Joseph Nicholls CLAUSE (known as "Nichol" and "T'Frere").

Son of:
Alexander "Alex" CLOSE, Jr.
and
Marie Evelina (RIVETTE) CLOSE.

Grandson of (paternal):
Alexander CLOSE, Sr.
and
Josephine (STELLY) CLOSE BREAUX.

Grandson of (maternal):
Francois O'Neil RIVETTE/RIVET
and
Adeline Alexandra "Adele" (DELHOMME) RIVETTE/RIVET.

Husband of:
Marie Cecile (WEBRE) CLAUSE.

They were married January 29, 1901 in Saint Martinville, Saint Martin Parish, Louisiana.

Father of:
Alexandre "Alex" CLAUSE
Evelina (CLAUSE) KILCHRIST
Charles CLAUSE
Weston Claude CLAUSE
Edvige "Elvidge" CLAUSE
Edwin CLAUSE
Stanley Joseph CLAUSE
Aline (CLAUSE) STOKES
Eugene Paul CLAUSE
Robert Jean "Rob" CLAUSE
Nichols "Nichol" CLAUSE, Jr.
Lewellyn "Lew" CLAUSE

Biography:
Nichols was only a toddler when his mother died.

His father, Alexander "Alex" CLOSE, Jr. soon remarried.

At an early age, he was sent to live with his father's BREAUX half-brothers.

In the meantime, the spelling of the surname evolved from CLOSE to CLAUSE.

The 1900 US Census, shows young Nichol CLAUSE residing with his half-uncle, Joseph Macena BREAUX (son of Aurelien BREAUX and Josephine (STELLY) CLOSE BREAUX).

Between about 1888 and 1890, Nicholls' father was showing signs mental illness. In early 1895, his father was interdicted to the state hospital in Jackson, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. His father remained institutionalized the remainder of his life.

At that time everything about his father's illness and interdiction was very hush-hush. I don't know how much Nicholls knew, or even if he knew about it while growing up, however when he was 21 years of age, Nicholls looked for and found his father. From then until his father's death, Nicholls and Cecile would visit Nicholl's father at the state hospital and sometimes, when his father was able to travel, they would take his father back home with them on temporary furlough.

Nicholls and Cecile lived in Carencro, Louisiana were they farmed and raised a large family.

Joseph Nichols CLAUSE, his wife, Marie Cecile WEBRE, and most of their children are buried at Saint Peter Catholic Cemetery (also known as Saint Pierre Catholic Cemetery) in Carencro, LA. Their daughter, Aline (CLAUSE) STOKES is buried in Saint Peter Catholic Cemetery in Elmer, Rapides Parish, LA. Their son, Nichols CLAUSE, Jr., is buried in Greenlawn Memorial Cemetery in Groves, Jefferson County, TX. Their son, Eugene Paul Clause is interred in Bellevue Cemetery in Opelousas, Saint Landry Parish, Louisiana.

CENSUS RECORDS

1900 US CENSUS
5th Ward, St. Martin Parish, LA
June 7, 1900
page 260
-----------------
DWELLING #137
-----------------
BREAUX, Macina, head; Apr 1873, age 27; widowed; self and
parents born LA; Farmer, owns mortgaged farm #122
CLAUSE, Nichols, nephew; May 1880, age 20; single; self and parents born LA; Farm labor

1910 US CENSUS
Ward 6, Carencro, Lafayette Parish, LA
May 11, 1910
-------------------------
Dwelling 274 / Family 281
-------------------------
CLAUSE, Nichol (head), male, white, 28, married 10 years, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA,Language: French, Occupation: Farm, Labor
VEBRE [WEBRE], Cecile (wife), female, white, 27, married 10 years, 4 Children - 4 living, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Language: French, Occupation: none
CLAUSE, Alexandre (son), male, white, 8, single, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Language: French, Occupation: none
CLAUSE, Evelina (daugher), female, white, 6, single, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Language: French, Occupation: none
CLAUSE, Charles (son), male, white, 4, single, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Language: French, Occupation: none
CLAUSE, Weston (son), male, white, 1, single, Birthplace: LA, parents' Birthplace: LA, Language: French, Occupation: none

1920 US CENSUS
6th Ward, Carencro, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana
February 4, 1920
------------------------------
Dwelling 312/ Family 315
------------------------------
CLAUDE [CLAUSE], Nicholas, (head), male, white, 37, married, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Farmer, General Farm
CLAUDE [CLAUSE], Cecile [WEBRE] (wife), female, white, 36, married, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Occupation: none
CLAUDE [CLAUSE], Alexson (son), male, white, 17, single, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Occupation: none
CLAUDE [CLAUSE], Evelina (daughter), female, white, 15, single, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Occupation: none
CLAUDE [CLAUSE], Charles (son), male, white,13, single, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Occupation: none
CLAUDE [CLAUSE], Weston (son), male, white, 11, single, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Occupation: none
CLAUDE [CLAUSE], Alvige (daughter), female, white, 10, single, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Occupation: none
CLAUDE [CLAUSE], Stanley (son), male, white, 7, single, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Occupation: none
CLAUDE [CLAUSE], Aline (daughter), female, white, 5, single, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Occupation: none
CLAUDE [CLAUSE], Eugene (son), male, white, 2, single, Birthplace: LA, Parents' Birthplace: LA, Occupation: none

1930 US CENSUS
Ward 6 (East Part), Lafayete Parish, Louisiana
April 17, 1930
----------------------------
DWELLING 181 / FAMILY 183
----------------------------
CLAUSE, Nicols (head), m, w, 48, married at age 20, LA, LA, LA
CLAUSE, Cecile [WEBRE] (wife), f, w, 48, married at age 20, LA, LA, LA
CLAUSE, Elvige (daughter), f, w, 20, single, LA, LA, LA
CLAUSE, Stanley (son), m, w, 17, single, LA, LA, LA
CLAUSE, Aline (daugther), f, w, 15, single, LA, LA, LA
CLAUSE, Eugene (son), m, w, 13, single, LA, LA, LA
CLAUSE, Robert (son), m, w, 10, single, LA, LA, LA
CLAUSE, Nicols, Jr. (son), m, w, 8, single, LA, LA, LA
CLAUSE, Lewellen (son), m, w, 6, single, LA, LA, LA

Census Source:
US Census Records
Louisiana Death Records
SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA RECORDS by Rev. Donald J. Hebert