Jean Noel Destréhan

1759–1823 (age 64)

Planter and Merchant

Photograph of Jean Noel Destréhan

Biography

Jean Noel Destréhan (1759–1823) was a prominent Louisiana planter and merchant of French descent who played a significant role in the economic development of St. Charles Parish during the early American period. He was instrumental in establishing agricultural enterprises and commercial ventures that contributed to the region's prosperity in the decades following the Louisiana Purchase.

Destréhan's legacy is preserved through his family's historical prominence in Louisiana and his connection to St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, where he was interred. His life exemplified the transition of French colonial settlers into the American territorial period, and his descendants continued to influence the cultural and economic landscape of southeastern Louisiana.