Cedar Grove Tchoupitoulas Plantation

The most fruitful legacy, however, must be afforded to Antoine Dublecet (1810-1887) and his wife Claire Dublecet/Pollard. Born near Baton Rouge, LA, Dublecet was born to both a free mother and father. His father co-owned the lucrative Cedar Grove Tchoputolias sugar plantation that Antoine soon inherited, and when he married Claire Pollard in the mid-1830s they together built a plantation empire. Claire Pollard was a wealthy free black woman who owned her own plantation with an estimated 44 slaves. Together they managed both plantations, growing his wealth considerably until Claire passed away in 1852. Despite this, his empire continued on. By 1860, Dublecet owned more than 100 slaves and was Louisiana’s wealthiest slaveholder. Their nine children were all educated in France, and two of their sons became medical doctors. In addition, from 1868-1878 Dublecet also served as Louisiana's first Black State Treasurer.

At the time of his death in 1887, Antoine Dubuclet was a wealthy man; he was widely regarded as one of the richest men in all of the South, richer even than his white neighbors. According to historians’ estimates, his net worth was around $265,000, estimated to be around 200 times the average annual income. As well as being a land and slave-owning member of society, he was also well-respected among his southern peers.