine, was married to Francois Gabriel "Valcour" Aime, whose wealth, interest in the sugar industry and opulent life style had won him the title of "Sugar King Of Louisiana". On May 19, 1836, Valcour Aime, sold Jacques Telesphore the plantation riverboat captains later dubbed "Oak Alley".

In keeping with the lavish standards of the society elite of that period, Jacques Telesphore and Celina plunged with enthusiasm into the building of their own mansion, located on their newly acquired plantation. The architect is believed to have been Celina's father, Gilbert Joseph Pilie, and master builder George Swainy was contracted to direct the construction, a task which took over two years to complete.

Death

Jacques Telesphore Roman died in 1848, a victim of tuberculosis. His only surviving son, Henri, assumed manhood and responsibility for family affairs in 1859. His valiant efforts to preserve the position and holdings of his family failed against the overwhelming social and political turmoil resulting from the Civil War and Reconstruction, and the Roman empire, joined the ever-growing tide of once powerful and proud Creoles caught in a downhill slide toward oblivion.